VEP Educational Symposium 2014

VEP’s first Educational Symposium held February 2014 brought together the VEP clinical educators and on-call service providers for a weekend of learning, teaching, networking and celebrating VEP’s 20-year anniversary! The two-day symposium held in Kingston, ON, facilitated the launch of the Philips Cough Assist device and the on-boarding of new technology.  Some of Ontario’s leading respiratory therapists in home mechanical ventilation came together to advance their knowledge and skills in Non-invasive ventilation (NIV) and airway clearance treatment methods.

A varied range of topics were presented, such as manual assisted cough techniques, mechanical insufflation-exsufflation, emergency preparedness planning for the home ventilator-assisted individual (VAI) and new technology including RESMED’s iVAPS and Respironics’ AVAPS A/E. Case studies as well as workshops provided hands-on experience.

Researchers, clinicians in sleep medicine, staff from the Kingston Heath Sciences Centre and staff from the Ministry of Health’s Assistive Devices Program (ADP) were in attendance. Their unique contributions added significant knowledge in sleep medicine; NIV, the continuum of care from hospital to home, PHIPA and increased our knowledge of health policy.

Many thanks to the participants, speakers, organizers, VEP staff, and to ADP.  Special thanks also to our sponsors:  Medigas, ResMed, Philips Respironics and Vital Aire.