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Good evening,

The SCSRC Executive Committee and Board of Directors met on Friday morning, April 22nd, 2022 via Zoom. Some highlights from this board meeting are noted below:

Report from President Tracy Cook:

Even though I am fairly new to this profession I find it hard to believe that the AARC is celebrating 75-years. I am proud to say that the program committee and many regional directors are working, planning, and strategizing to present quality educational and networking events. If your region has not had an event in the last year, I strongly encourage you to please plan an event. To gather support, you can start with a networking event such as a Dutch-treat dinner. Just get started…. You will be surprised if you set a date, find a venue and advertise the speakers and vendors will respond and fill your agenda. If you feel you do not have the skills and contacts, please, please reach out to me as I am here to help and guide. I also really want to encourage and challenge everyone to think of ways to increase membership in your area. We need to think of all the things we accomplished and did in 2021 and send that information to Wayne Barfield before May 1, 2022 so we can submit our Summit Award Application.

SCSRC goals are:

• Advocacy: My challenge this quarter is that we all advocate and speak up to support our scope of practice. Hill Day is coming in May and we need to write those letters, send those emails, and make the phone calls in support of legislature that supports us and/or our patients. Never be afraid to write your senators or congress.
• Communication/Marketing: Please, post to the SCSRC community on AARConnect. I would love for committee members and regional directors to share a little about themselves utilizing AARConnect posts. Please use that forum to share information or to respond to each other.
• Education/Professional Development: Encourage others to seek educational opportunities and specialty credentials. AARC has several programs to assist members who are seeking specialty credentials.
• Events/Meetings: Each region needs to sponsor a minimal of (1) educational and/or membership event in 2022.
• Membership: We still need to focus on increasing our statewide membership. Less than 20% of the RCP licensed in SC are members of the SCSRC. We need to be deliberate in our encouragement of others to support the SCSRC.
• Revenue and Finance: I am so thankful for our Treasurer and Committee members who are thoughtful in how they spend our money. I appreciate the committees being good financial stewards which allows SCSRC to continue to have a sound financial foundation.

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Ann Gilchrist Whitmire, a longtime SC respiratory therapist, passed away on Saturday, March 12, 2022 at the age of 88. Ann worked for many years as an RT at Providence Hospital, and also worked at Blue Choice Health Plan until her retirement in September 2017.

Ann was president of the SCSRC in 1986, which was the year the SC legislature passed the Title Protection Act for Respiratory Care Practitioners, which later became what we know now as our RCP licensure act. Ann played a pivotal role in the process of getting the original bill written and passed.

She was the recipient of the SCSRC Practitioner of the Year award as well.

Services for Ann will be held on Saturday, April 2nd, 2022, at 11 am, at The Church of the Good Shepherd (Episcopal), 1512 Blanding Street, Columbia, SC 29201. The family will receive friends one hour prior to the service in the Church Parish Hall. Dunbar Funeral Home is assisting the family, Devine Street Chapel, is assisting the family.

On a personal note, Ann was the first therapist that I rounded with on my very first day in clinic as a fourth quarter RT student at Midlands Tech; she was amazing to work with, a day I will never forget and will always be grateful for….

In keeping with guidance from the AARC, the SCSRC Executive Committee and Board of Directors has unanimously decided to update the name of the “Entry Level Student Scholarship” that is awarded annually to associate degree seeking students to be “Early Professional Student Scholarship”. This is a new, fresh name for the scholarship and is in line with the AARC’s “Early Professional Membership” level that is available to students prior to graduation.

The Early Professional Student Scholarship application is now available on the SCSRC website; if you are a student that would like to apply, please carefully read and follow all instructions contained in the application.

The members of the Scholarship Committee include: Allan Dunphy, MEd, RRT-NPS, RRT-CPFT, RCP; Amanda Coffey, BS, RRT; Selma Watson, BA, RRT, CPFT. If you have any questions, please reach out to scholarships@scsrc.org. We look forward to reviewing the applications and awarding these four scholarships!!

Greetings,
This is a reminder that 2021 is a licensure renewal year for licensed SC RCPs; the continuing education timeframe is as noted below, as well as the CE sponsoring organizations, and approved contact hours for such classes as ACLS, PALS, BLS, etc. Please note: the SCSRC is not responsible for licensure renewal in any way. This is presented as information only; any questions, concerns, etc. should be directed to the SC Labor, Licensing and Regulation department, https://llr.sc.gov.

Respiratory Care Practitioner (RCP) Renewal and Continuing Education Information

1. Continuing Education Timeframe – You must have completed at least thirty (30) hours of continuing education in the RENEWAL PERIOD (June 1, 2019 to May 31, 2021).
   RCPs in their FIRST renewal cycle after receiving their initial permanent license are NOT required to complete CME for this renewal period only.
2. Continuing education sponsorship – courses must be approved or sponsored by one of the following organizations:
   1. American Association for Respiratory Care, Inc. or its sponsoring organizations
   2. American Heart Association
   3. Society of Critical Care Medicine
   4. American Lung Association
   5. South Carolina Society for Respiratory Care
   6. Allied Health Education Centers of the South Carolina Consortium of Community Teaching Hospitals (AHEC)
   7. American Thoracic Society
   8. American College of Chest Physicians
   9. American Society of Anesthesiologists
   10. Accredited institutional continuing education programs:
       1. Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education
       2. American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation
3. Approved Number of Contact Hours
   

   BLS Initial	6
   BLS refresher (PHR/PHB BLS, etc.)	3
   PALS Initial (2 day class)	12
   PALS Refresher	6
   ACLS Initial	12
   ACLS Refresher	6
   NRP Initial	6
   NRP Refresher	3

We are excited and proud to announce that the South Carolina Society for Respiratory Care (SCSRC) is the 2020 recipient for the AARC’s prestigious Summit Award. This honor reflects our state’s efforts and achievements in promoting professionalism and growth in the field of respiratory care. To be considered for this esteemed annual award, a state affiliate of the AARC must submit a nomination that outlines and provides supporting documentation showing their activities related to seven specific categories:

• Educational activities
• Membership and recruiting
• Legislation/Advocacy
• Promoting public awareness
• Benefits to members
• Collaboration with other health care organizations
• Student activities

We thank everyone who supported, volunteered and advocated for the respiratory care professional and provided the opportunity to demonstrate our activities in the seven categories while supporting the SCSRC members, patients and students. The last few years have shown many challenges, from inclement weather to fighting a pandemic, yet we continue to shine and excel in our endeavors.

The SCSRC President, Dr. Jerry Alewine accepted the Summit award and shared his excitement and sentiments on the efforts behind receiving this distinction:

“On behalf of the South Carolina Society for Respiratory Care and all respiratory therapists in South Carolina, I graciously accept the 2020 Summit Award. As is well appreciated, these past few months have been a very difficult time for healthcare, and in particular, the respiratory therapist. Through it all, we have continued as a profession, thrived as individuals, and will forever be recognized as vital in the fight against the devastation that is COVID-19.

To have been awarded the Summit Award, the diligence and commitment of our respiratory therapist has been recognized. They have endured a pandemic and remained consistent in their demand for exceptional care and the promotion of professionalism. This unique year that will be historically remembered as a time of great confusion, emotional turmoil, and unrelenting chaos that has allowed the profession of respiratory therapy to be spotlighted in a way as never before.

Having the pleasure of serving as president of the SCSRC, I am humbled and thankful for the dedication of the respiratory therapists in the state of South Carolina. Accepting this award, I do so solely as president but by no means the reason for this recognition. I accept on behalf of a state of dedicated professionals that work each day for the care of the patients we serve, promotion of the profession of respiratory therapy, and the commitment to excellence.

Again, thank you AARC and may each of you be blessed with a better day.”

Jerry A Alewine EdD, RRT
President of the SCSRC