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Wettstein, Richard B.

School of Health Professions
Respiratory Care
(210) 567-7966
wettstein@uthscsa.edu

Since entering the healthcare field as a professional I have had a passion to provide patients with the best respiratory care available anywhere. This naturally led me to become an educator, to foster a new generation of professionals with a passion for excellent patient care and patient advocacy. For over twenty years I have been privileged to mentor students, medical residents, and most recently junior faculty in becoming lifelong learners that provide only the best evidence based medical care. One of my greatest pleasures as the director of clinical education for our program is the testimonials regarding the skill, knowledge, and professionalism of our graduates that I repeatedly encountered while visiting our clinical partners. The truly rewarding moments are when employers cannot offer enough praise for the graduates that were not academic stars but through encouragement and mentorship successfully completed the program and now provide care at the highest level. I have now taught respiratory care in Canada, Saudi Arabia, and the United States. Everywhere I travel, I encounter graduates who have picked up the torch and now in their own positions of influence, are promoting excellence in healthcare. This is what makes education such a fulfilling and enriching career.

Appointments Education Expertise Teaching Publications Grants

6/2010 - Present	Director of Clinical Education	UT Health Science Center, Respiratory Care, San Anotonio, TX
1/2007 - Present	Assistant Professor	University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, Respiratory Care, San Antonio, TX

Journal Article

Restrepo RD, Hirst, KR, Wittnebel L, Wettstein RB. AARC Clinical Practice Guideline: Transcutaneous Monitoring of Carbon Dioxide and Oxygen: 2012 Respiratory Care 2012 Nov;57(11):1955-1962.

Restrepo RD, Wettstein RB, Wittnebel L, Tracy M. AARC Clinical Practice Guideline: Incentive Spirometry: 2011 Respiratory Care 2011 Oct;56(10):1600-1604.

Wettstein RB, Wilkins RL, Gardner DD, Restrepo RD. Critical-thinking ability in respiratory care students and its correlation with age, educational background, and performance on national board examinations Respiratory Care 2011 Mar;56(3):284-289.

Restrepo RD, Trevino M, Wittnebel, Leo, Wettstein RB, Sorenson HM, Vines DL, Gardner DD, Wilkins RL. Medication adherence issues in patients treated for COPD Int J Chron Obstruct Pulmon Dis 2008 Sep;3(3):371-384.

Book Chapter

Wettstein RB, Wilkins RL. Interpretation of Blood Gases. In: Wilkins RL, Krider SJ, Sheldon RL. Clinical Assessment in Respiratory Care. St. Louis, Missouri 63416: Mosby; 2009.

Dissertation/Thesis

Wettstein RB. Critical Thinking Ability in Respiratory Care Students and its Correlation with Age, Educational Background, and Performance on National Board Examinations 2008.

Abstract

Waugh JB,Vines DL, Gardner DD, Wettstein RB. Integrated Pulmonary Index Stability in Healthy Adults Under Changing Conditions; 2010 Dec. (Respiratory Care Journal; vol. 55, no. 12).

Gardner DD, Vines DL, Wettstein RB, Waugh JB. EFFECT OF HELIOX ON END-TIDAL CO2 AND RESPIRATORY; 2010 Dec. (Respiratory Care Journal; vol. 55, no. 12).

Wettstein RB, Restrepo RR, Gardner DD, Wilkins RL. Critical Thinking Thinking Abillity in Babbalaureate Level Respiratory Care Students; 2010 Dec. (Respiratory Care Journal; vol. 55, no. 12).

Wettstein RB, Restrepo RD, Gardner DD, Wilkins RL. Critical thinking ability in baccalaureate level respiratory care students; 2010 Nov. (Respiratory Care; vol. 55, no. 11).

Wettstein RB, Wilkins RL, Gardner DD. Critical thinking ability in respiratory care students and its correlation with age, educational background, and performance on national board examinations; 2009 Dec. (Respiratory Care; vol. 54, no. 11).

Vines DL, Sonetti D, Wettstein RB, Peters JI. A simple spontaneous breathing model used to evaluate oxygen mask performance; 2009 Oct. (Chest Meeting Abstracts).

Not Specified

Restrepo RD, Hirst, KR, Wittnebel L, Wettstein RB. AARC Clinical Practice Guideline: Transcutaneous Monitoring of Carbon Dioxide and Oxygen Respiratory Care 2012 Nov;57(11):1955-1962.

Other

Wettstein RB. Review of "Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: A Forgotten Killer." Respiriratory Care 2009 Mar;54(3):399-400.

Year	Degree	Discipline	Institution
2009	MEd	Medical Education	University of Dundee Dundee , Scotland
1993	BS	Respiratory Therapy	Columbia Union College Tacoma Park , MA
1991	Certificate	Adult Education	University of New Brunswick Fredericton, New Brunswick , Canada
1987	DPL	Respiratory Therapy	Southern Alberta Institute of Technolgy Calgary, Alberta , Canada

Date	Description	Institution	# Students
8/2010 - Present	Cardiopulmonary Physiology	The University of Texas Health Science Center
Course Director - Fall 2010: Students enrolled 26 Fall 2011: Students enrolled 27 Course Description This course provides and in depth look at primarily the cardiopulmonary system, its structure, function, and the clinical application of this knowledge.
5/2009 - Present	Critical Respiratory Care	The University of Texas Health Science Center
Course Director - Summer 2009: Students enrolled 17 Summer 2010: Students enrolled 19 Summer 2011: Students enrolled 23 Course Description This course covers all aspects of critical care monitoring, patient assessment, and the initiation, modification, maintanance, and withdrawal of mechanical ventilation.
5/2002 - Present	Mechanical Ventilation	The University of Texas Health Science Center
Course Director Summer 2002: Students enrolled 21 Summer 2003: Students enrolled 11 Summer 2004: Students enrolled 23 Spring 2010: Students enrolled 19 Spring 2011: Students enrolled 23 Spring 2012: Students enrolled 25 Co-Taught although mostly did ventilator sign-offs Spring 2007: Students enrolled 22 Spring 2008: Students enrolled 23 Spring 2009: Students enrolled 17 Course Description This course covers all aspects of mechanical ventilators with labs that cover pre-use checks, setup, initiation, parameter changes, and discontinuation. Ventilator sign-offs consume on average another 12 hours per week in student contact.
8/2001 - Present	Individual Instruction	UTHSCSA

Private
Funding Agency	Oridion Capnography, Inc
Title	A Pilot Study on Healthy Volunteers to Investigate the Interaction of Exhaled CO2 Sampling and Supplemental Heliox Delivery via a Mask on Monitored Respiration Rate and End Tidal Carbon Dioxide
Status	Complete
Period	10/2009 - 3/2011
Role	Co-Investigator
Grant Detail	The purpose of this study is to determine if Heliox delivered through a non-rebreather mask affects capnographic measurement of respiratory frequency and end-tidal CO2. This study will also identify the strengths and limits of capnography in the clinical environment in regards to monitoring ventilation when providing gas therapy with a non-rebreather mask.

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