The integration of respiratory therapy into nursing: reorganization for improved productivity.

This article outlines a program, implemented by a 133-bed acute care facility, designed to provide more productive patient care delivery while maintaining the level of service delivered. This program required downsizing the respiratory therapy department, integrating a portion of its function into the nursing department, and reducing the annual salary budget by approximately $270,000 or 2 percent of total hospital salaries. The article describes the process and strategies that were used to implement this method of providing respiratory care to hospital patients.