By Professor Lonny Ashworth, MEd, RRT, FAARC

January 2015, Professor Lonny Ashworth, Boise State University, Boise, Idaho USA presented a series of Mechanical Ventilation Seminars in Japan as part of the International Exchange Visit Program for Respiratory Care Professionals (IEVPRCP). The prestigious IEVPRCP was initiated in 1998 by Dr. Toshihiko Koga prior to his untimely passing in 2004. Through the leadership of Dr. Kazunao Watanabe and Dr. Norihiro Kaneko, the workshops continue in their tradition of excellence to provide contemporary respiratory care instruction to health care providers throughout Japan.

Physician evaluating modes of ventilation during exercise at Shonan General Hospital, Ofuna, Japan

The Seminar format included lecture/demonstrations and hands-on workshops emphasizing instruction in the “Mechanical Ventilation of the Adult Patient”. The length of the programs ranged from one day for the Basic course, and two-three days in length for the more Advanced course. The programs were offered in multiple locations throughout Japan to differing audiences of physicians, nurses, clinical engineers, physical therapists and other co-medical personnel. Venues included; St. Luke’s International Hospital, Tokyo, Kameda Medical Center, Kamogawa, Sakaide City Hospital, Sakaide, Kobe City Medical Center, Kobe City, Shonan General Hospital, Ofuna and Tokyo Bay Urayasu Ichikawa Medical Center, Urayasu.

Professor Ashworth reported “the seminars were a great success and very beneficial for the participants, but even more so because in the true spirit of the International Exchange Program, learning was mutual and my team and I learned much in exchange from our Japanese colleagues”.