Elda De Jesus is MacPherson’s Certified Respiratory Therapist. She is available to answer any questions and provide assistance for all your respiratory needs.
Meet Elda De Jesus, Respiratory Therapist
Certified Respiratory Therapist Elda De Jesus has been with MacPherson’s since 2008 and provides one-on-one respiratory therapy. She is the go-to person for those who need anything respiratory related such as a c-pap machine, nebulizer, or oxygen supplies. She also supervises the services department.
“I enjoy the fact that I know my patients personally and they feel comfortable asking me questions. I think it’s important to have that relationship with patients so they can call or come in and I am available to help them,” De Jesus says.
Her job is more important than ever because of the COVID-19 pandemic. While she says not much has changed in terms of her workload, she does have sleep apnea patients with COVID-19 who require some adjustments to their care.
“Doctors will sometimes increase the pressure on the c-pap machines to help the patients get through the illness, and all of our machines have wireless modems that connect to a [computer] program specific to that machine, and we can make those adjustments on the computer without them having to leave their home,” she said.
De Jesus adds that if patients need supplies such as tubing or masks, they can have them delivered to their home. She also says that many people call to inquire about oxygen concentrators for COVID-19 patients, and that it is best to call for availability.
Getting help with sleep apnea
Much of De Jesus’ respiratory therapy centers around patients with sleep apnea. She says those who suspect they may have it should speak with their doctor about conducting a sleep study.
“Oftentimes people hesitate to have a sleep study done because they don’t want to sleep at the hospital, but now you can get a home sleep study,” she said.
Besides improving sleep, she stresses that getting help with sleep apnea could improve other conditions such as high blood pressure, headaches, and obesity.
“I see patients who get started with their c-paps and I will see them a month or so later and they’re so happy because they were finally able to sleep. I’ve had several of my patients lose a lot of weight because they have more energy and are therefore more active.
“I have people tell me ‘I get up a lot at night, so I don’t know how this is going to work for me’ and I tell them that once you get the machine you’re going to get into that deep state of sleep and you’ll notice you won’t get up as much,” De Jesus said.
She says most people find the c-pap masks uncomfortable at first, but with time and patience, they’ll begin to feel better overall.
“I always tell my patients they may get used to it right away and love it, or it may take a little longer, but the objective is to wear it every single day. Even if you can’t wear it the entire night, wear it for two hours, the next night wear it for three, but wear it everyday so you can get used to it. I always encourage [patients] that if they have any questions or concerns, please reach out to me and we’ll take care of it,” De Jesus said.
She says the success of any respiratory therapy often depends on how much help a patient receives in the beginning, such as with finding the right c-pap mask and adjusting the pressure if need be. Giving personal attention to patients is important at MacPherson’s and what De Jesus enjoys most about her job.
“My favorite part is knowing that I’m helping people with their health and knowing that by showing someone how to properly use something like a c-pap machine, it could potentially save their life,” she said.
For all your respiratory needs, call MacPherson’s at 956-412-9100 and be sure to ask for Elda De Jesus.