Safe and Effective Staffing Guide

The AARC Safe & Effective Staffing Guide (known as “The Guide” or the SESG), provides respiratory care departments with invaluable tools for success in a value-based care environment. The SESG is recognized as the Gold Standard in having validated time standards for procedures associated with the provision of respiratory services and the time required to perform each of those procedures. The SESG empowers respiratory leaders with validated procedure time standards and the methodology to create staffing programs. It is the only methodology that the AARC endorses.

To assist respiratory care departments with adoption and implementation, content is offered in the following areas:

  • Evaluating the value of provided services as the driver to determine appropriate staffing levels
  • Access to newly updated, validated, procedural time standards, scope of care and CPT codes
  • Methodology to incorporate the philosophy of Value Efficiency into staffing decisions
  • A respiratory therapy leader toolkit with references, case studies and best practices in staffing optimization


This is a comprehensive survey and it will take 60-90 minutes to complete.  I know what some of us are thinking:  Why should I spend an hour that I don't have to complete this survey?  The answer is that this survey on activities and procedure times that accurately determine the number of FTEs your department needs.  
If you complete the survey for your department, thank you! 
If you report to a director/manager, please pass along this link so that she can complete the survey.
If anyone has any questions, please contact me via personal email (gwkauffman@hotmail.com) or personal cell (336 778 6506) at your convenience.
On behalf of the AARC SESG Expert Panel, please accept our thanks for completing the survey that supports your RT department and your RTs!