For Respiratory Therapists ·
What you'll accomplish
By the end of this guide, you'll have Claude set up and working to generate customized, plain-language patient education materials in under 3 minutes — replacing the stack of outdated generic handouts you currently use. You'll produce better discharge education for COPD, asthma, home oxygen, CPAP, and breathing exercise patients without spending 30–45 minutes writing from scratch.
What you'll need
What you should see: A clean chat interface with a text box at the bottom labeled "How can I help you today?"
Troubleshooting: If claude.ai is blocked on your work device, use your personal phone or home computer — this is a personal workflow tool.
Before generating handouts, practice with a simple test. In the chat box, type:
"Write a plain-language patient education handout for a 70-year-old COPD patient going home on 2 liters of supplemental oxygen via nasal cannula. Use a 6th-grade reading level. Include: how to use the oxygen concentrator, when to call the doctor, and three activities to avoid. Format as a printable handout with a title and bullet points."
Press Enter and read what Claude produces.
What you should see: A 300–500 word handout with a clear title, bullet points, and accessible language — ready to print.
Troubleshooting: If the output is too clinical or long, add "Keep it under 250 words and avoid medical jargon" to your prompt.
The key is specificity. Here's what to include in every handout prompt:
Total time from opening Claude to handing the patient a personalized document: under 5 minutes.
After a few weeks of using Claude, you'll develop 4–6 prompts that work for your most common patient types. Save them in your phone's Notes app or a small Google Doc so you can copy-paste and just change the specific details.
COPD discharge (standard):
Write a plain-language discharge handout for a [age]-year-old with COPD going home on [O2 flow rate]L oxygen. Reading level: [grade]. Include: oxygen safety at home, when to call the doctor, activity guidelines, rescue inhaler use, and follow-up instructions.
CPAP start (new diagnosis):
Write a beginner's guide to using a CPAP machine for a patient newly diagnosed with sleep apnea. No medical background assumed. Include: why CPAP helps, nightly setup steps, mask troubleshooting, and how to know if it's working. Keep it under 300 words.
Home nebulizer education:
Write step-by-step instructions for using a home nebulizer for a [age]-year-old patient with [diagnosis]. Include: assembly, how to load medication, treatment duration, cleaning after each use, and when to call the doctor if the treatment isn't helping.
Asthma action plan:
Write an asthma action plan in three zones (green, yellow, red) for a [age]-year-old with moderate persistent asthma. Current medications: [list]. Include specific peak flow thresholds if relevant. Format as a one-page reference card.
Breathing exercises:
Write instructions for pursed-lip breathing and diaphragmatic breathing for a COPD patient recovering from an exacerbation. Include when to use each technique and how to practice at home. Plain language, 6th-grade level.