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Respiratory Care Technology
Associate of Applied Science Degree

Program Description
The Respiratory Care program is a sequence of courses that prepares students for careers in the field of respiratory therapy.  Learning opportunities develop academic and professional knowledge and skills required for job acquisition, retention, and advancement.  Program graduates are to be competent in the general areas of humanities or fine arts, social or behavioral sciences, and natural sciences or mathematics.  In addition, the program emphasizes specialized training in areas such as pulmonary and cardiac medications, medical gases, humidity/aerosol therapy, positive pressure breathing, incentive spirometry, patient assessment, postural drainage, percussion/vibration, assessment of diseases and conditions, critical respiratory care, advanced critical care monitoring, pulmonary function testing, and pediatric and neonatal respiratory care.  Program graduates qualify them to take the RRT examination.

Program Length
A minimum of 128 credit hours is required for graduation.
A full time student should expect to complete requirements in 7-8 quarters.

Salary Range
$35,000 to $40,000 annually

Career Opportunities
The United States predicts that respiratory therapy will be one of the fastest growing careers from now to 2010. The profession is expected to grow in the coming years due to largest increase in elderly population, the impact of environmental programs, technological advances in the treatment of heart attacks.

Career Traits/Requirements
Skills required to successfully perform the work of a Respiratory Therapist include the ability to interact with patients and other health professionals, ability to stand on one’s feet for extended periods of time, ability to lift 30 pounds, emotional stability, considerable patience and concern for others, function well as a team member, possess manual dexterity and fine motor coordination, capacity to perform well under stress or in emergency situations.

Additional Requirements
Criminal background check and medical packet required.

Entrance Date
Check Competitive Admissions Criteria

Program Courses

General Education

30

 

Area I - English/Humanities/Fine Arts

 

ENG 1101

Composition & Rhetoric

5

HUM 1101

Introduction to Humanities

5

 

OR

 

ENG 2130

American Literature

5

 

 

 

 

Area II - Social/Behavioral Sciences

 

SPC 1101

Public Speaking

5

PSY 1101

Introduction to Psychology

5

 

 

 

 

Area III - Natural Sciences/Mathematics

 

MAT 1111

College Algebra

5

CHM 1111

Chemistry I

5

 

 

 

Occupational Education

98

SCT 100

Introduction to Microcomputers

3

BIO 2113

Anatomy and Physiology I

5

BIO 2114

Anatomy and Physiology II

5

BIO 2117

Introductory Microbiology

5

AHS 1126

Health Science Physics

5

RTT 111

Pharmacology

5

RTT 112

Introduction to Respiratory Therapy

5

RTT 113

Respiratory Therapy Lab I

5

RTT 209

Clinical Practice I

2

RTT 210

Clinical Practice II

2

RTT 211

Pulmonary Disease

5

RTT 212

Critical Respiratory Care

5

RTT 213

Mechanical Ventilation Equipment & Airway Care

5

RTT 214

Advanced Critical Care Monitoring

2

RTT 215

Pulmonary Function Testing

1

RTT 216

Pediatric and Neonatal Respiratory Care

3

RTT 217

Advanced Respiratory Care Seminar

5

RTT 218

Clinical Practice III

2

RTT 219

Clinical Practice IV

2

RTT 220

Clinical Practice V

5

RTT 222

Clinical Practice VI

10

RTT 227

Rehabilitation and Home Care

1

RTT 193

Cardiopulmonary Anatomy & Physiology

10

Total Required Credits for Graduation

128

 

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