Academic Program

Respiratory Therapy

Respiratory Therapists play critical roles as members of the health care team in caring for patients with deficiencies and abnormalities of the cardiopulmonary system.

Overview

About the Program

A patient conducting a breathing test.

Accreditation

 

The Respiratory Therapy Program, CoArc #200402, AAS, and Espina Campus (3400 S. Espina) is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care (www.coarc.com)

CoARC  accredits respiratory therapy education programs in the United States. To achieve this end, it utilizes an ‘ outcomes based ’ process. Programmatic outcomes are performance indicators that reflect the extent to which the educational goals of the program are achieved and by which program effectiveness is documented.

 

What is a Respiratory Therapist?

About the Profession Respiratory Therapists play   critical roles as members of the health care team  in caring for patients with deficiencies and abnormalities of the cardiopulmonary system. Respiratory therapists provide care for a diverse patient population, from newborns and children to adults and the elderly. Disease states and conditions often requiring respiratory care include asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), cystic fibrosis, emphysema, heart attack, infant respiratory distress, pneumonia, postoperative surgical complications, shock, stroke and trauma. 

Working with physicians and other health care practitioners, respiratory therapists help their patients breathe better by providing the following:

  • Patient assessment, care plan development and respiratory care protocol administration
  • Critical care, including airway care, ventilator support, physiologic monitoring and advanced life support
  • Perinatal and pediatric respiratory care
  • Cardiopulmonary diagnostics and pulmonary function testing
  • Patient education, pulmonary rehabilitation and disease management

 

Pathways

Degrees & Certificates

Associate of Applied Science

Respiratory Therapy

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Questions

Degrees and certificates: full program information

Respiratory Therapy — Associate of Applied Science

Respiratory Therapy

NOTABLE COURSES: Medical Terminology, Respirtory Therapy I-VI

REQUIREMENTS: C- or above is required in all relative courses to graduate

DURATION: 7 semesters 

Respiratory Therapy

Explore

The demand for healthcare employees has never been greater, and according to the U.S. Department of Labor, the demand is only expected to increase.

With their training as a respiratory therapist, students can gain employment in settings such as hospital intensive care units, emergency rooms, pediatric units and operating rooms, as well as in doctor’s offices, sleep labs, patients’ homes and nursing homes.

Additional information

What is a Respiratory Therapist?

Respiratory Therapists play critical roles as members of the health care team in caring for patients with deficiencies and abnormalities of the cardiopulmonary system. Respiratory therapists provide care for a diverse patient population, from newborns and children to adults and the elderly. Disease states and conditions often requiring respiratory care include asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), cystic fibrosis, emphysema, heart attack, infant respiratory distress, pneumonia, postoperative surgical complications, shock, stroke and trauma. 

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