Respiratory Therapy

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

Program Information

The twenty-two month full-time program offers an associate of applied science degree. It is a concentrated professional program designed to provide the student with all of the skills needed to practice as a respiratory therapist. The education in respiratory therapy is classroom oriented with skills lab activities that follow the didactic presentation, where small group learning activities emphasize skill-based, hands-on experience.

The program progresses from simple to complex, with emphasis on critical thinking and decision-making. After achieving a pass rating on any procedure in a simulated patient environment, the student begins to practice the procedures on patients under the supervision of a clinical instructor.

The program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care (CoARC). This status allows enrollment of students and ensures that all students who complete the program are eligible for the examinations given by the National Board for Respiratory Care and state licensure in New Mexico.

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.