Purpose: The curriculum is designed to prepare students as effective members of the health care team in assisting with diagnosis, treatment, management, and preventive care of patients with cardio-pulmonary problems. Upon successful completion of the program and specific employment experiences, students may be eligible to take the national entry level examination leading to credentialing as a Certified Respiratory Therapy Technician (C.R.T.T.). Classroom and clinical work completed in the certificate program may be transferred into the associate degree program.
Students must comply with all General Requirements for Health Technologies as specified in Section I.
Admission Requirements:
1. Science Requirement: One unit of high school-level biology.
2. A visit to a respiratory therapy department prior to entering respiratory therapy courses is recommended. Program faculty will assist in scheduling this experience.
3. Developmental work or testing may be advised for credits earned more than ten years ago.
Completion Requirements: Students must pass the natural sciences sequences with at least a "C" grade. All incomplete grades ("I") in RTH courses must be resolved prior to taking the next course in sequence. All RTH courses (both lecture and clinical) must be taken within the prescribed semester sequence.
Special Accreditation Status: The program is accredited by the Commission on the Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP), in cooperation with the Joint Review Committee for Respiratory Therapy Education.
Credits
1st Sem. 2nd Sem. 3rd Sem.
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MTH Elective .................................... 2
NAS 161 Health Science I ........................ 4
RTH 102 Integrated Science for Resp. Care ....... 3
RTH 121 Cardiopulmonary Science I ............... 3
RTH 131 Resp. Care Theory & Proced. I ........... 4
RTH 145 Pharmacology for Resp. Care I ........... 2
STD Elective .................................... 1
ENG 111 College Composition I ................... 3
NAS 162 Health Science II ....................... 4
RTH 132 Resp. Care Theory & Proced. II .......... 4
RTH 151 Fund. Clinical Procedures I ............. 3
RTH 222 Cardiopulmonary Science II .............. 3
RTH 135 Diagnostic/Therapeutic Proc. I .......... 2
RTH 152 Fundamental Clinical Proc. II ........... 3
RTH 195 Topics In Respiratory Care .............. 1
(2) ___ Social science elective ..................... 3
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Total Credits 19 17 9
Total minimum credits for the Respiratory Therapy certificate = 45.
(1) Social science courses may be selected from the following: economics, geography, history, political science, psychology, or sociology (includes anthropology).