Programs - General Description

National Avg. Salary: (Annually)
- Starting:
  $44687
- Experienced:
  $52200
Local Avg. Salary: (Annually)
- Starting:
  $41179
- Experienced:
  $44625
Completion Time
(in months)
- 24
Waiting List:
- No

John Evans

Program Director

Current Program/Catalog Information

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Respiratory Care Degree

Health and Sciences Division

General Description | Semester Layout | Course Requirements | Printable Checklist

Mission

To prepare graduates with demonstrated competence in the cognitive (knowledge), psychmotor (skills), and affective (behavior) domains of respiratory care practice as performed by registered respiratory therapists (RRTs).

Description

Respiratory therapists work closely with physicians and nurses in the treatment and diagnosis of various breathing disorders. Respiratory therapists, practicing under a physician's direction, assume primary responsibility for all respiratory care therapeutic treatments and diagnostic procedures, including the supervision of respiratory therapy technicians. Respiratory therapists are also more likely to provide complex therapy requiring considerable independent judgment, such as caring for patients on life support in hospital intensive care units. Respiratory therapists are required to have an in-depth knowledge of heart-lung physiology, effective communication skills, problem solving skills, integrity, compassion, tolerance, ethics, and effective stress coping skills. Graduates are also eligible to apply for a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) program in Respiratory Care at a senior college.

Respiratory therapists are employed in health care facilities including acute care hospitals, rehabilitation hospitals, skilled nursing facilities, and home care. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics Web site, the median annual income for respiratory therapists was approximately $52,200 for May 2008. Employment of respiratory therapists is expected to grow by 21% through the year 2018, because of substantial growth in numbers of the middle-aged and elderly population -- a development that will heighten the incidence of heart and lung disease. For more information on the profession, go to www.aarc.org.

Applications are accepted March 1 - April 1. All prerequisites must be completed by the end of the Spring Semester in which you apply. Respiratory Care application, entrance map, and advising worksheets may be downloaded or printed at http://www.fdtc.edu/academics/programs/catalog/forms/default.asp.

Accreditations, Approvals, and Certifications

This program has been accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care (Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care 1248 Harwood Road Bedford, TX 76021-4244 817.283.2835 ) .

Program Entrance Requirements

Course Level	Required Courses
High School	None
College	BIO 112 or BIO 210 & BIO 211, MAT 110, PHS 101
NOTE: A grade of "C" or better is required for each prerequisite course.

Other	Required
Diploma or GED	Yes
Approval/Permission Needed -- Application Process Departmental Approval	Yes
Prior Experience/Observation	No
Minimum Cumulative GPA of 2.0	Yes
Current CPR Certification by American Heart Association or American Red Cross	No
First Aid Certification	No
Hepatitis B Immunization or Signed Informed Refusal or Titer	Yes
MMR Immunization or Titer	Yes
Chicken Pox Vaccination or Titer	Yes
Two-step PPD / Chest X-Ray	Yes
Medical Examination Forms are provided by the college and should be current (within one year) and complete.	Yes
Dental Examination Forms are provided by the college and should be current (within one year) and complete. Dental health must meet departmental standards.	No
Technical Standards Forms are provided by the college and should be current (within one year) and complete.	Yes
Negative Drug Screen	Yes
Satisfactory Background Check	Yes
Other Diplomas, Licensures, etc.	No
Recent Photograph Photograph will not be returned.	No

Academic Standards

Standard Criteria	Required
Courses requiring a grade of "C" or better Any course with one of the following prefixes: ALL	Yes
Courses that may not be attempted more than twice	No
Complete or Maintain CPR Certification by American Heart Association or American Red Cross	Yes
Curriculum Completion Requirement	No
Drug Calculation Competency Students must demonstrate drug calculation competency each semester in order to progress in curriculum courses.	No
Dismissal Policy A student who fails four or more required courses will be dismissed from the program and will not be eligible to re-enter the program.	Yes
Re-entry Policy Any student who has been dismissed from the Respiratory Care program for academic or clinical failure may re-enter the program the following year in the semester from which they failed. This will be allowed only if the student's GPA is a 2.0 or better, they have not failed more than three (3) courses, and there is space available in the curriculum. A student who has a cumulative GPA of less than 2.0 and/or violates the Respiratory Care Program Academic Progression Policy cannot apply for re-admission into the Respiratory Care curriculum until after a waiting period of at least one (1) year. The student will be allowed to re-enter the Respiratory Care curriculum one (1) time only.	Yes

Agency Requirements

Students in health majors must meet the published clinical agency requirements when participating in assigned labs. Requirements include immunizations, background checks, and drug testing. To be in compliance with Article, 23, Section 44-7-2920 of the S.C. Code of Law, all students enrolled in AHS 141, DAT 154, DHG 154, HIM 102, MED 102, MLT 110, NUR 160, NUR 201, PNR 110, RAD 101, RES 101, and SUR 101 must complete the requirements listed above prior to being assigned to any direct care entity. Results of the background check/drug screening could affect the student's ability to complete required clinical rotations and/or become credentialed. For example, a felony conviction could make a student ineligible to take the licensing exam(s) required by the profession or prevent the student from participating in the clinical training component.

Graduation Requirements

Complete all required courses specified in the curriculum.
Fulfill all financial obligations to the College.
Achieve a cumulative final GPA of 2.0.
Earn at least 25 percent of the total credit hours of his/her curriculum at FDTC. Exceptions can be made only by the Vice President for Academic Affairs.

Program Specific Notes

Respiratory Care Department visit is encouraged but not required. If an applicant is a graduate of an accredited certified respiratory therapist program or a Certified Respiratory Therapist (CRT) by the National Board for Respiratory Care, some entrance requirements may be waived.