A respiratory care professional takes care of a young girl.

Respiratory Care

Program Type: Associate In Applied Science

Program Level: UG

Division: Nursing & Allied Health

Program Duration: 28 months

Program Contact: Lakeisha Johnson

Credit Requirement: 76

Time: Day

Program overview

The Respiratory Care program gives students a solid foundation of theory and clinical experiences. Students will learn about medical gas administration, airway care, aerosol therapy, lung inflation techniques, mucus clearance techniques, arterial blood gas analysis, managing patients on life support, diagnostic lung studies, pediatric/neonatal respiratory care, CPR and hemodynamic monitoring. Clinical rotations give the student opportunities to apply theory into practice for optimal patient care and performance of respiratory care procedures.

Courses Required

Prerequisite

Basic Anatomy And Physiology

Course Code: BIO-112

This course is a basic integrated study of the structure and function of the human body.


College Algebra

Course Code: MAT-110

This course includes the following topics: polynomial, rational, logarithmic, and exponential functions; inequalities; systems of equations and inequalities; matrices; determinants; and solutions of higher degree polynomials.


Physical Science I

Course Code: PHS-101

This is the first of a sequence of courses in physical science and includes an introduction to science with emphasis on science terminology and investigations of the physical world. Topics are selected from astronomy, chemistry, geology, and physics.


Semester 1

English Composition I

Course Code: ENG-101

This is a (College Transfer) course in which the following topics are presented: A study of composition in conjunction with appropriate literary selections, with frequent theme assignments to reinforce effective writing. A review of standard usage and the basic techniques of research are also presented.


Introduction to Respiratory Care

Course Code: RES-101

This course includes introduction topics pertinent to entering the respiratory care profession, i.e., medical terminology, ethical issues, and legal issues.


Pathophysiology

Course Code: RES-111

This course is a study of the general principles and analyses of normal and diseased states.


Respiratory Skills I

Course Code: RES-121

This course includes a study of basic respiratory therapy procedures and their administration.


Cardiopulmonary Physiology

Course Code: RES-123

This course covers cardiopulmonary physiology and related systems.


Semester 2

Respiratory Skills II

Course Code: RES-131

This course is a study of selected respiratory care procedures and applications.


Clinical Applications

Course Code: RES-150

This course is the study of entry level clinical procedures in the hospital setting.


Respiratory Pharmacology

Course Code: RES-246

This course includes a study of pharmacologic agents used in cardiopulmonary care.


Public Speaking

Course Code: SPC-205

This course is an introduction to principles of public speaking with application of speaking skills. Successful completion of ENG 101 is recommended.


Semester 3

General Psychology

Course Code: PSY-201

This course includes the following topics and concepts in the science of behavior: scientific method, biological bases for behavior, perception, motivation, learning memory, development, personality, abnormal behavior, therapeutic techniques, and social psychology.


Respiratory Skills III

Course Code: RES-141

This course covers mechanical ventilation systems, pediatrics and associated monitors.


Clinical Applications I

Course Code: RES-151

This course covers the fundamental respiratory care procedures in the hospital setting.


Semester 4

Neonatal/Pediatric Care

Course Code: RES-204

This course focuses on cardiopulmonary physiology, pathology, and management of the newborn and pediatric patient.


Respiratory Therapeutics

Course Code: RES-232

This course is a study of specialty areas in respiratory care, including rehabilitation.


Mechanical Ventilation II

Course Code: RES-243

This course incorporates advanced theory of mechanical ventilation. Liberation from mechanical ventilation is explored.


Adv Clinical Practice

Course Code: RES-275

This course includes clinical practice in advanced patient care procedures.


Semester 5

Hemodynamic Monitoring

Course Code: RES-220

This course is a study of basic hemodynamic monitoring.


Respiratory Care Transi

Course Code: RES-241

This course provides a comprehensive review of respiratory care.


Comprehensive Applications

Course Code: RES-249

This course includes the integration of didatic and clinical training in respiratory care technology.


Clinical Application III

Course Code: RES-251

This course includes rotations in all areas of patient care with a primary emphasis on intensive care.


Entry Requirements

To see a list of entrance requirements for this program, please check the FDTC Course Catalog.

Download Catalog

Student Learning Outcomes

Lifelong Learning: Graduates of this program will be able to demonstrate the ability to self-assess the knowledge that is required for life-long learning.

Communication: Graduates of this program will be able to communicate effectively and professionally with a variety of patients from diverse backgrounds, in addition to peers and other healthcare providers.

Critical Thinking: Graduates of this program will be able to integrate technical and conceptual knowledge to assess, plan, implement, evaluate, adapt, and document treatments to benefit individual patient needs.

Quality and Safety: Graduates of this program will provide evidence-based, preventive and therapeutic respiratory care in a safe manner.

Program Accreditations & Resources

Accreditation

This program, CoARC Number 200358, has been accredited by the  Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care (CoARC):

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.

CoARC Website

Programmatic Outcomes

Professional Licensure Disclosure

Graduates of the FDTC Respiratory Care program are eligible to complete the National Board for Respiratory Care (NBRC) credentialing exams. In the state of SC, new graduates can obtain a limited license while they study and obtain their credentials. Other states may require that applicants acquire the Certified Respiratory Therapist (CRT) credential or the Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT) credential to apply for licensure. FDTC Respiratory Care program graduates are prepared to complete the exams required to acquire both the CRT and RRT credentials. The FDTC Respiratory Care program meets the eligibility requirements for licensure in the state of SC, and it is unknown if it meets the requirements in other states. If you wish to acquire licensure in another state, you should consult with the state’s licensing agency here.

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