Respiratory Care program
The Respiratory Care program prepares the graduate to take an active role in the maintenance and/or restoration of cardiopulmonary homeostasis. The curriculum includes intensive coursework in the supporting sciences and general education areas. Classroom instruction is supplemented with learning experiences in the campus laboratory and in area clinical affiliates. Students enrolled in the Respiratory Care program are required to achieve a minimum grade of "C" in each Respiratory Care course.
Students completing this 18-month program will earn an Associate Degree in Applied Science in Respiratory Care and be qualified to take the national board examinations to earn the Certified Respiratory Therapist (CRT) Credential and Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT) Credential from the National Board of Respiratory Care.
What Do Respiratory Therapists Do?
Respiratory Therapists assess patients for lung and breathing disorders and recommend treatment modalities. They analyze breath sounds, measure vital signs, draw arterial blood gasses, and perform chest physical exams while consulting with physicians to recommend modifications to therapies, based on the evaluation of the patient. They manage ventilators (breathing machines) and artificial airway devices (breathing tubes) for patients that can’t breathe normally on their own and Code Blues and other medical emergencies providing urgent care. Respiratory therapists educate patients and families about lung disease so they can maximize their recovery and improve their quality of life.
To learn more about the respiratory care profession and to see the kinds of jobs and work that RTs are doing, check out the links below.
- BeAnRT.org will take you to the American Association of Respiratory Care’s website for more information about being a Respiratory Therapist.
- MoreRTs.com shows short video clips of actual respiratory therapists and respiratory therapy students who filmed themselves talking about the profession, what they do, why they chose it, and what they love about it.
Apply to the Respiratory Program
What are my career choices?
The projected average salary for RTs Working in the U.S. is over $62,000 a year. (AARC). You need an Associate's Degree from an accredited Respiratory Care Program to be allowed to sit for the national credentialing exam. After obtaining your credential you will then obtain a license in the state you wish to work. Career and advancement opportunities in respiratory care are excellent. Respiratory Therapy is a portable career, meaning you can obtain a job anywhere you might want to live. Most graduates work in hospitals, but opportunities exist in home health care, long-term care, equipment sales, research, and physicians’ offices. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, the employment forecast for Respiratory Therapists is expected to increase by 21% over the next decade (compared to a 5% increase in employment in general for the same time period).
Program Goals
- To prepare graduates with demonstrated competence in the cognitive (knowledge), psychomotor (skills), and affective (behavior) learning domains of respiratory care practice as performed by registered respiratory therapists (RRTs).
Mission Statement
The mission of the respiratory therapy program is to provide the instruction and resources necessary to enable students to develop the knowledge, skills, and attitudes which are necessary to become competent Registered Respiratory Therapists.
Accreditation
- College Accreditation
- Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACSOC).
- Program Accreditation
- Both Respiratory Care programs (Whitesburg and Pineville) at SKCTC are fully (but separately) accredited by The Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care (CoARC).
- The Whitesburg Respiratory Care program at SKCTC is program number 200624.
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