What is Respiratory Care?
The Respiratory Care Program is a two-year Associate Degree program. It includes a general education core curriculum as well as respiratory care courses, labs, and clinical practice in affiliated hospitals.
Graduates play a principle role in the restoration and/or maintenance of pulmonary homeostasis. Included in this role is the administration of medical gas therapy, aerosol therapy, chest physiotherapy, breathing retraining, and measures for periodic lung expansion. Therapists are also able to assume a leadership role (under medical supervision) in the management of artificial airways, continuous mechanical ventilation, cardiopulmonary resuscitation, and pulmonary rehabilitation. Students are also prepared to perform adjunct laboratory procedures such as obtaining and analyzing arterial blood and measuring pulmonary function.
Upon completion of the Respiratory Care Program, the graduate is qualified for a staff position under medical direction or to enter an advanced training program to pursue specialization. The graduate is also eligible for the examination process, which leads to national and state certification and national registry.
Students are required to attend a pre-admission conference for this program
What are my career options?
Respiratory therapists are mainly employed in hospitals, in departments of respiratory care, anesthesiology, or pulmonary medicine. Others are in offices of physicians or other health practitioners, consumer-goods rental firms that supply respiratory equipment for home use, nursing care facilities, and home health care services.
What are my degree, diploma, or certificate options?
Degree
Certificate
Length of Program
You can earn an associate of applied science degree in two years if you maintain full-time status. Upon successful completion, the graduate is eligible to take the National Board for Respiratory Care Examinations.
This information should not be considered a substitute for the KCTCS Catalog. You should always choose classes in cooperation with your faculty advisor to ensure that you meet all degree requirements.
Accreditation
Jefferson Community & Technical College Respiratory Care Program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care (CoARC) (www.coarc.com).
Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care
264 Precision Blvd., Telford, TN 37690 – (817) 283-2835
Other Information
Retention (Threshold=70%; National Avg=91%): 96%
Job Placement (National Avg=86%): 70%
TMC High Cut Score (Threshold =60%; National Avg=85%): 64%
RRT Success (National Avg=76%): 52%
Employer Satisfaction (Threshold=80%; National Avg=99%): 100%
Graduate Satisfaction (Threshold=80%; National Avg=99%): 100%
Total Grads 2020 (National Avg=16): 12
Total Grads 2019 (National Avg=16): 14
Total Grads 2018 (National Avg=15): 18
Max Annual Enroll 2020 (National Avg=31): 20
Total Enroll 2020 (National Avg=19): 18
Total 2019 Enroll (National Avg=19): 17
Total 2018 Enroll (National Avg=20): 14
