Respiratory Care Technology, A.A.S.

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RESPIRATORY CARE

Commission on Accreditation of Respiratory Care (CoARC), 1248 Harwood Road, Bedford, TX 76021-4244, ph: (817) 283-2835, fax: (817) 354-8519.

The Respiratory Care Technology Program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care (CoARC). The program is a sequenced learning experience offering classroom, laboratory, and clinical experiences relevant to the practice of state-of-the-art respiratory care.

The program is completed within 24 months of acceptance into the program. The program requires the following:

• Assignment to a cohort of approximately 30 students every Fall semester with full time attendance throughout the program to include summer enrollment.
• Respiratory Care content includes respiratory care of the adult, pediatric, and newborn patient, health promotion, education, and disease management; fundamental principles of healthcare reimbursement; fundamental principles of evaluating current scientific literature; medical ethics; provision of health care services to patients with transmissible diseases; provision of services for and management of patients with special needs; community respiratory health; medical emergencies; and legal and ethical aspects of respiratory care practice.
• Content and clinical practice experiences are designed to sequentially develop, apply, critically analyze, integrate, synthesize and evaluate concepts and theories in the performance of respiratory care procedures.  Through structured, sequential, competency-based clinical assignments, concepts of team practice, patient-centered clinical practice and professional development are discussed, examined and evaluated.
• All students must be able to meet the clinical and classroom schedules.
• Special Tuition Fee of $3500 ($1400/ every Fall & Spring and $700/Summer)

Upon completion of this program, the must successfully complete the certification exam by the National Board for Respiratory Care Entry Level Examination (CRT) and/or the Advanced Level Examination (RRT) for Respiratory Care Practitioners to work as a Respiratory Care Practitioner. The Respiratory Care Technology graduate is required to seek a state license with the Texas Department of State Health Services in order to practice in the State of Texas. Certifications and licensures are separate mechanisms and are the responsibility of the individual student.

Students planning to transfer to a university-based Respiratory Care Program for a B.S. in Respiratory Care need to complete, Biology 2401 and Biology 2402 in lieu of the published A.A.S. prerequisite courses.