Associate of Applied Science
(A.A.S)
Respiratory Therapy
The Respiratory Therapy program at Spencerian College, Louisville, KY holds a Letter of Review from the Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care (www.coarc.com).
Commission on Accreditation
For Respiratory Care
1248 Harwood Road
Bedford, Texas 76021-4244
(817)283-2835
Respiratory Therapy Program – What they do
Respiratory Therapists (RT) are part of a dynamic medical team treating patients with lung and breathing disorders. Day to day activities may include:
- Diagnosing lung and breathing disorders and recommending treatment methods.
- Interviewing patients and doing chest physical exams to determine what kind of therapy is best for their condition.
- Consulting with physicians to recommend a change in therapy, based on your evaluation of the patient.
- Analyzing breath, tissue, and blood specimens to determine levels of oxygen and other gases.
- Managing ventilators and artificial airway devices for patients who can’t breathe normally on their own.
- Responding to Code Blue or other urgent calls for care.
- Educating patients and families about lung disease so they can maximize their recovery.
Where they work
Respiratory Therapists work in hospital areas such as: adult, neonatal and pediatric intensive care units, and emergency rooms. Non-hospital settings include home care, sleep labs, smoking cessation programs, asthma education, pulmonary rehabilitation, pulmonary function testing facilities, and land/air transport. Non-clinical settings include sales and higher education..
What are they paid?
We recommend that
prospective students refer
to local health care
employers for earning
potential in their region.
For a national overview of
potential earnings, we
recommend the U.S.
Department of Labor,
Bureau of Labor Statistics
Occupational Outlook
Handbook found in the
local library or visit their
website.
Examination and credentialing information
The National Board for Respiratory Care (NBRC) administers the credentialing examinations for Respiratory Therapists. Upon completion of the program the graduate will be prepared to sit for the Certified Respiratory Therapist (CRT) exam and once passed the therapist can take the Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT) examinations. State licensure is mandatory and governed by the Kentucky Board for Respiratory Care (KBRC).
American Association for Respiratory Care - profession information
www.aarc.org
National Board of Respiratory Care
- credentialing information
www.nbrc.org
Kentucky Board for Respiratory Care
- state licensure information
http://kbrc.ky.gov/
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