Respiratory Therapy (Associate of Applied Science) - Portland

Program offered at: Portland, Oregon

Program Overview

Respiratory Therapists assess, treat, and care for patients with breathing disorders. They assume primary responsibility for all respiratory care modalities, including the supervision of respiratory therapy technicians. Respiratory Therapists initiate and conduct therapeutic procedures; maintain patient records; and select, assemble, check, and operate equipment. They also may serve as asthma educators, patient educators, case managers, Hyperbaric Oxygen Specialists, Extra Corporeal Membrane Oxygenation Specialists and Sleep Specialists. Respiratory Therapists work in hospitals, clinics, skilled nursing facilities, home care, and diagnostic labs.

The Respiratory Care Practitioner (RCP) deals with patients of all ages who may be gravely injured or ill. The RCP is among the first on the medical team called to provide treatment in cardiopulmonary emergencies. The RCP also cares for patients in all aspects of their treatment and recovery. The RCP must be sensitive to the needs of those who have serious physical, mental, or psychological impairments. The RCP must also be able to cope with emergencies and work well as a member of the healthcare team.

Program Mission

The purpose of the Respiratory Therapy program is 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). Graduates will earn an Associate of Applied Science degree. Graduates of this program will be eligible to sit for the Therapist Multiple-Choice Examination (TMC) of the National Board for Respiratory Care (NBRC). If the candidate meets the RRT score on the TMC, the graduate is eligible to sit for the Clinical Simulation Examination (CSE) of the NBRC. Achieving the minimum acceptable score on the TMC will result in the candidate receiving the Certified Respiratory Therapist (CRT) credential. To receive the RRT credential, the candidate must pass the TMC, at the RRT level, and the CSE exams. Registration and certification requirements for taking and passing these examinations are not controlled by Concorde, but by outside agencies, and are subject to change by the agency without notice. Therefore, Concorde cannot guarantee that graduates will be eligible to take these exams, at all or at any specific time, regardless of their eligibility status upon enrollment.

Program Objectives

• To provide a learning environment that correlates well with the actual workplace and a clinical experience that correlates with classroom instruction.
• To instill in the student a sense of professional behavior, attitude, and dress consistent with medical standards.
• To provide the student with entry-level knowledge and skills in the field of respiratory care.
• To prepare students for advanced-level competency as Registered Respiratory Therapists.
• To supply competent Respiratory Therapists to the national work pool.

Skills Proficiency

Students must be able to perform certain procedures and skills to work as Respiratory Care Practitioners. These are learned in the school’s clinical laboratory and at hospital clinical sites under the direct supervision and evaluation of a preceptor. All students must participate. All students must take and pass preclinical written and oral examinations prior to advancing to the clinical portion of the program.

Program Delivery

The Respiratory Therapy program is delivered in a blended format. Courses will be delivered entirely online, entirely on-ground or with an appropriate blend of both online and on-ground hours in the same course. Of the 1,865 program hours, a maximum of 520 course hours (27.9%) may be offered online (including general education courses). Campuses may have the option to deliver general education courses either online or on-ground depending on local need and availability.