Introduction
The Associate of Applied Science in Respiratory Therapy prepares students to become valuable and dedicated members of the healthcare team. RT students obtain both the knowledge and the skills needed to practice respiratory care through our program of didactic, laboratory and clinical preparation.
Following successful completion of the associate degree, the student applies the National Board for Respiratory Care for the credentialing examinations.
Certification/Accreditation
Graduates of an accredited respiratory therapy program are eligible to sit for the NBRC Certified Respiratory Therapist (CRT) examination. After successful completion of this exam, the graduate can then take the Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT) national examinations. The Respiratory Therapy program is accredited by the Committee on Accreditation for Respiratory Care (CoARC), in collaboration with the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP).
Licensure
Upon completion of an accredited respiratory therapy program and upon successful completion of the CRT examination, the student is eligible to apply for licensure to practice in the state which they plan to obtain employment. In the Commonwealth of Virginia, licensure can be obtained by applying to the Virginia State Board of Medicine (VSRC).
Statement of Purpose
The major purposes of the Respiratory Therapy program are:
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to establish a learning environment that encourages intellectual, personal and professional growth.
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to prepare students to successfully complete the entry-level and registry credentialing process.
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to meet area and global practitioners' needs of the respiratory therapy and medical community.
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to teach the diagnostic and therapeutic skills necessary to perform the expanding number of tasks that fall under the jurisdiction of cardiopulmonary care.
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to integrate health promotion and disease prevention strategies into current healthcare practice while focusing on quality and cost-effective protocols.
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to develop and enhance the realization that ultimately it is the patient whose needs we are trained to serve and for whom this profession exists.
Transfer of Credits
Requests for transfer credit for courses taken at other accredited institutions of higher education must be submitted in writing to the Registrar's Office.
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The course considered must be comparable in content and credit hours to corresponding Jefferson College of Health Sciences courses.
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Courses with a final grade of less than "C” will not be accepted for transfer.
All final decisions regarding transferability of course credit must be verified in writing by the Registrar. Grades awarded through transfer credit are not included in the computation of grade point average at Jefferson College of Health Sciences.
Advanced Placement
Students admitted to the Respiratory Therapy program holding the credential of Certified Respiratory Therapists (CRT) will be permitted to take a challenge examination for all professional and clinical courses offered during the first year of the program. A minimum grade of 70% must be earned on each examination to receive credit for the course. In addition, the student must demonstrate proficiency on all clinical and laboratory competencies of each course challenged. A separate fee will be charged for each challenge examination. This fee must be paid in the Bursar's Office prior to taking the examination.
Academic Policies
The academic policies for the Respiratory Therapy (RTH) program facilitate the development of the requisite knowledge, skills and attitudes of a competent and professional practitioner. All courses with an RTH prefix must be taken in the sequence outlined in the Program of Study.
Students are required to successfully complete the first year of study before advancing to the second year. The summer session is considered the start of the second year.
Students enrolled in the RTH program must maintain an overall GPA of 2.0. A minimum grade of "C" is required in BIO 211, BIO 212 (Anatomy and Physiology I & II), BIO 253 (Microbiology) and a "C" or "Pass" in courses with an RTH prefix. Students who fail to maintain a GPA of 2.0 and/or achieve a minimum grade of "C" in BIO 211, 212, and 253 and a "C" or "Pass" in course with an RTH prefix will be suspended from the professional course sequence. Students may, however, continue to take general education courses.
Students suspended from the professional course sequence must submit in writing their intention to return to the program. This must be received by the Program Director prior to August 1st of the academic year in which the student intends to reenter the professional course sequence. Failure to do so will preclude the student from enrolling in RTH courses. Additional academic policies are applicable to RTH courses and will be covered in course syllabi.
Minimum Performance Standards
In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, respiratory therapy students must be, with reasonable accommodations, physically and mentally capable of performing minimal standards to meet program objectives. The Minimum Performance Standards for Admission and Progression include:
Essential Mental Abilities:
1. Follow instructions and rules.
2. Maintain reality orientation accompanied by short and long term memory.
3. Apply basic mathematical and algebraic skills.
4. Demonstrate safe practice within the defined clinical time period.
5. Critical thinking ability sufficient for clinical judgment and for making quick life saving decisions.
Essential Communication Skills:
1. Speak clearly in order to communicate with patients, families, healthcare team members, peers and faculty.
2. Interpersonal abilities sufficient to interact with diverse individuals, families and groups.
3. Communication abilities sufficient for clear interaction with others in verbal and written form.
4. Ability to independently read and accurately interpret written communications (i.e., test questions, MD orders, etc.)
Essential Physical Abilities:
1. Gross and fine motor abilities sufficient to provide safe and effective care.
2. Stand and walk for eight to twelve hours/day.
3. Walk quickly in response to emergencies and life saving procedures.
4. Bend, squat, kneel, and twist upper and lower back.
5. Assist in lifting or moving clients of all age groups and weights.
6. Lift small equipment up to 35 pounds.
7. Perform CPR (i.e., move above patient to compress chest and manually ventilate patient).
8. Work with arms fully extended overhead.
9. Use hands for grasping, pushing, pulling and fine manipulation.
10. Demonstrate eye/hand coordination for manipulation of equipment (i.e., syringes, procedures, etc.).
11. Auditory abilities sufficient to hear alarms, beepers, and pages.
12. Auditory abilities to monitor breath sounds with a stethoscope and assess health needs.
13. Visual abilities to see all colors of the spectrum, distinguish calibrated markers of 0.1 mm, identify digital displays and controls in low light conditions, determine depth of instrumentation placement, and read small print on medicine containers.
14. Tactile ability sufficient for physical assessment.
Any student who may require accommodations should schedule an appointment with the Program Director.
Professional Behavior
The faculty expects students to exhibit professional behavior. The following is a list of expected professional behaviors:
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Demonstrates safety in all situations.
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Demonstrates honesty in all situations.
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Incorporates professional and ethical standards, including Patient Bill of Rights, and AARC Statement of Ethics and Professional Behavior.
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Incorporates respiratory therapy policies and procedures, standards of care, and clinical practice guidelines as appropriate.
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Demonstrates professional demeanor (e.g., dress code policy per college and program, respect for others, accepts criticism, cooperative, controls temper, attentive and professional language). |
