Respiratory Therapy

Overview 

Are you searching for a challenging career that will use your technical and interpersonal skills?  Do you enjoy helping people? A career in Respiratory Therapy might just be for you.

2023 – 2024 Respiratory Therapy Student Handbook (PDF)

What is a Respiratory Therapist?

Respiratory Care practitioners work closely with patients and other health-care providers.  You will acquire skills in the management, treatment, diagnosis and care of people with cardiopulmonary disease. Training includes the use of medical gases, ventilator life support, aerosol medication delivery, and patient education.  Respiratory Care practioners work with a diverse range of patients from the premature infants to the elderly.

This two year program includes a summer session and is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care (COARC).

Why RVCC?

• River Valley Community College’s Respiratory Care graduates, are in high demand at health care institutions throughout New England as well as the entire country.
• Credits obtained at RVCC can be transferred to various four year institutions for students wishing to obtain a higher degree.
• In a short time period you can be earning high wages, low student loans and very rewarding career helping people.

Be an RT 

In this profession, there is no where to go but UP

Career Options

• Flight Respiratory Therapist
• Neonatal Intensive Care Respiratory Therapist
• Department Supervisor or Director
• Educator

Related Degrees

•  Nursing
• Occupational Therapist Assistant
• Physical Therapy Assistant
• Medical Assistant

Respiratory Therapy Program Mission Statement

The Respiratory Therapy program shares the mission of the Community College System and River Valley Community College to fully prepare the individual student to meet the professional needs of the Health Care System. The Respiratory Therapy Program will provide a comprehensive educational experience with varied educational instructional methods, to empower students to meet the needs of the health care system. The Respiratory Therapy Program Teaching Physiology Statement is that the program is committed to the development of competent Respiratory Therapists through academic and clinical leaning of mastery competencies, and the stimulation of personal/professional growth. The program will encompass the utilization of all the effective learning domains – cognitive, psychomotor, and affective. 

In addition, the Respiratory Therapy Program at River Valley Community College is committed to and shall:

• Prepare post-secondary students to practice successfully in the field of Respiratory Therapy, in hospitals, clinics, research, and sales and marketing. 
• Foster positive citizenship through community partnerships, assisting the student to become productive and contributing members of the community. 
• Provide each student the opportunity to learn skills enabling them to become lifelong learners. 

Program Goals 

The program’s goals include demonstrated competence in the cognitive (knowledge), psychomotor (skills), and affective (behavior) learning domains of respiratory care practice as performed by registered respiratory therapists (RRT).

Student Outcomes/Goals

Upon successful completion of this program, the student will be able to:

• Recognize that the patient is always your priority.
• Demonstrate the ability to comprehend, apply and evaluate clinical information relevant to their role as a Respiratory Therapist.
• Perform entry-level and advanced skills competently as described by the American Society of Respiratory Care (AARC) Scope of Practice.
• Employ effective communication skills within the college and healthcare settings.
• Demonstrate personal behaviors consistent with professional and employer expectations by understanding, accepting, and abiding by the American Association of Respiratory Care (AARC) Code of Ethics.
• Execute competent and safe clinical decision-making in respiratory care.

Program Outcomes

 This program is sponsored by River Valley Community College, program #200249, in cooperation with acute care hospitals (19), Cardiopulmonary rehabilitation programs, and home care agencies.

This program is fully accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care (COARC) www.coarc.com

View the CoARC’s outcomes webpage  https://coarc.com/students/programmatic-outcomes-data/  CoARC accredits respiratory therapy education programs in the United States. To achieve this end, it utilizes an ‘outcomes based’ process. Programmatic outcomes are performance indicators that reflect the extent to which the educational goals of the program are achieved and by which program effectiveness is documented.

Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care (COARC)

Telephone number 817-283-2835
Facsimile number 817-354-8519

Respiratory Therapy Program starts in the Summer Semester.

Click Program of Study on the tab above to view courses. 

• Satisfy the general requirements for admission to the college.
• Submit a completed Respiratory Therapy admissions application with an official transcript (high school/GED, and college transcript(s)). The transcripts can be submitted directly to RVCC electronically to [email protected] with the application.
• Have a cumulative GPA of 2.0.
• A&P I Prep Course or other qualifying pre-requisite for A&P I (high school or college level Chemistry or Anatomy & Physiology with a grade of “C” or higher within the past 10 years) will be accepted in lieu of A&P I Prep Course. 
• Complete a Math Assessment with an academic advisor. 
• Complete the Interview and Information Session with the Program Director. 
• Immunization and vaccination records are to be submitted to Castle Branch prior to starting clinical practicums. 
• Proof of health insurance. 
• Criminal/Sexual Offender Records Information (CORI/SORI) check prior to starting clinical practicums.
• Drug screening will be required prior to starting clinical practicums. 

All students will be required to register for:

• Trajecsys Program – the web-based program is a database for laboratory clinical competencies.
  • For the Trajecsys Protal and Instructions for River Valley Community College Respiratory Therapy Program, choose this portal: https://www.trajecsys.com/programs/registration.aspx
  • Fill in you personal information and create a login and password. Then follow the Trajecsys instructions for the payment plan.
• Castle Branch – the web-based service acts as a centralized location for all information needed to attend Clinical Practicums at the various hospital-based clinical sites. 
  • For the Castle Branch Portal Ordering Instructions for River Valley Community College – Respiratory Therapy Program, choose this portal: https://portal.castlebranch.com/RH62/spif/RH64/RH64
  • Then click “I have read the instructions” and then continue to sign yourself up as an RVCC Respiratory Therapy Student. 
  • Then follow the instructions for the payment plan.