Do you...

• Have an interest in pursuing a health profession?
• Enjoy helping people in their time of need?
• Like working with technology?
• Perform well in math and science?
• Prefer a profession with a lot of variety on the job?
• Want to choose your work setting and the types of patients you serve?
• Want to choose your work setting and the types of patients you serve?

A respiratory therapist (RT) is trained and skilled to assess, diagnose, and treat patients who have difficulty breathing. They work with people of all ages, from infants to the elderly, in conjunction with physicians and nurses to come up with treatment plans aimed at best helping restore as much natural breathing function as possible. From initial interviewing and examining, to teaching patients how to administer treatments on their own, respiratory therapists are a critical component in helping people living with cardio-pulmonary disease and disorders. Respiratory therapists have a strong presence in critical care areas in the hospital including Intensive Care Units, Emergency Departments, Trauma Centers, Neonatal Intensive Care Units. RTs also work on helicopter and ground emergency transport. A respiratory therapist is trained to care for people with lung diseases or disorders. Respiratory Therapists treat patients in pulmonary distress due to complications from asthma, bronchitis, COPD, pneumonia, chest trauma, lung cancer, and more. RTs are specialists in high tech equipment such as mechanical ventilators, high flow oxygen machines and BIPAP/CPAP machines. Respiratory therapists are in high demand, with industry growth projected to be at least 23 percent over the next decade according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Respiratory Therapists work in a variety of health care centers including Trauma Centers, Emergency Departments, Critical Care Units, Pulmonary Function Labs, Sleep Labs and Home Care.

More About This Degree

• Learn more about this program or visit the Nursing, Respiratory Therapy and Health Services Administration website.
• College of Health and Human Services

Faculty

Employment of respiratory therapists has been projected to grow 23 percent between 2016 and 2026—much faster than the average for all occupations.

The median annual wage for respiratory therapists was $61,3330  in May 2019.

_{Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Respiratory Therapists}

Career Settings

Respiratory therapists provide the hands-on care that helps people recover from a wide range of medical conditions. Therapists get to know their patients, and their patients’ families, and have the opportunity to help them through trying times. Whenever breathing is an issue, they are there.

• In hospitals, giving breathing treatments to people with asthma and other respiratory conditions.
• In intensive care units, managing ventilators that keep the critically ill alive.
• In emergency rooms, delivering life-saving treatments.
• In newborn and pediatric units, helping kids with conditions ranging from premature birth to cystic fibrosis.
• In operating rooms, working with anesthesiologists to monitor patients’ breathing during surgery.
• In patients’ homes, providing regular check-ups and making sure people have what they need to stay out of the hospital.
• In sleep laboratories, helping to diagnose disorders like sleep apnea.
• In skilled nursing facilities and pulmonary rehabilitation programs, helping older people breathe easier and get more out of life.
• In doctors’ offices, conducting pulmonary function tests and providing patient education.
• In asthma education programs, helping kids and adults alike learn how to cope with the condition.
• In smoking cessation programs, assisting those who want to kick the habit for good.
• In air transport and ambulance programs, rushing to rescue people in need of immediate medical attention.
• In case management programs, helping devise long-term care plans for patients.

How Much Do Respiratory Therapists Make?

The average annual respiratory therapist salary in the U.S. is $61,330. Those with a more advanced RRT certification typically earn more than entry-level CRTs. Most respiratory therapists work full time, and they can work shifts during “normal” business hours, or they may work shifts during nights and weekends.

Ideal Skills for a Respiratory Therapist

Like most jobs in the healthcare profession, respiratory therapists need to have a unique skill set that allows them to multitask while remaining hyper-focused on the needs and conditions of their patients. All respiratory therapists should have the following skills:

• Verbal communication skills
• Calm bedside manner
• Compassion
• Deep understanding of infectious control
• Ability to work with a medical team
• Good judgment and quick decision-making ability
• Time management skills
• Physiological knowledge
• Patience and ability to teach and train patients
• Detail oriented
• Science and math skills

Specific Program Requirements

Program Goal

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). To prepare leaders for the field of respiratory care by including curricular content that includes objectives related to acquisition of skills in one or more of the following: management, education, research, advanced clinical practice (which may include an area of clinical specialization).

Marywood University was granted Provisional Accreditation in March 2020 by the Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care.

CoARC
P.O. Box 54876
Hurst, TX 76054-4876

Undergraduate Admissions Requirements

• Official SAT and/or ACT scores
• Completed application
• Essay
• Official transcripts
• Letter of recommendation

Find Your Counselor

Program Overview and Requirements, B.S.R.T.

Selective Program

Entry into this program is not guaranteed with admission to the University; this is a selective admission program, and specific admissions criteria must be met.

Admission Criteria Pre-Respiratory

• Please see Admissions to Marywood University
• Admission Criteria Clinical Program:
• Must have a 2.5 grade point average.
• Must pass their pre respiratoryt courses with a C or higher
• Must show immunity to certain diseases. 
• Must complete Child Abuse clearance and criminal background check annually 
• Must have current American Heart Association BLS (basic life support)
• Meet with the program director
• Meet essential qualifications

Applications for the clinical portion of the program will begin in the fall semester of their sophomore year. 

Students will be responsible for course fees as well as additional fees during the course of the program.  These fees will include but are not limited to; membership in American Association of Respiratory Care, exam fees, digital time and record keeping software license, regional conference fee, Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) and Basic Life Support (BLS) courses.

Recommended Curriculum

Program Overview and Requirements, R.R.T. to B.S.R.T.

Flexible Scheduling

The B.S. degree completion program is completely online to allow working therapists to earn their bachelor’s degree while continuing in their careers.

Curriculum Overview

There are 30 required credits in the AS RRT – BSRT Curriculum. Students will earn the academic credentials required to pursue a graduate degree and expand their opportunities for professional development. Program coursework focuses on written and oral communication, patient advocacy, ethics, quality improvement, leadership and management, teaching in health care, critically reviewing studies, advanced respiratory care modalities and topics, and an inter-professional capstone.  (Those students with a differing degree from AS will work with an Academic Advisor to complete additional coursework to fulfill requirements.)

Program Outcomes

The goal of the RRT to BS degree program is to provide professional respiratory therapists with additional knowledge and skills in order to meet current professional standards and goals.

Admission Requirements: Students must possess their initial credential as a respiratory therapist and an associate level degree. 

Two Tracks of Completion

Track A Elective: Language Track

Three courses in Language from the following:

•             SPAN102
•             SPAN 212
•             SPAN 211
•             SPAN 307
•             SPAN  111

Track B Elective: Philosophy and Religious Studies 

Three courses in Philosophy and Religious Studies from the following:

•             PHIL 113         R ST 112
•             PHIL 312         R ST 213
•             PHIL 315

Curriculum Sequence

Career Opportunities

Graduates find employment as respiratory therapists in hospitals, nursing homes, rehabilitation centers, home healthcare companies, and as pharmaceutical sales representatives. The Respiratory Therapist program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care (CoARC) [See www.coarc.com]. Continuation in this program requires that the student receive a grade of C or higher in each course pursued.

Competency Profile

• Demonstrate proficiency as respiratory therapists as described by the National Board for Respiratory Care
• Assist physicians in the diagnosis, management, and treatment of patients afflicted with cardiopulmonary disorders
• Function effectively as members of the healthcare team
• Comprehend, apply, and evaluate clinical information relevant to their role as registered respiratory therapists. (Cognitive Domain)
• Demonstrate technical proficiency in all registered respiratory therapist skills. (Psychomotor Domain)
• Demonstrate personal behaviors consistent with professional and employer expectations for the registered respiratory therapist. (Affective Domain)

Acquiring Core Skills

In addition to the clinical skills that students will learn as part of their curriculum, the Respiratory Therapy Program incorporates core skills training into the program that will benefit all Respiratory Therapy students in their careers.

Writing in the Profession

Students will demonstrate the ability to write effectively in the profession. Elements include the ability to organize an argument, support the argument with high quality relevant evidence, deliver it with good sentence structure and grammar, and cite and reference appropriately.

Oral Communication/Consultative Function/Knowledge

Students will deliver a consultative presentation with recommendations that reflect the knowledge gained through courses in this program.

Critical Inquiry/Evidence-based Medicine

Students will demonstrate the ability to formulate a clinical question, search the medical literature, and assess the collected literature for quality, relevance and limitations.

Teamwork/Interprofessional Cooperation

Students will demonstrate collaboration in interprofessional teams to accomplish a common goal.

Ethical Leadership

Students will demonstrate effectively the ability to lead a group of professionals in an ethical manner promoting patient advocacy.

Teaching Patients and Healthcare Professionals

Students will demonstrate the ability to educate patients, their families, and healthcare professionals.

Graduation Requirements

Graduation requirements include current Certification in American Heart Association BLS (CPR), American Heart Association Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) certification, American Heart Association Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) certification, professional development credits, and satisfactory performance on comprehensive written, laboratory, simulation, and oral exit examinations.

Membership in the American Association for Respiratory Care (AARC) is required by the start of the second semester of the clinical portion of Respiratory Therapist program.

2021-2022 Undergraduate Catalog

2021-2022 Graduate Catalog

1. Program Overview and Requirements, B.S.R.T.

Selective Program

Entry into this program is not guaranteed with admission to the University; this is a selective admission program, and specific admissions criteria must be met.

Admission Criteria Pre-Respiratory

Please see Admissions to Marywood University

Admission Criteria Clinical Program:

Must have a 2.5 grade point average.

Must pass their pre respiratory courses with a C or higher

Must show immunity to certain diseases.

Must complete Child Abuse clearance and criminal background check annually

Must have current American Heart Association BLS (basic life support)

Meet with the program director

Meet essential qualifications

Applications for the clinical portion of the program will begin in the fall semester of their sophomore year.

Students will be responsible for course fees as well as additional fees during the course of the program. These fees will include but are not limited to; membership in American Association of Respiratory Care, exam fees, digital time and record keeping software license, regional conference fee, Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) and Basic Life Support (BLS) courses.