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Accreditation
The Respiratory
Therapy Program is approved by the NC Department of Community Colleges and
accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Allied Health Educational
Programs in conjunction with the Committee on Accreditation for Respiratory
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Program Structure
The Respiratory Therapy
Program at
Carteret
Community College
was
established in 1979. The program is 23 months in length and upon successful
completion awards an Associate in Applied Science Degree with a major in
Respiratory Therapy.
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| Instruction is performed in
classroom, laboratory, and clinical settings. Classes are held in the
Wayne
West
Building
in a specially
designed classroom and laboratory facility stocked with state of the art
equipment and supplies. Computer assisted instruction is also utilized to
provide students with practice tutorials, clinical simulations, and sample
credentialing exams.
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| In addition to classroom and
laboratory instruction, students are required to travel to a variety of
clinical facilities in
Carteret
and
surrounding counties for clinical instruction and practice. In these settings,
students gain experience in many different clinical areas such as adult,
pediatric, and neonatal intensive care, emergency room, operating room, medical
and surgical areas, pulmonary rehabilitation, sub-acute care, and home care.
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Program Admission
A cohort of 20 students is
admitted fall semester of each year. The
application packet for the program is available from the Student Enrollment
Resources Department. Admissions are
based on a point system which grants applicants credit for high school and
college academics, general education courses completed, work experience in
health care or other service field, professional references, and an interview
with the curriculum coordinator. Admission to the program is contingent upon submission of a completed
physical form and criminal background check for clinical site review and
approval.
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Financial Assistance
Qualified
students may receive financial assistance to help cover expenses of attending
the Respiratory Therapy Program. Types of assistance include grants,
scholarships, loans, and work study opportunities. Assistance is available
through
Carteret
Community College
, various clinical
facilities, and respiratory care professional organizations. To learn more
about these financial assistance opportunities, contact the Financial Aid Office or Program
Faculty.
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Respiratory Care
Respiratory Care is the
allied health profession that provides diagnostic testing and treatment for
patients with diseases and disorders of the heart and lungs. Some of the
conditions often requiring respiratory care include: asthma, emphysema, chronic
bronchitis, pneumonia, cystic fibrosis, infant respiratory distress syndrome, and
conditions brought on by shock, trauma, or postoperative surgical
complications.
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Respiratory Therapists Respiratory therapists, also known as respiratory care
practitioners, provide treatment, evaluation, monitoring and management of
patients with breathing disorders or cardiovascular problems.
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| Care provided by respiratory therapists may include:
administration of oxygen, cardiopulmonary resuscitation, management of
mechanical ventilators, administering drugs to the lungs, monitoring
cardiopulmonary systems and measuring lung function. |
| Respiratory therapists treat all types of patients, ranging from
premature infants whose lungs are not fully developed to elderly people with
lung disease. They provide temporary relief to patients with chronic asthma or
emphysema, as well as emergency care to patients who are victims of a heart
attack, stroke, drowning or shock.
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Credentialing Exams
Graduates of the program are
eligible to take the Certified Respiratory Therapist (CRT) Credentialing Exam.
Upon successful completion of the CRT Exam, graduates are eligible to take the
two-part Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT) Credentialing Exam. The
National Board for Respiratory Care administers both exams.
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Licensing Requirements
Respiratory therapists employed in
North
Carolina
are required by law to obtain a license from
the North Carolina Respiratory Care Board to practice. This assures a measure
of protection and quality care for all respiratory patients.
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| There are other states, which
have similar laws. Therefore, those interested in practicing respiratory care
in states other than
North Carolina
should contact that state’s respiratory care professional
organization for more information.
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Career Opportunities
There are more than 115,000
respiratory therapists in the
US
today. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics lists Respiratory Care as one of the
10 fastest growing careers. The demand
for respiratory therapists is expected to grow at twice the national average of
most other occupations over the next ten years. |
| This growth is due to large
increases in the elderly population, the environmental impact on diseases such
as asthma, and the technological advances in the treatment of heart attack,
cancer, accident victims, and premature infants.
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| Respiratory therapists work in a
variety of settings, including: hospitals, skilled nursing facilities, rehabilitation
centers, physicians’ offices, patients’ homes, medical equipment supply
companies, educational institutions, industry, and disease management/patient
education.
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Salaries
Salaries vary
with educational degree, credentials, and years of experience. Supervisors,
clinical specialists, and department managers tend to have higher salaries.
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| Beginning salary for graduates
in the local area is approximately $35,000 per year.
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