Total Credit Hours:
76
Estimated Time to Complete Program:
6 terms*
*based on 15 credit hours per term
Estimated Tuition Cost:
$7,663.08*
Eligible for Financial Aid:
Yes
Eligible for Veteran's Aid:
Yes
*based on current in-state tuition rate of $100.83 per credit hour
Program Overview & Requirements
Program Purpose:
To prepare students for the examinations offered by the National Board for Respiratory Care for employment as registered respiratory therapists who can safely and competently perform patient care by applying scientific principles to prevent, identify and treat acute and/or chronic dysfunction of the cardiopulmonary system.
This program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care (www.CoArc.com).
Program Length:
76 credit hours
Admission Requirements:
- Be at least 17 years of age at the time at the time of entry into the program
- Complete all admission requirements to the College
- Have a cumulative, unrounded GPA of 2.5 for all college-level courses (See GPA for Respiratory Care .)
- Earn a grade of C or better in the three prerequisite courses listed below
Program Application:
The Respiratory Care program begins in the Fall semester. It is a limited-access program with a limited number of seats per class. Applicants must submit both a general TCC application (www.tcc.fl.edu/apply) and a separate healthcare program application by the published application deadline. Applicants may access the healthcare application here.
See Additional Healthcare Program Requirements for more important information.
View Healthcare Program Application Deadlines.
Academic Division:
Healthcare Professions, Ghazvini Center for Healthcare Education
Contact:
(850) 558-4500 or healthedu@tcc.fl.edu
View Information about Graduation Requirements and Year of Entry
Related Careers
All career information is provided by Career Coach, and reflects data available for the Tallahassee area.
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Provide respiratory care under the direction of respiratory therapists and physicians.
$45,819.82 Average Annual Salary
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- Work with patients in areas such as the emergency rooms, neonatal or pediatric intensive care, or surgical intensive care, treating conditions such as emphysema, chronic bronchitis, asthma, cystic fibrosis, or pneumonia.
- Keep records of patients' therapy, completing all necessary forms.
- Monitor patients during treatment and report any unusual reactions to the respiratory therapist.
- Use ventilators or various oxygen devices or aerosol and breathing treatments in the provision of respiratory therapy.
- Follow and enforce safety rules applying to equipment.
- Collect and analyze arterial blood gas samples.
- Set equipment controls to regulate the flow of oxygen, gases, mists, or aerosols.
- Read and evaluate physicians' orders and patients' chart information to determine patients' condition and treatment protocols.
- Assess patients' response to treatments and modify treatments according to protocol if necessary.
- Prepare or test devices, such as mechanical ventilators, therapeutic gas administration apparatus, environmental control systems, aerosol generators, or electrocardiogram (EKG) machines.
- Administer breathing or oxygen procedures, such as intermittent positive pressure breathing treatments, ultrasonic nebulizer treatments, or incentive spirometer treatments.
- Explain treatment procedures to patients.
- Interview or examine patients to collect clinical data.
- Provide respiratory care involving the application of well-defined therapeutic techniques under the supervision of a respiratory therapist and a physician.
- Perform diagnostic procedures to assess the severity of respiratory dysfunction in patients.
- Clean, sterilize, check, and maintain respiratory therapy equipment.
- Teach patients how to use respiratory equipment at home.
- Recommend or review bedside procedures, x-rays, or laboratory tests.
- Teach or oversee other workers who provide respiratory care services.
See the range of wages earned in this career, ranging from new workers ($30,090.25) to highly-experienced workers ($65,051.25). View by annual salary or hourly wage.
Annual Salary Range
Hourly Wages
A view of employment levels for the last 3 years, and projections for the next 7 years.
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Assess, treat, and care for patients with breathing disorders. Assume primary responsibility for all respiratory care modalities, including the supervision of respiratory therapy technicians. Initiate and conduct therapeutic procedures; maintain patient records; and select, assemble, check, and operate equipment.
$56,514.79 Average Annual Salary
10Annual Openings
- Provide emergency care, such as artificial respiration, external cardiac massage, or assistance with cardiopulmonary resuscitation.
- Monitor patient's physiological responses to therapy, such as vital signs, arterial blood gases, or blood chemistry changes, and consult with physician if adverse reactions occur.
- Work as part of a team of physicians, nurses, or other healthcare professionals to manage patient care by assisting with medical procedures or related duties.
- Set up and operate devices, such as mechanical ventilators, therapeutic gas administration apparatus, environmental control systems, or aerosol generators, following specified parameters of treatment.
- Maintain charts that contain patients' pertinent identification and therapy information.
- Read prescription, measure arterial blood gases, and review patient information to assess patient condition.
- Inspect, clean, test, and maintain respiratory therapy equipment to ensure equipment is functioning safely and efficiently, ordering repairs when necessary.
- Relay blood analysis results to a physician.
- Explain treatment procedures to patients to gain cooperation and allay fears.
- Determine requirements for treatment, such as type, method and duration of therapy, precautions to be taken, or medication and dosages, compatible with physicians' orders.
- Make emergency visits to resolve equipment problems.
- Enforce safety rules and ensure careful adherence to physicians' orders.
- Educate patients and their families about their conditions and teach appropriate disease management techniques, such as breathing exercises or the use of medications or respiratory equipment.
- Perform bronchopulmonary drainage and assist or instruct patients in performance of breathing exercises.
- Conduct tests, such as electrocardiograms (EKGs), stress testing, or lung capacity tests, to evaluate patients' cardiopulmonary functions.
- Perform pulmonary function and adjust equipment to obtain optimum results in therapy.
- Demonstrate respiratory care procedures to trainees or other healthcare personnel.
- Use a variety of testing techniques to assist doctors in cardiac or pulmonary research or to diagnose disorders.
- Transport patients to the hospital or within the hospital.
- Teach, train, supervise, or use the assistance of students, respiratory therapy technicians, or assistants.
See the range of wages earned in this career, ranging from new workers ($43,680.92) to highly-experienced workers ($74,507.16). View by annual salary or hourly wage.
Annual Salary Range
Hourly Wages
A view of employment levels for the last 3 years, and projections for the next 7 years.
All career information provided by Career Coach
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