Respiratory Therapy

Jefferson State Community College

Associate's DegreeAcademic

Respiratory Therapy program prepares students for careers as respiratory therapists working with patients with cardiopulmonary disorders. CoARC-accredited program. Graduates eligible for RRT credential.

Credits

76 credits

Format

In-Person

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Program Pathways

Credentials this program stacks toward

No program pathways.

Program Requirements

Courses required to complete this program

BIO 201Human Anatomy and Physiology I

4 cr

BIO 202Human Anatomy and Physiology II

4 cr

BIO 220General Microbiology

4 cr

CHM 104Introduction to Chemistry I

4 cr

ENG 101English Composition I

3 cr

RPT 211Introduction to Respiratory Care

2 cr

RPT 213Anatomy and Physiology for the RCP

3 cr

RPT 222Fundamentals of Respiratory Care II

4 cr

RPT 232Diagnostic Procedures for the RCP

2 cr

MTH 100Intermediate College Algebra

3 cr

PSY 200General Psychology

3 cr

SPH 106Fundamentals of Oral Communication

3 cr

Program Details

Detailed information about this program

No detailed information available.

Requirements

What you need to earn this credential

No requirements listed.

Financial Aid

Eligible funding programs

No funding information available.

Scholarships

No scholarships listed.

Respiratory Therapy

Jefferson State Community College

Associate's DegreeAcademic

Credits

76 credits

Format

In-Person

Eligibility Calculator

Which aid programs apply to this program?

Record Quality Eligibility Calculators

Skills & Competencies

Skills developed through this program

Auto-populatedfrom O*NET via SOC 29-1126.00

Skills

Active ListeningCritical ThinkingMonitoringSpeakingActive LearningSocial PerceptivenessService OrientationReading Comprehension

Knowledge

Customer and Personal ServiceMedicine and DentistryEnglish LanguageEducation and TrainingPsychology

Abilities

Oral ExpressionProblem SensitivityInductive ReasoningOral ComprehensionDeductive ReasoningInformation OrderingWritten ComprehensionNear VisionWritten ExpressionSpeech Clarity

Tasks

Provide emergency care, such as artificial respiration, external cardiac massage, or assistance with
Monitor patient's physiological responses to therapy, such as vital signs, arterial blood gases, or
Set up and operate devices, such as mechanical ventilators, therapeutic gas administration apparatus
Attend high-risk and caesarian section infant deliveries to provide neonatal respiratory care as needed.

Technology

Calendar and scheduling softwareData base user interface and query softwareMedical softwareSpreadsheet softwareOffice suite software

Tools

Aerosol masksAir compressorsAmbu bagsApnea monitorsBedside spirometersBilevel positive airway pressure BiPAP ventilatorsBlood collection syringesBlood gas kitsBlood gas machinesBronchoscopesCannulasCapillary cathetersCell saversChristmas tree adaptersContinuous positive airway pressure CPAP ventilators

Work Values

RelationshipsSupportRecognitionWorking ConditionsAchievementIndependence

Career Pathways

Occupations this program prepares you for

Respiratory Therapists29-1126.00

Program Pathways

Credentials this program stacks toward

No program pathways.

What You'll Learn

Key competencies developed through this program

Auto-populatedfrom NSX Competency Framework

Mastery: developing (Level 2)(based on Associate's Degree)

Mechanical ventilators and therapeutic gas administration apparatus — set up, calibrate, and adjust within prescribed parameters for stable patients across general medical-surgical and step-down units.
Arterial blood gases and blood chemistry results — measure, interpret within normal reference ranges, and consult the physician independently when values indicate adverse patient response.
Patient physiological monitoring data — analyze trends in vital signs and respiratory indicators and adapt therapy delivery to maintain patient safety with routine oversight.
Emergency care interventions (external cardiac massage, assisted ventilation) — execute established protocols during actual emergent events under a team-based hospital response structure.
Patient condition assessments — integrate prescription review, arterial blood gas values, and clinical history to form a working clinical picture without step-by-step direction.
Respiratory therapy equipment maintenance schedules — perform inspection, cleaning, and functional testing independently and initiate repair orders when equipment performance deviates from specifications.
Multidisciplinary care teams — coordinate effectively with physicians and nurses during procedures and care-plan discussions, contributing respiratory-focused clinical observations.
Therapy documentation — maintain complete and accurate patient records in medical software platforms, applying departmental standards with minimal correction needed.
Active learning strategies — apply updated clinical guidelines and continuing education content to daily practice in familiar patient-care contexts.
Time management tools (scheduling software, task lists) — organize a multi-patient caseload across a shift to ensure timely therapy delivery in a busy inpatient department.

Program Requirements

Courses required to complete this program

BIO 201Human Anatomy and Physiology I

4 cr

BIO 202Human Anatomy and Physiology II

4 cr

BIO 220General Microbiology

4 cr

CHM 104Introduction to Chemistry I

4 cr

ENG 101English Composition I

3 cr

RPT 211Introduction to Respiratory Care

2 cr

RPT 213Anatomy and Physiology for the RCP

3 cr

RPT 222Fundamentals of Respiratory Care II

4 cr

RPT 232Diagnostic Procedures for the RCP

2 cr

MTH 100Intermediate College Algebra

3 cr

PSY 200General Psychology

3 cr

SPH 106Fundamentals of Oral Communication

3 cr

Program Details

Detailed information about this program

No detailed information available.

Requirements

What you need to earn this credential

No requirements listed.

Financial Aid

Eligible funding programs

No funding information available.

Scholarships

No scholarships listed.

Some details on this page are auto-populated from public workforce data sources: O*NET (opens in new tab), BLS (opens in new tab), College Scorecard (opens in new tab), DOL Training Provider Results (opens in new tab), NSX (opens in new tab). Provided in partnership with LER.me Career Intelligence.