Respiratory Care, A.A.S.

Wendy Singleton, Respiratory Care Program Director
(304)367-4152
wdawson@pierpont.edu

Accrediting Agency

Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care (CoARC -Probationary Status)
264 Precision Blvd
Telford, TN  37960
Phone: (817) 283-2835
Fax: (817) 354-8519

Program Purpose

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).

Admission Requirements

Admission into the Respiratory Care, A.A.S. program is based upon the following criteria:

1. Apply to Pierpont Community and Technical College for the term you want to begin the program and meet the general admission requirements or be a current student
   1. First-time students should select “Health Sciences: Respiratory Care” as their educational goal on their application.
2. Applications and supporting documentation are due to the Admission’s Office by October 15. Applicants who are not admitted must reapply if they wish to be considered for the next academic year.
3. Submit all required documents (High School Equivalency Exam or high school transcripts; any college transcripts) prior to the Respiratory Care application deadline.
4. Have a high school and/or college GPA of 2.5 or better or passing score on High School Equivalency Exam. GPA will be evaluated based on high school transcripts or passing score on High School Equivalency Exam for students with less than 10 hours of college credit.  
5. Successful applicants must have a minimum score of 60 on the TEAS test (Test of Essential Academic Skill) within the last three years.  Information on TEAS testing can be found on the website at https://www.pierpont.edu/workforce-continuing-education/testing-center/https://www.pierpont.edu/workforce-continuing-education/testing-center/.
6. Successfully completed the following courses with a “C” or higher prior to enrolling in core RESP courses: MTH 1207 , ENGL 1104 , BIOY 1170 , and BIOY 1171 .

*Students can begin the program in the spring semester.

Program Requirements

• Students must pass a criminal background clearance check, meet health and immunization requirements, and drug testing.
• Students must be able to meet the essential functions of the program and classes, with or without accommodations.
• Students will need to provide their own transportation to assigned clinical sites.

Students must complete each course in the Respiratory Care program model schedule with a grade of “C” or higher and maintain an overall 2.5 GPA to remain in the program. Failure to meet any of these requirements will result in dismissal from the program. Students who have been dismissed may reapply to the program and their credentials will be reevaluated.

Upon completion of the required curriculum, graduates are eligible to take the national certifying examinations for Respiratory Therapist. Successful completion of the program does not guarantee job placement or success on the NBRC exams.

Opportunities

Completion of this program leads to an Associate of Applied Science degree in Respiratory Care and eligibility for the Therapist Multiple Choice (TMC) examination which can result in the Certified Respiratory Therapist (CRT) and Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT) credentials. Additional credentials that may be challenged include: Certified and Registered Pulmonary Function Technologist (CPFT, RPFT), Neonatal Pediatric Specialist (NPS), Asthma Educator Specialist (AE-C) and Adult Critical Care Specialtist (ACCS).

As a credentialed therapist, graduates may expect to find employment in home care, acute and sub-acute facilities, diagnostic laboratories, research, case management, sleep laboratories, and pulmonary disease education.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, predicts that the employment of respiratory therapists is expected to increase faster than average over the next decade. According to their May 2022 report, the median salary of respiratory therapists in the U.S. is $70,440. 

Program Data

The Pierpont Community and Technical College’s Respiratory Care Program at Pierpont’s Advanced Technology Center offers a two-year Associates Degree in Applied Science, CoARC program number 200632, and holds Probationary Accreditation from the Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care (www.coarc.com).

This status signifies that a program with an Approval of Intent has demonstrated sufficient compliance with the Standards (through submission of an acceptable Provisional Accreditation Self Study Report (PSSR) and any other documentation required by the CoARC, as well as satisfactory completion of an initial on-site visit), to be allowed to admit students. It is recognized as an accredited program by the National Board for Respiratory Care (NBRC), which provides enrolled students who complete the program with eligibility for the Respiratory Care Credentialing Examinations (s). The program will remain on Provisional Accreditation until it achieves Continuing Accreditation.

Program Outcome Data for all programs can be found at this URL https://coarc.com/students/programmatic-outcomes-data/.

Respiratory Care Essential Functions   

2022 Respiratory Care Student Handbook  

2023 Respiratory Care Student Handbook