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| Home > Allied Health Occupations List > Respiratory Therapy |
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Respiratory therapists and respiratory therapy technicians—also known as respiratory care practitioners—evaluate, treat, and care for patients with breathing or other cardiopulmonary disorders. Practicing under the direction of a physician, respiratory therapists assume primary responsibility for all respiratory care therapeutic treatments and diagnostic procedures, including the supervision of respiratory therapy technicians. Respiratory therapy technicians follow specific, well-defined respiratory care procedures under the direction of respiratory therapists and physicians.
Career Videotape – Watch a short video about this profession |
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Job opportunities are expected to be very good, especially for respiratory therapists with cardiopulmonary care skills or experience working with infants. Employment of respiratory therapists is expected to increase faster than average for all occupations through the year 2014, because of substantial growth in the numbers of the middle-aged and elderly population—a development that will heighten the incidence of cardiopulmonary disease—and because of the expanding role of respiratory therapists in the early detection of pulmonary disorders, case management, disease prevention, and emergency care.
For additional information visit the U.S. Dep. of Labor-Occupational Outlook Handbook.
Licenses & Certificates
National certification for several levels of Respiratory Care professionals is offered through the National Board for Respiratory Care. They can be contacted at: http://www.nbrc.org/default.html
In the State of Connecticut, applicants for licensure must graduate from an approved respiratory therapy program; and pass the National Board for Respiratory Care, Inc.'s (NBRC) Entry Level exam
For additional information on licensing in the State of Connecticut visit:
http://www.ct-clic.com/trantype.asp?code=853 |
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Training is offered at the postsecondary level by colleges and universities, medical schools, vocational-technical institutes, and the Armed Forces. An associate’s degree is required for entry into the field. |
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Most programs award associate’s or bachelor’s degrees and prepare graduates for jobs as advanced respiratory therapists. A limited number of associate’s degree programs lead to jobs as entry-level respiratory therapists. The National Board for Respiratory Care offers several levels of Certification for Respiratory Care professionals
Professional Associations and Organizations
The American Association of Respiratory Care: http://www.aarc.org
The Connecticut Society of Respiratory Care: http://www.ctsrc.org
The National Board for Respiratory Care: http://www.nbrc.org/default.html
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The foillowing three Connecticut Community Colleges offer Associate of Science degree programs on Respiratory Care.
Naugatuck Valley Community College
Norwalk Community College
Manchester Community College
The following is a listing of the courses that are available at MxCC that are required courses for the Associate of Science program at the three Connecticut Community Colleges that offer Respiratory Care Programs.
ENG 101 – Composition
BIO 211 – Anatomy and Physiology I
BIO 212 – Anatomy and Physiology II
COM 173 – Public Speaking
BIO 235 – Microbiology
PSY 111 – Principles of Psychology |
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