Respiratory Care – the evaluation, treatment and care of patients with breathing or cardiopulmonary disorders – is a crucial function in modern health care. Practicing under the direction of a physician, respiratory therapists must be proficient in all areas of respiratory care, such as bedside pulmonary care, life-support systems management, diagnostic testing, pulmonary rehabilitation, and long-term care. Respiratory therapists evaluate and treat all types of patients, ranging from premature infants whose lungs are not fully developed to elderly people whose lungs are diseased. Therapists' tasks are expanding into areas such as pulmonary rehabilitation, smoking cessation counseling, disease prevention, case management and polysomnography (the diagnosis of breathing disorders such as apnea) and serve as part of surface- and air-transport teams or as part of rapid-response teams in hospitals. A program information sheet summarizing details of the program can be found HERE.
After successful completion of the first year of the Respiratory Care program, students may apply for a student license to practice respiratory care in the state of Ohio while finishing the degree program. Program graduates earn an Associate of Applied Science degree and are eligible to take the National Board for Respiratory Care exam required to earn the Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT) credential. Upon completion of the associates degree program, students also have the option of continuing their education in University of Cincinnati's fully online Bachelors of Science in Respiratory Therapy (BSRT) degree if desired.
For more information on certification and registry, visit the National Board for Respiratory Care website.