Respiratory Care Program

Respiratory care is a health care profession that deals with the prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of lung disorders. Respiratory therapists work under the direction of physicians to care for patients who have trouble breathing—for example, from a chronic respiratory disease, such as asthma or emphysema. Their patients range from premature infants with undeveloped lungs to elderly patients who have diseased lungs. They also provide emergency care to patients suffering from heart attacks, drowning, or shock. For additional information go to http://www.aarc.org/careers/what-is-an-rt/.

Yes. Highly qualified candidates will be offered the opportunity to interview with the Respiratory Care Therapist selection committee. Invited students will be notified of their opportunities after the application deadline.

Shadowing is perhaps the best way for an applicant to personally experience and reflect upon the career of a Respiratory Therapist however, it is not required for admission into the program. Visit professional websites to obtain additional information about the field of respiratory care.

All must be completed with the exception of BIOL 2020, Human Anatomy and Physiology II, which can be completed during the program.

Yes. You can apply, but you will need to complete the courses with the required grades before you can be considered for acceptance.

All degree-seeking students must demonstrate a required level of computer competency before they graduate, and it is strongly suggested that such proficiency be demonstrated within the first 15 credit hours of coursework. This can be done in 2 ways:

1. By taking and passing the course INFS 1010 - Computer Applications.
2. INFS 1010 is not required for your degree, by taking the Computer Competency Exam (CCE).

Volunteer State Community College requires that all degree-seeking students are computer literate. A certain level of computer competency is necessary for success both at Volunteer State and beyond. Contact the Testing Center for information about the CCE at 615-230-3484 or find more details on the Testing Center web page.

No, there is not an application fee.

No. This is a full-time program of study.

No, the program is not offered online. There are some online components throughout the program therefore internet access is required.

No, you are not too old. Non-traditional students have been very successful in the respiratory care program and profession.

Yes. In an effort to comply with the recommendations of the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations, the majority of the major healthcare facilities and agencies utilized by the College for clinical training require that each student undergo and pass a student background check prior to official enrollment into the program. Each student, at his/her expense, it responsible for acquiring the student background check report and authorizing the submission of results to the college. No student will be allowed to enroll in the program until the results have been received, reviewed and accepted by the College. Failure to submit to and pass the required student background check will prevent the student from being accepted into the program. Information regarding outside agencies that provide background check services as well as the due date of the check will be provided to each student at his/her official Respiratory Care Program interview.

Transcripts from other institutions will be evaluated by a Transcript Analyst after they have been forwarded to the Records and Registration Office. The program will accept transfer credit that has been approved by the analyst. For more information go to https://www.volstate.edu/records/transfer.

It is rare for a student with the minimum grade point average to get accepted since the program is competitive.

The courses are listed in this information packet and on the college’s website at https://www.volstate.edu/academics/health-sciences/respiratorycare. You can also sign in to DegreeWorks at https://degreeworks.volstate.edu/Dashboard/login.html to view the courses you need for the program.

Yes, the state of Tennessee requires all respiratory therapists to obtain a license from the Board of Respiratory Care in order to work. After completion of the program, graduates are eligible for licensing in all states that require a license.

The Certified Respiratory Therapist (CRT) is the entry level credential for the field of respiratory care. Everyone entering the field must at minimum be a certified respiratory therapist. The CRT credential is obtained by passing the TMC (Therapist Multiple Choice) examination following graduation from program. To obtain the Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT) credential, students must pass the TMC at the high cut threshold which allows them to sit for the second exam, clinical simulations. Passing the clinical simulation exam (CSE) will secure the RRT credential. Both credentials are awarded by the National Board for Respiratory Care (NBRC).

It will take five total semesters including the general education courses. The general education courses can be completed in one semester. The length of the program is four semesters.

The program is very rigorous and requires a full-time commitment. Most students who work full-time while in the program are not successful. Some students are able to decrease their work hours in order to concentrate on the program. Potential students must take into consideration the time needed to study and complete assignments when considering work schedules. Students must earn at least a final grade of “C” or better to continue in the program.

Yes, information will be provided to you for programs at local universities.

Yes, you are required to take and pass the national entry-level examination upon graduation from the program to obtain the CRT credential. You also must within 3 years take the national Registry Examination subsequent to passing the entry-level examination. All examinations are computer-based.

Yes, you can apply for financial aid at https://www.volstate.edu/financialaid/apply

Go to https://www.volstate.edu/financialaid/scholarships for information about scholarships.

Yes, students are required to perform community service throughout the program. Details will be provided after acceptance into the program.

The director of clinical education assigns the students to hospital rotations. Clinical sites are based on the educational needs of the student, the census of the facility, and student preference. Clinical sites requested by students are not guaranteed. Attendance of rotations at several hospitals is required in order to acquire a complete and well-rounded clinical education. Different points in the program require different types of experiences, so the number and types of clinical rotations available will vary as well. There will also be rotations in respiratory care subspecialties, such as pulmonary function testing, pulmonary rehabilitation, and many more.

You may provide therapy to neonatal, pediatric, adolescent, and adult patients.

It is the student’s responsibility to secure and bear the expense of reliable transportation to and from all clinical sites.

Students are scheduled to be with the director of clinical education, clinical preceptors employed by the college, and respiratory therapists at various locations depending on the educational needs of the students.

Most hospitals in Middle Tennessee require 12-hour work shifts. Respiratory therapists may work on day or night-shift. Weekend and holiday staffing is required based on the policy of the facility. Keep in mind that hospitals never close, therefore, staffing is needed 24 hours a day seven days a week. Some hospital have per diem positions where employees work as needed instead of full-time. For those employed in clinics, rehabilitation units, or home care settings, regular day hours are 7:00 AM to 3:00 PM or 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM.

All rotations are during day shift. There is a possibility for an occasional weekend clinical rotation at the discretion of the director of clinical education.

Acceptance notifications are typically sent out at the end of December. Read the acceptance letter and all additional information very carefully as instructions on 'next steps' will be included.