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Respiratory Care

If you want to work in health care and helping people with lung problems sounds interesting, consider a career as a respiratory care practitioner (RCP).

In this accredited, four-year program, you’ll learn to assess, diagnose, treat and educate patients with cardiopulmonary disease. Courses and hands-on clinical training provide you with the skills to create advanced treatment plans, manage ventilators and artificial airways, perform sophisticated diagnostic testing, and consult with physicians and other healthcare personnel to optimize a patient’s lung function.

Upon completion of the program, you will be eligible to test for professional certification in the field. With this degree, you could work for a hospital in an intensive care unit, emergency room or surgical department; a doctor’s office performing pulmonary function testing; a home care agency; or a rehabilitation institute.

 

Technical Standards

Technical standards for the respiratory care industry talk about the physical, cognitive and behavioral standards expected to perform in the industry.

See Technical Standards

Additional Application Requirements

Program start: Fall (competitive entry)
Pre-requisites: Yes
Program length: 9 quarters
Number of students each start: 20
Contact: Toni D'Amato 509-533-7307
Applications deadline: June 30th
Please note: Application Packet


 

  • Work independently and collaboratively demonstrating a respect for others and a sense of community responsibility
  • Demonstrate collaboration and effective communication among all health care team members in the delivery of respiratory care in all patent settings
  • Analyze information and research and apply it in the health care setting
  • Apply the principles of cultural awareness formulating appropriate modifications to health care plans to accommodate cultural differences
  • Design and implement appropriate treatment plans in all healthcare settings where respiratory care is delivered
  • Apply advanced respiratory care competencies in all health care settings

Breaking Ground on Your Pathway


Prepare for College-level Math

Math placement is required for this program. If your math placement is below MATH& 146, you’ll need to take the following sequence of courses, starting from the level you placed into:
AE 48 → MATH 87 → MATH 88 → MATH& 146

Prepare for College-level English

English placement is required for this program. If your English placement is below ENGL& 101, you’ll need to take following sequence of courses, starting from the level you placed into:
AE 36 → AE 46 and 47 (taken together) → AE 67 → ENGL 99 → ENGL& 101 → ENGL& 235

Plan Your Courses

Meet with our counselors to customize this plan just for you. You can also check the annual schedule or search the quarterly schedule for class days and times.

Program Map for

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Total Courses/General Education Courses Credits: 45

Total Program Credits: 135

Courses/General Education Courses

First Quarter

Course ID
Course Title
Credits
BIOL&160
General Biology with Lab  
5
ENGL&101
English Composition I  
5
MATH&146
Introduction to Statistics  
5
Total Credits
 
15
 

Second Quarter

Course ID
Course Title
Credits
BIOL&241
Human A & P 1  
5
CHEM&121
Introduction to Chemistry with Lab  
5
ENGL&235
Technical Writing  
5
Total Credits
 
15
 

Third Quarter

Course ID
Course Title
Credits
BIOL&242
Human A & P 2  
5
BIOL&260
Microbiology  
5
CMST 227
Intercultural Communication  
5
Total Credits
 
15
 

NOTE: You must apply and be accepted into the program before taking the following courses


Program Courses

First Quarter

Course ID
Course Title
Credits
RT 209
The Language of Respiratory Care  
1
RT 213
Electrocardiography  
3
RT 214
Electrocardiography Lab  
1
RT 241
Fundamentals of Respiratory Care I  
3
RT 242
Fundamentals of Respiratory Care I Technical Skills Lab  
2
RT 244
Cardiopulmonary Anatomy and Physiology  
3
RT 248
Physical Science for Respiratory Care  
3
Total Credits
 
16
 

Second Quarter

Course ID
Course Title
Credits
PHIL 110
Introduction to Ethics  
5
RT 251
Fundamentals of Respiratory Care II  
3
RT 252
Fundamentals of Respiratory Care II Technical Skills Lab  
2
RT 256
Interpretation of Arterial Blood Gases  
2
RT 308
Basic Life Support Instructor  
2
SURG 105
Blood-borne Pathogens and HIV/AIDS  
1
Total Credits
 
15
 

Third Quarter

Course ID
Course Title
Credits
PSYC&100
General Psychology  
5
RT 261
Fundamentals of Respiratory Care III  
4
RT 262
Fundamentals of Respiratory Care III Technical Skills Lab  
2
RT 263
Respiratory Care Pharmacology  
4
RT 264
Computer Applications in Respiratory Care  
1
RT 265
RT Clinical I  
1
Total Credits
 
17
 

Fourth Quarter

Course ID
Course Title
Credits
PSYC&200
Lifespan Psychology  
5
RT 254
Fundamentals of Spirometry  
2
RT 255
Fundamentals of Spirometry Technical Skills Lab  
1
RT 304
Pathophysiology  
5
RT 321
RT Clinical II  
2
Total Credits
 
15
 

Fifth Quarter

Course ID
Course Title
Credits
RT 301
Critical Care I  
4
RT 305
Pulmonary Volumes Diffusion and Instrumentation  
2
RT 311
Critical Care I Technical Skills Lab  
2
RT 315
PVDI Technical Skills Lab  
1
RT 322
RT Clinical III  
2
RT 402
Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support  
2
RT 412
Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support Lab  
1
Total Credits
 
14
 

Sixth Quarter

Course ID
Course Title
Credits
RT 302
Critical Care II  
3
RT 309
Advanced Pharmacology  
3
RT 312
Critical Care II Technical Skills Lab  
2
RT 325
PFT Clinical I  
1
RT 331
Critical Care Clinical I  
5
Total Credits
 
14
 

Seventh Quarter

Course ID
Course Title
Credits
RT 401
Pediatrics/Neonatal RT  
3
RT 403
Advanced Pulmonary Diagnostics  
3
RT 411
Pediatrics/Neonatal Technical Skills Lab  
2
RT 413
Advanced Pulmonary Diagnostics Technical Skills Lab  
1
RT 421
Critical Care Clinical II  
4
Total Credits
 
13
 

Eighth Quarter

Course ID
Course Title
Credits
RT 303
Home Care and Rehabilitation  
2
RT 404
Research in Respiratory Care  
2
RT 415
Disease Management  
4
RT 416
Disaster Management  
2
RT 423
Advanced Pulmonary Diagnostics Clinical  
1
RT 424
Pediatric/Neonatal Clinical  
3
RT 425
Advanced Critical Care Clinical  
2
Total Credits
 
16
 

Ninth Quarter

Course ID
Course Title
Credits
RT 406
Management in Respiratory Care  
2
RT 407
Patient Management and Problem Solving  
3
RT 409
Research in Respiratory Capstone  
2
RT 410
Fundamentals of Education Course Design  
2
RT 417
Patient Management and Problem Solving Technical Skills Lab  
1
RT 433
Advanced Clinical  
5
Total Credits
 
15
 

  • Toni D
    Toni D'amato
    Respiratory Therapy
    A.A. Spokane Falls Community College; A.A.S., Spokane Community College; B.S., Boise State University; M.S. Northeastern University
    Toni.Damato@scc.spokane.edu
    509-533-7307
  • Justine Morgan
    Justine Morgan
    Respiratory Therapy
    A.A., A.A.S., Spokane Community College; B.S., University of Idaho
    Justine.Morgan@scc.spokane.edu
    509-533-7313
  • Michelle Samuels
    Michelle Samuels
    Respiratory Therapy
    A.A.S. Spokane Community College; B.S., Boise State University; M.S., University of Idaho
    Michelle.Samuels@scc.spokane.edu
    509-533-7310

The Spokane Community College BAS in Respiratory Care program, CoARC program number 200055, located at Spokane Community College, Spokane WA is accredited by The Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care (www.coarc.com).
Get program outcomes data including attrition, job placement, NBRC examination success, on-time graduation rates and enrollment information here.

CoARC accredits respiratory therapy education programs in the United States. To achieve this end, it utilizes an "outcomes based" process. Programmatic outcomes are performance indicators that reflect the extent to which the educational goals of the program are achieved and by which program effectiveness is documented.
 

Admission to the program requires that you:

  1. If you are interested in the Respiratory Care program, please contact the Enrollment & Onboarding Advisor Shayla Clark, at 509-533-7007

  2. Complete the Bachelor of Applied Science Respiratory Care application form. Form and additional documents must be submitted in a packet to the Registration Office in Building 15 (1810 N Greene Street Spokane, WA 99217-5399)

  3. Complete the required general education courses (freshman year); BIOL&160, BIOL&241, BIOL&242, BIOL&260, CHEM&121, CMST 227, ENGL&101, ENGL&235 or ENGL&102, MATH&146 with a GPA of 2.5 or greater.

  4. Submit your official transcripts to the SCC Transcripts Office (official transcripts must be approved prior to starting the program). Unofficial transcripts must be submitted in application packet.

  5. Complete 50 hours of work/volunteer experience in healthcare.

  6. Submit two professional letters of reference (sealed in envelopes and submitted in application packet).

  7. Complete a personal interview with the program’s selection committee (by invitation).

Have a question? Let's hear it.

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Toni D'Amato

Toni.Damato@scc.spokane.edu
509-533-7307