Respiratory Therapy Associate Degree Program

Respiratory therapists work closely with individuals suffering from breathing and cardiac disorders. They work in labs, nursing homes or other settings to evaluate and treat patients with breathing complications and provide life-saving measures that improve quality of life.

Here are some things respiratory therapists do:

• Monitor response to respiratory therapies by checking patients’ vitals
• Provide temporary relief to patients with asthma or emphysema
• Perform emergency assistance to victims of heart attacks, stroke, drowning or shock
• Place oxygen masks or nasal cannulas when needed
• Treat patients using tools such as oxygen, chest physiotherapy and aerosol medication
• Teach patients and families how to operate ventilators or other life-support equipment²

²California Employment Development Department Detailed Guide, Respiratory Therapists in California

If you love working with technical equipment and enjoy working directly with people, ACC’s Respiratory Therapist program might be right for you.

Here are some of the top skills and attributes that make for a great respiratory therapist:

Active listening – A top skill for respiratory therapists is being able to listen and understand the needs of each patient.

Service orientation – A great respiratory therapist is one with a passion for helping patients and for providing the best care possible.

Instructing – Respiratory therapists educate patients and their families on their conditions and the use of respiratory equipment. They should be able to explain things in a way that patients are able to understand.

Operations monitoring – Respiratory therapists should be able to monitor any relevant machinery, including watching gauges, dials or other indicators.

Quality control – Respiratory therapists inspect, clean, test and maintain equipment. Good quality control skills can help them ensure they are always providing treatment using well-maintained equipment.

Respiratory therapists can work in a variety of settings, including:

• General medical and surgical hospitals
• Outpatient care centers
• Labs
• Nursing care facilities²

²California Employment Development Department Detailed Guide, Respiratory Therapists in California

The curriculum in the Respiratory Therapy program is divided into eight, 10-week quarters. Students will begin with general education, anatomy and physiology and core respiratory therapy. The program will conclude with clinical practicum courses.

Clinical experience in an appropriate hospital or clinical setting is required for successful completion of the school's program. These clinical rotations, which begin in quarter five, comprise a total of 720 hours.

Respiratory therapy core courses include the following:

Respiratory Procedures I – This course introduces students to basic respiratory care treatments and support modalities, including set up, use and troubleshooting of equipment, concepts related to the therapeutic administration of oxygen & aerosol therapy in respiratory care and concepts & techniques surrounding sampling/proper handling and transport of arterial blood gases. Focus is placed on adherence to techniques ensuring appropriate infection control practices and patient safety. Students will learn to conduct physical and clinical exams and patient assessments to determine/develop appropriate and effective treatment plans.

Neonatal/Pediatric Cardiopulmonary Pathophysiology – This course is a study of fetal development of the cardiopulmonary system, respiratory care of neonatal and pediatric patients, as well as causes and treatment of respiratory illnesses. Students will gain an understanding of patient evaluation, monitoring and therapeutic modalities seen with common neonatal and pediatric disorders, including respiratory distress syndrome, intracranial hemorrhage, pulmonary hypertension of the newborn, common respiratory infections in the infant and pediatric population and pediatric trauma.

Critical Care Monitoring – In this course, you will study critical care monitoring of particular patient populations, such as open-heart and pediatric patients, hemodynamic monitoring, ventilator waveform analysis and capnography. Proper reading of monitors, accurate interpretation of readings, strengths and shortcomings of various hemodynamic monitoring modalities will be discussed.

Respiratory Care Review – This course is intended as a final preparation for graduation and attempting the NBRC board exams (both CRT and RRT exams). You will review subject matter in all major core areas of the respiratory care program. By the end of this course, all students must take and pass the written SAE for both the CRT and RRT exams and pass the required number of Clinical Simulations from the registry exam SAE.

Clinical Practicum I – This course is an introduction to the clinical environment. Emphasis will be placed on developing skills of patient assessment, observation, modification of therapy, development of patient care plans and documentation to the patient care record. You will complete a minimum of five chart reviews by the end of this practicum in order to demonstrate locating and appropriately collecting patient data from the medical record.

For a complete description of coursework in these modules, please refer to the ACC Catalog.

Students can earn their associate degree in respiratory therapy in as little as 20 months.

Our admissions advisors and financial aid advisors are here to support you. They can help you figure out respiratory therapist school costs and help you explore financial aid options.

To learn more about ACC’s Respiratory Therapy program cost, access our tuition info.

Yes, financial aid and scholarships are available for those who qualify.

Yes! ACC's Respiratory Therapy program includes over 700 hours of clinicals which gives students the opportunity to demonstrate and reinforce the knowledge and skills they acquired learning hands-on throughout the training program.