Respiratory Therapy Program | American Career College

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Save Lives, One Breath at a Time: Excel with an Accredited Respiratory Therapy Program!

Earn Your Respiratory Therapy Degree

Respiratory Therapists (RTs) play an important role in patient care, working directly with patients to prevent, diagnose and treat respiratory challenges. Our Respiratory Therapy program gives you the training you'll need to administer life-saving measures under pressure. Learn to teach patients how to use medications and equipment to improve their everyday lives. Respiratory therapist school prepares you for a life-saving career in a needed field.

Find a Respiratory Therapist School Near You

Our program is available at our Southern California campuses located in Los Angeles, Ontario and Anaheim.

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Flexible Blended Learning Format

This associate degree program is taught in a blended format combining online classes with in-person instruction.

Prepare for Certification

After successfully completing the Respiratory Therapy program, you will be eligible to sit for the Certified Respiratory Therapist (CRT) and the Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT) exams (written and clinical simulation) offered by the National Board for Respiratory Care (NBRC).

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Is the Respiratory Therapy Training Program Right for you?

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Program Overview

Respiratory Therapy Program Overview

In as little as 20 months, ACC’s Respiratory Therapy (RT) program is designed to help you acquire the knowledge and training to evaluate, treat and care for patients with breathing or other cardiopulmonary disorders.

Available across our three campuses in California (Los Angeles, Ontario, and Anaheim), the Respiratory Therapy program at ACC offers a combination of classroom, laboratory and clinical studies that will allow you to develop a range of skills relevant to the roles and responsibilities of a respiratory therapist, including but not limited to:

Providing emergency care, interviewing patients, performing limited physical examinations, and conducting diagnostic tests
Determining requirements for treatment including type, duration, method, and precautions necessary
Executing effective plans and protocols to assist patients so they can breathe comfortably
Operating devices such as mechanical ventilators, therapeutic gas administration apparatus, environmental control systems, or aerosol generators

After successfully completing the RT program, you will be eligible to sit for the Certified Respiratory Therapist (CRT) and the Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT) exams (written and clinical simulation) offered by the National Board for Respiratory Care (NBRC).

Program Highlights

Highlights	ACC’s Program
Accredited by CoARC (Los Angeles*, Anaheim, and Ontario)	✔
Blended learning (online and on campus)	✔
Complete in around 20 months	✔
720-hour real-world externship	✔
On-campus labs	✔
Eligible for CRT and RRT exams	✔
Career services support	✔
Financial aid and scholarships available for those who qualify	✔
Multiple campuses in Southern California (Los Angeles, Ontario, and Anaheim)	✔
Graduate resources and alumni network	✔

Program Goals

The RT program is designed to prepare graduates with the knowledge, hands-on skills, and professional behaviors required to excel as advanced-level Registered Respiratory Therapists (RRTs). Students will develop competence across the cognitive (knowledge), psychomotor (skills), and affective (behavioral) learning domains essential for safe, effective respiratory care.

Upon completing respiratory therapy school, graduates will be able to:

Perform as competent, advanced-level respiratory therapists in clinical settings
Apply critical thinking and sound clinical judgment in patient care
Exhibit professional and ethical behavior aligned with the standards of respiratory therapy practice
Earn and maintain certifications in:

Basic Life Support (BLS)
Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS)
Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS)
Neonatal Resuscitation Program (NRP)

Fulfill all academic and clinical requirements necessary to pursue RRT credentialing
Embrace lifelong learning and professional development through continuing education and community engagement
Demonstrate the communication skills, professional appearance, and workplace behaviors expected by healthcare employers
Apply principles of communication, reasoning, ethics, and interpersonal skills in both career and personal contexts

Accreditation

The Respiratory Therapy (Associate of Occupational Science) program (CoARC program number 200554), awarded at the Orange County campus, is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care (www.coarc.com).

The Respiratory Therapy (Associate of Occupational Science) program (CoARC program number 200566), awarded at the Ontario campus, is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care (www.coarc.com).

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.

CoARC’s Programmatic Outcomes Data page has been added directly below the outcomes-based statement:
(https://coarc.com/students/programmatic-outcomes-data/).

*The Respiratory Therapy (Associate of Occupational Science) program (#200657) at the Los Angeles holds Provisional Accreditation from the Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care (www.coarc.com). This status signifies that a program with an Approval of Intent has demonstrated sufficient compliance with the Standards (through submission of an acceptable Provisional Accreditation Self Study Report (PSSR) and any other documentation required by the CoARC, as well as satisfactory completion of an initial on-site visit), to be allowed to admit students. It is recognized as an accredited program by the National Board for Respiratory Care (NBRC), which provides enrolled students who complete the program with eligibility for the Respiratory Care Credentialing Examination(s). The program will remain on Provisional Accreditation until it achieves Continuing Accreditation.

Prerequisites

To enroll in the Respiratory Therapy program at ACC, applicants must:

Hold a high school diploma or GED equivalent
Pass an entrance exam
Meet with an Admissions Advisor

For full admission criteria, review ACC’s general college admission requirements.

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FAQs

What does a respiratory therapist do?

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

Am I a good fit for the Respiratory Therapist program?

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.

Where do respiratory therapists work?

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

What will I learn in the Respiratory Therapy program?

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.

How long is the Respiratory Therapy program?

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

How much does the Respiratory Therapy program cost?

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.

Is financial aid available?

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

Will I get real-world respiratory therapist training?

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.