Respiratory Care, AAS

Breath is life. There are few things scarier than the inability to breathe, even for a short time. Be part of the team that helps patients breathe easier with an Associate of Applied Science (AAS) degree in Respiratory Care from Collin College.

A day in the life of a respiratory therapist might include providing care to patients with lung or heart disorders, managing ventilators in the intensive care units, responding to Code Blue or other urgent calls for care, educating patients and families about lung disease, and consulting with physicians to recommend a change in therapy.

Respiratory Therapists can work in: Critical Care Units, Emergency Rooms, Neonatal and Pediatric Units, Operating Rooms, Skilled Nursing Facilities, Doctor’s Offices, Asthma Education Programs or Smoking Cessation Programs.

Collin College’s Respiratory Care Program prepares individuals for an allied health specialty in the clinical care and management of respiratory disorders. The 22-month program will prepare students to apply for the Therapist Multiple Choice and Clinical Simulation Credentialing Exams given by the National Board for Respiratory Care. The college also partners with Midwestern State University to offer a Bachelor of Science in Respiratory Care online completion program.

For individuals who hold a Certified Respiratory Therapist (CRT) credential who would like to become registry-eligible, please contact the Program Director.

Licensure Notice: Students who have been involved with the criminal system, please be advised that your background could keep you from being licensed by the State of Texas. If you have a question about your background and licensure, please speak with your faculty member or the department chair. You also have the right to request a criminal history evaluation letter from the applicable licensing agency.

Science courses that are part of the curriculum but completed at an institutionally accredited college/university, must have been completed within five years of the Fall semester of the admission year in order to receive transfer credits. The minimum passing grade for all Respiratory Care lecture, lab and clinical course work is a C.

Students planning to transfer to a college or university should check with Collin College academic advisors. Also check the degree requirement of the intended transfer college prior to beginning this program to verify course degree applicability.

Spaces in the Respiratory Care Program are limited. Please see the Respiratory Care Program Information Packet, at http://www.collin.edu/rcp for details on the selective admission process.

ACCREDITATION

The Respiratory Care Program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care (CoARC). They may be contacted at:

Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care
264 Precision Blvd 
Telford, TN 37690
Phone: 817.283.2835
Fax: 817.354.8519

FUNCTIONAL ABILITIES/CORE PERFORMANCE STANDARDS STATEMENT

After initial acceptance to this program, all students are required to meet specific functional abilities - with or without accommodations - for successful completion of the program and to function safely and effectively in the variety of the profession’s settings. The specific functional requirements are found in the Functional Abilities/Core Performance Standards documents provided in the program information on the Respiratory Care website: http://www.collin.edu/rcp. Students who think they may not be able to meet the functional standards and need accommodation are encouraged to contact the college ACCESS department as soon as this program is of interest.

ADDITIONAL ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS

Registration is by permission only. Information and applications may be obtained online at http://www.collin.edu/rcp or the Health Sciences and Emergency Services Division Office. To apply, students must:

• Submit the required application form by the designated deadline
• Submit official copies of all college transcripts to the Respiratory Care Program Director.
• Complete Collin College reading, writing and mathematics assessments
• Overall GPA of 2.5 with a minimum grade of “C” in all prerequisite courses
• Complete the health exam with a satisfactory result prior to the application deadline
• Agree to criminal background check. Negative findings from the background check may compromise clinical placement.
• Once admitted, student must pass a drug screen at the student’s expense, when requested and as directed by the program
• Attend a student orientation prior to the start of the first semester in the program
• Successfully complete all program admission criteria (see Application Packet)
• Complete all immunizations required by the Texas Department of State Health Services (TDSHS) *
• CPR - Requires current American Heart Association Basic Life Support CPR certification.

* It is important to note that one of the required vaccinations, Hepatitis B, consists of a three dose series, which can take up to 7 months to complete. All immunizations must be completed by the deadline specified by the program.

Health Insurance - All Respiratory Care students are required to show proof of health insurance prior to starting clinical rotations and must maintain coverage while in the program.

PROGRAM COMPLETION REQUIREMENTS

In addition to successfully completing the respiratory care curriculum, students are required to successfully complete a comprehensive Therapist Multiple Choice (TMC) Self- Assessment Examination and a Clinical Simulation Self Assessment Examination during the second year of the program.

1. A TMC Practice exam will be given in the Fall semester of the second year.
2. A TMC Self-Assessment Examination will be given in the Spring semester of the second year.
3. Clinical Simulation Self-Assessment Examination will be given in the Spring semester of the second year.
4. Meet all Collin College graduation requirements.

Satisfactory completion of these exams is required for graduation from the program. Students who do not pass any of these exams will be required to complete prescribed remediation assignments and retest. The program reserves the right to limit the number of retests.

CRT TRANSITION PROGRAM

The program, after admission to the college, offers a transition option to allow students who hold a CRT credential, have institutionally accredited college credit in entry level respiratory care, and have one year of recent clinical experience as a respiratory therapist to enter the second year of the Respiratory Therapy Program, receive their degree and become registry-eligible. Content and clinical skill competency tests must be satisfactorily completed for students to enter this option. Contact the Program Director for more information.