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Respiratory Care
TO BE OR NOT TO BE…A RESPIRATORY THERAPIST
If you are interested in health and have a passion for helping the sick of all ages, and if you enjoy mathematics, biology and chemistry, then a career in Respiratory Care may be for you.
Respiratory Therapists work under the direction of a physician and assist in the diagnosis, treatment and management of patients with breathing disorders. These disorders can affect a wide range of ages, from premature infants to the elderly population. Respiratory therapists work in a variety of healthcare settings; hospitals, home care, pulmonary rehab programs, nursing homes and pulmonary offices. Because hospitals operate around the clock, therapists may work evenings, nights, or weekends. They spend long periods standing and walking between patients’ rooms. In an emergency, therapists work under a great deal of stress.
Because Respiratory Therapists work with some of the most sophisticated life support equipment available, they are in high demand. Also, because the population continues to age, the need for well trained, qualified Respiratory Therapists will continue to increase as well.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics , employment of respiratory therapists is expected to increase faster than average over the next decade, primarily because the aging baby boom generation will increase the number of older people, who tend to suffer the most from respiratory conditions like pneumonia and COPD and who often have respiratory complications due to heart disease and other common diseases of aging. While U.S. employment in general is forecast to increase by 15 percent, the need for RTs will grow by up to 26 percent! With demand for RTs on the rise, salaries are following suit. According to the 2005 Human Resources study from the AARC www.aarc.org, the projected average annual earnings of RTs working in the U.S. is $56,222. In this study, therapist just beginning their careers reported average annual earnings of $41,538.
A student in an accredited program will study anatomy and physiology, chemistry, pathophysiology, pharmacology, microbiology and mathematics. Also studied will be specific pieces of diagnostic and life support equipment. Ivy Tech Community College offers a two-year program, not including the prerequisite courses, in Respiratory Care. Students who successfully complete the program will receive an Associate of Science degree from Ivy Tech Community College. The Program has received accreditation from the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs. Upon graduation, you will be eligible to sit for the entry and advanced level practitioner exams which are given by the National Board for Respiratory Care, www.nbrc.org. Those candidates that successfully complete the advanced level exams will be awarded the registered respiratory therapist credential.
Ivy Tech is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission of North Central Association of Colleges and Schools to award Associate degrees. The Respiratory Care Programs accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of the Allied Health Programs (CAAHEP), in collaboration with the Committee on Accreditation for Respiratory Care (CoARC), 1248 Harwood Rd. Bedford, TX 76201, 1-817-283-2835,
http://www.coarc.com/.
For more information, please contact
Jennifer Purdue-Reece
812-298-2330
jreece@ivytech.edu
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