Overview

Respiratory therapists are trained to help people with lung diseases or disorders. They assess, diagnose and treat patients who have difficulty breathing. They work with people of all ages, from infants to the elderly, in conjunction with physicians and nurses to come up with treatment plans aimed at best helping restore as much natural breathing function as possible.

Most respiratory therapists are employed in hospitals as staff therapists with the opportunity to advance into lead, charge, and supervisory therapist roles. Respiratory therapists are also employed by homecare companies that provide care to patients in the home.

In addition to classroom learning, you will practice your skills in our state-of-the-art simulation lab and gain real-world experience through clinical placements at several hospitals in central Ohio.  You will be eligible to begin working in healthcare after one year, and you can become a licensed respiratory therapist following completion of the degree.

At COTC, you will learn:

• the different pathologies of cardiopulmonary disease
• how to manage patient airways and establish airways through endotracheal intubation
• the various modes of invasive and non-invasive ventilation
• to communicate and work collaboratively with other members of the healthcare team
• selection of appropriate oxygen and humidification delivery devices
• the various equipment used in the diagnosis and treatment of patients with cardiopulmonary disease

Limited Permit

After one year, you can apply for a limited permit through the state medical board. This limited permit allows you to work as a respiratory therapist directly under the supervision of a licensed respiratory therapist where you will gain valuable experience to help you be successful for the remainder of the program and throughout your career.

License/Credentialing Eligibility

Graduates who have successfully completed the program are eligible to sit for the registered respiratory therapist (RRT) credential offered through the National Board for Respiratory Care (NBRC).

Respiratory Therapy Information Meeting/Course

Interested students may either attend a respiratory therapy information meeting on campus or complete the online respiratory therapy information course to learn about the respiratory therapy program at COTC and satisfy this requirement on the respiratory therapy program application.

attend an information meeting on campus

Access the information course online

An online respiratory therapy information course is available to anyone interested in the respiratory therapy program& at COTC. This course will provide information and hopefully answer many of your questions on the respiratory therapy profession, program requirements and application process. The information course will take less than one hour to complete and can be accessed multiple times.

Future Start Dates

The respiratory therapy technology program begins each autumn semester at the Newark campus.

Application deadline: June 15

Admission Requirements

This is a competitive, selective enrollment program. To be admitted, you must submit a free application for admission and a respiratory therapy technology program application and supporting material by the application deadline to be considered for admission to the associate degree respiratory therapy program.

Plan of Study

Program Accreditation

The Central Ohio Technical College (COTC) Respiratory Therapy Technology (program number 200679), AAS degree program at the Newark, Ohio campus location 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.

Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care
264 Precision Blvd.
Telford, TN 37690 USA
817.283.2835

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 programmatic outcomes data

Program Outcomes

The goal of COTC’s respiratory therapy associate degree program is to prepare graduates with demonstrated competence in the cognitive (knowledge), psychomotor (skills), and affective (behavior) learning domains of respiratory care practice as performed by registered respiratory therapists (RRTs).

Graduates of the program will be able to:

• Demonstrate theoretical competence in applied respiratory care.
• Demonstrate clinical competence in applied respiratory care.
• Demonstrate ethical behavior consistent with professional and community expectations.
• Demonstrate the ability to measure, evaluate, and document patient data and recommend appropriate therapeutic interventions for patient care.
• Demonstrate the ability to apply and evaluate information relevant to his/her role as a registered respiratory therapist.
• Demonstrate appropriate critical thinking and problem-solving skills, time management skills, interpersonal communication skills, and technical skills necessary to provide competent respiratory care in multidisciplinary care settings.
• Demonstrates an appreciation for and acceptance of cultural diversity.

Frequently Asked Questions

Current Students

Policies and Procedures of the Respiratory Therapy Technology Program (Student Handbook)