Respiratory Care, AS

Policy:

All students will arrive at the clinical site dressed in a clean uniform with the proper equipment.

The uniform for Respiratory Care students consists of:

• Solid color hospital scrubs, silver top with RC Program patch affixed to the left shoulder;
• black pants
• Clean, comfortable shoes (high heels or opened-toed shoes are not allowed as they pose a safety risk; avoid absorbent material)
• College identification badge, name and picture showing.

Required equipment includes:

• Stethoscope
• Personal Protective Equipment (eye protection, face shield and/or face mask requirements are determined per clinical site)
• Watch (minutes and seconds visible)
• Calculator (battery backup is recommended)
• Black pen (iPad or other electronic devices are not allowed in patient care areas)

• Methodist Allied Health Student Association – Respiratory Care Chapter: The Methodist Allied Health Student Association (MASHA) – Respiratory Care Chapter is composed of all students enrolled in a respiratory care program at the College.
• Lambda Beta: This is a national honor society for Respiratory Care students. Students are invited to join Lambda Beta and are eligible to apply for scholarships through the Society.
• Nebraska Society for Respiratory Care Scholarship: This is a monetary award presented by the Nebraska Society for Respiratory Care to a current professional year student, chosen once a year from the group of students in the professional year courses who meet the criteria and apply.
• American Respiratory Care Foundation: The American Respiratory Care Foundation offers scholarships to selected undergraduate students who meet the criteria and apply.  

Purpose: To determine the physical and emotional abilities of a student in the Department in compliance with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1991. Students are required to perform respective duties of the profession based on the necessary physical and emotional abilities as well as academic achievement. The College will make reasonable accommodation for all students.

Policy: The student will possess the following skills and abilities:

• Behavioral and Social Skills: Possess qualities of compassion, integrity, empathy and interpersonal skills. Possess emotional capacity and mental health necessary to effectively complete professional responsibilities. Ability to serve as part of a team and lead as appropriate.
• Communication: Read, write, speak, hear, and observe patients to effectively communicate the patient's condition and interact with the patient and other healthcare individuals.
• Integrative and Quantitative Skills: Problem solve using computation, synthesis, and analysis. Visualize and analyze three-dimensional relationships.
• Motor and Functional Ability: Must be able to bend and lift 50 pounds with proper body mechanics, perform constant body movements, either standing, walking, stooping, or lifting. Perform therapeutic and diagnostic procedures. Deliver patient care and associated services up to 12 hours per shift.
• Observation: Use instruments requiring sight and hearing, e.g., pulmonary function equipment and mechanical ventilators. Make observations and evaluations. Observe results of treatment and communicate patient's response to care.
• Working Conditions: Include potential exposure to blood and body fluids, and patients with communicable disease. Students must be willing to perform infection control procedures and keep current with vaccinations/screenings.

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 AS Respiratory Care Program will:

1. Exhibit cognitive (knowledge) competency at the level of an entry-level respiratory therapist.
    
2. Demonstrate clinical competence that includes the ability to perform age- appropriate patient care by incorporating assessment skills, interprofessional communication, and decision-making abilities.
    
3. Model ethical and culturally sensitive professional attitudes and behaviors to promote excellent patient care.
    
4. Attain the NMC Educated Citizen skills to become Reflective Individuals, Effective Communicators and Change Agents.

AS Respiratory Care Programmatic Student Outcomes Data

The Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care maintains the latest information on student outcomes from all accredited programs. https://coarc.com/students/programmatic-outcomes-data/ 

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.