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    Respiratory Therapy, BSRT Degree Advancement

    Have Questions? Speak to an Admissions Coordinator

    Respiratory Therapy, RRT to BSRT Perks

    • 100% online courses so you can continue to practice in your local area.
    • No clinical hours required.
    • Curriculum supports the changing role of the respiratory therapist and includes content in health promotion, health education, leadership, case management and healthcare policy.
    • Focuses on the holistic nature of the respiratory care profession.
    • Choose from two advanced practice tracks - Education & Research or Healthcare Management & Leadership.
    • Respiratory Therapy Program Goals and Outcomes

     

    Respiratory therapists evaluate and treat all types of patients, from premature infants lacking fully developed lungs to adults suffering from labored breathing to elderly persons whose lungs have become diseased.

    The profession continues to grow and embrace a more holistic role that not only includes acute care at the patient's bedside but also preventive care and patient education. 

    A bachelor's degree is the future of the profession as determined by the American Association for Respiratory Care (AARC). By earning your Bachelor of Science in Respiratory Therapy with Nebraska Methodist College, you'll be well-positioned to become a leader in your field.

    According to Salary.com, the median salary in 2019 for respiratory therapists with bachelor's degrees in the U.S. was between $64,262 and $67,587 per year ($29 - $35 per hour), while the Bureau of Labor Statistics projects faster-than-average job growth for the profession of 21 percent between 2018 and 2028.

    Best Online Bachelor's

    NMC was named the No. 4 online bachelor's degree
    in respiratory therapy in the nation by Best Colleges for 2019.


    Best Respiratory Therapy Program

    NMC was named the No. 27 online bachelor's degree in respiratory therapy
    in the nation by Intelligent for 2020. The ranking commended NMC for
    having the best specialization options among the top group.

    Apply Online
    Apply Online

    Accreditation

    Nebraska Methodist College (NMC) is fully accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. The Bachelor of Science in Respiratory Therapy (BSRT) degree advancement, CoARC Program ID 510010, holds Provisional Accreditation from the Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care, www.coarc.com.

    Logo image of the Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care

    Costs & Financial Aid

    NMC is committed to helping you find every avenue to finance your education. View the Tuition by Program & Degree page for a comprehensive list of all fees.

    NMC encourages students to apply for all types of assistance for which they are qualified.  Potential resources for this program include:

    NMC Scholarships 

    NMC scholarships consist of funds generously provided by the Methodist Hospital Foundation to assist our students.  View our Scholarships & Grants page to learn more.

    Student Grants or Loans 

    Visit our Financial Aid page to learn more about what's available and how to apply.

    Employee Education Benefits

    Contact your organization's human resources office to find out what's available.

    Employees of Methodist Health System can find details on the MHS Intranet.  Under Human Resources select either MHS Benefits or MJE Benefits then scroll down to Pursuing Your Dreams.

    External Scholarships

    Visit our External Scholarships page to learn more.

    Calculate Your Net Price Financial Aid
    Cost Per Credit Hour $580

    Admissions

    Criteria

    Applicants are evaluated on the basis of the following criteria:

    • Graduation from a CoARC-approved respiratory care program.
    • RRT certification, or if none, CRT certification may be accepted as long as student achieves RRT prior to completing the BSRT.
    • Minimum cumulative GPA of 2.5.
    • College record.
    • Fulfillment of program technical standards.
    • Non-Nebraska residents must meet State Authorization Guidelines.
    Deadlines

    Prospective students may apply anytime and are accepted on a rolling basis. Applications will be reviewed upon receipt and students will be notified of their acceptance by letter or phone.

    Requirements

    To be considered for admission the following items must be submitted to the Admissions Office:

    Starting Term

    Application Deadline

    • Fall (August)
    • Spring (January)
    • Summer (May)
    • Currently Accepting Applications
    • Currently Accepting Applications
    • Currently Accepting Applications

    Curriculum

    The program requires a minimum of 129 credit hours. All students are required to complete specific coursework. This list should only be used as a curriculum guide. Course listings and required curriculum are subject to change. 

    Included within this list is the Educated Citizen Core Curriculum. All students seeking to complete an undergraduate degree at Nebraska Methodist College must complete this set of Arts and Sciences requirements.

    BSH 403
    LEADERSHIP IN HEALTHCARE
    3 credit hours
    See Details
    This course provides a foundational investigation of personal and organizational leadership with an emphasis on developing leadership talent. The following topics in leadership are included: overview of key leadership theories; differences between management and leadership; followership, implementing change, and emerging trends. Students will learn attributes of successful leaders, including interpersonal skills, attitudes, and behaviors, which can facilitate effective leadership within organizations.

    BSH 310
    HUMAN RESOURCES
    3 credit hours
    See Details
    This course explores the function of human resources within the healthcare organization. The focus of the course is on the development of skills that the department leader needs for effective management of personnel. Subjects include strategies to attract, hire, and retain high quality employees, compensation and benefit packages, productivity, and employee development, evaluation and training, as well as existing laws and policies surrounding employee relations.

    BSH 410
    OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT IN HEALTHCARE
    3 credit hours
    See Details
    This course focuses on healthcare operations management from the perspective of a healthcare professional. It provides a quantitative approach to analyzing business and logistics concepts and how they impact the healthcare equation. The course explores the foundations of operations management in healthcare, healthcare as a business, fundamentals of financial performance in healthcare, and the supply chain in support of healthcare and pharmaceutical operations management.

    BSH 401
    HEALTHCARE QUALITY
    3 credit hours
    See Details
    This course provides an introduction to knowledge and skills needed to lead quality improvement initiatives. Focusing on the evolution of quality from management to assurance and final to improvement students will explore the history of quality improvement. Students will examine principles, concepts and methods related to the application of quality initiatives and strategies to quality improvement in a healthcare setting. Thematic topics for specific initiatives may include Lean Methodology concepts, Six Sigma, and Plan-Do-Check Act (PDCA) Cycle related to performance improvement in healthcare.

    RCP 371
    WELLNESS ASSESSMENT & DESIGN IN HEALTHCARE
    3 credit hours
    See Details
    This course is designed to introduce the needs assessment process and provide direction relative to conducting needs assessments with a variety of populations. The course will outline methods for assessing the health and development needs of the population. The student will identify at-risk populations and conduct research to identify specific processes and interventions necessary to address the needs identified.

    RCP 383
    WELLNESS IMPLEMENTATION & EVALUATION
    3 credit hours
    See Details
    This course will educate the student about developing goals, objectives and strategies to address specific population wellness needs. Students will learn to develop an action plan for reaching program goals including methods for evaluating program success and deficiencies.

    RCP 420
    EDUCATIONAL STRATEGIES FOR THE PULMONARY PATIENT
    3 credit hours
    See Details
    This course is designed to assist respiratory therapy practitioners to improve their pulmonary disease education knowledge and skills to improve chronic pulmonary disease care and to promote patient knowledge of their disease. At the end of this course, the student will be able to identify significant components of patient pulmonary disease education. The knowledge gained can be applied to educate patients on various pulmonary diseases and interventions.

    RCP 427
    CASE MANAGEMENT AND THE RESPIRATORY PRACTITIONER
    3 credit hours
    See Details
    This course will cover behaviors that impact health including physical activity, nutrition, obesity, substance abuse, and stress. This course will provide information regarding the ways in which common risk factors relate to disease. Strategies for prevention of disease in these areas will also be covered.

    RCP ---
    TRANSFERRABLE RESPIRATORY CARE COURSEWORK
    38 credit hours
    See Details
    Professional Coursework can be found on the Associate of Science in Respiratory Care program page.

    SCI ---
    TRANSFERRABLE SCIENCE COURSEWORK
    24 credit hours
    See Details
    Science credit from previously completed coursework will be evaluated to fulfill this requirement.

    RCP 320
    HEALTH EDUCATION
    3 credit hours
    See Details
    This course will provide students with the knowledge and skills necessary to communicate health-related information among groups and individuals. Topics covered include adult learning styles, strategies for promoting healthy lifestyles, the importance of providing applicable health information, mechanisms used for distribution of information and methods for discussing the relationship between diseases and health behaviors.

    BSH 340
    HEALTH INFORMATION MANAGEMENT
    3 credit hours
    See Details
    A study of the history of health records, professional ethics, the functions of a health information department, retention of records, medical forms, health information practices, and responsibilities to healthcare administration, medical staff, and other medical professionals.

    RCP 363
    WELLNESS COACHING FOR THE HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONAL
    3 credit hours
    See Details
    This course is designed to introduce the wellness coaching model to a healthcare professional. The major topics covered are defining a scope of practice, coaching relationships, and motivational interviewing. The course structure is designed around weekly themes that align with the course objectives. All course materials/assignments are required unless otherwise noted.

    RCP 490
    RESPIRATORY CARE CAPSTONE
    3 credit hours
    See Details
    This course is designed to bring together all bachelors-level Respiratory Care coursework. Each student will take all of the aspects taught throughout the program and create a wellness or education program targeting a population identified at the beginning of the bachelor’s degree program. The course will culminate with students presenting their program as they would present it to a group of stakeholders.

    COM 101
    ENGLISH COMPOSITION
    3 credit hours
    See Details
    This course provides instruction and practice in writing, with emphasis on the recursive processes of generating, drafting, revising and editing. Students develop skills in producing and evaluating written communications in private and public contexts.

    COM 102
    SPEECH COMMUNICATION
    3 credit hours
    See Details
    This course invites students to explore the underlying principles of effective speech communication, with special applications to workplace environments. Students study and discuss the broad-based oral and nonverbal dimensions of effective speech interactions and effective public speaking and then apply the principles in public speeches.

    COM 230/245
    LANGUAGE & CULTURE IN HEALTHCARE
    3 credit hours
    See Details
    Access to healthcare is greatly affected by one's command of language. Students in this course engage in the exploration of language and culture then apply these concepts to the healthcare environment through service-learning and community engagement. Students develop practical communication skills that enable effective cross-cultural work with health professionals and clients with backgrounds different from their own. This course lasts over the entire semester.

    COM 320
    HEALTHCARE COLLABORATION & LEADERSHIP
    3 credit hours
    See Details
    This course applies leadership and management theories to the changing environment of healthcare. Students synthesize their knowledge of such topics as emotional intelligence, assertiveness, conflict management, gender dynamics, feedback delivery and systems theory in advanced writing and speaking projects. The NMC portfolio is integrated throughout this course. A complete portfolio (Levels I-III) is due by the end of the course.

    Prerequisites: Determined by major

    HUM ---
    WORLD OF IDEAS: HUMANITIES ELECTIVE
    3 credit hours
    See Details
    Students may choose a World of Ideas elective course. The course must be categorized within one of the following three sections: The World of Ideas: Human Connection The World of Ideas: Historical Perspectives The World of Ideas: The Arts See All Humanities Course Descriptions for specific course information.

    HUM ---
    WORLD OF IDEAS: HUMANITIES ELECTIVE
    3 credit hours
    See Details
    Students may choose a World of Ideas elective course. The course must be categorized within one of the following three sections: The World of Ideas: Human Connection The World of Ideas: Historical Perspectives The World of Ideas: The Arts See All Humanities Course Descriptions for specific course information.

    HUM 150
    THE WORLD OF IDEAS: CRITICAL REASONING AND RHETORIC
    3 credit hours
    See Details
    There is a strong relationship between thinking clearly and expressing thoughts in formal writing and public speaking. Using the skills of logic and critical thinking, students will examine ideas, analyze and evaluate the arguments of others, and advocate for their own ideas. Students will be introduced to the NMC Portfolio process. HUM 150 is to be taken in the first semester, unless designated in the second semester by the program of study.

    HUM 250-259
    THE WORLD OF IDEAS: HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVES
    3 credit hours
    See Details
    Students critically analyze the impact of history on contemporary society. Historical methods of inquiry inform students' perspectives on societal and institutional development. Most undergraduate students must take one course from this group. HUM 255 HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVES HUM 256 THE HISTORY OF WESTERN MEDICINE HUM 257 U.S. HISTORY: PAST, PRESENT, AND PROMISE: A SEARCH FOR THE TRUTH BY CHALLENGING THE PRESENT & DEMANDING A NEW FUTURE HUM 258 WORLD HISTORY TO 1800 HUM 259 HISTORY OF SCIENCE: THE CREATION OF A BIOMEDICAL WORLD

    MAT 120
    COLLEGE ALGEBRA
    3 credit hours
    See Details
    This course is designed for students who need to review basic college algebra skills. It covers topics including positive and negative real numbers, solving linear equations and their applications, integer exponents, operations with polynomials, factoring, rational expressions, graphing, and equations of lines.

    PSY 101/215
    PSYCHOLOGY COURSE
    3 credit hours
    See Details
    PSY 101     INTRODUCTION TO PSYCHOLOGY This course offers students an engaging introduction to the essential topics in the field of psychology. Throughout this scientific study of human behavior and the mind, students will survey and gain insight into the history of the field of psychology, as well as explore current theories and issues in areas such as wellness, emotion, cognition, motivation, perception, consciousness, social and personality, and memory. PSY 215     LIFESPAN DEVELOPMENT The Lifespan perspective involves several basic contentions: development is life-long, multidimensional, multi-directional, plastic, historically embedded, multi-disciplinary and contextual. Three imperative developmental issues are explored: maturation and experience, continuity and discontinuity and stability and change. Students study how humans develop and how they become who they are.

    SSC 235
    THE SOCIOLOGY OF CULTURE
    3 credit hours
    See Details
    This course explores the ways in which human beings make and remake the meaning of their social world through the production of culture. It employs sociological methods to explore the construction of the dominant, white subculture in the United States. The same methodologies are employed to examine the construction of subcultures in the United States, including those based on race, ethnicity, gender and sexual orientation.

    SSC 465
    CAPSTONE: THE EDUCATED CITIZEN
    3 credit hours
    See Details
    This course is based in the social sciences and is designed to assist students in the integration of their roles as healthcare professionals and educated citizens. The focus of the class is on deepening students’ understanding of and facility with social and political systems that impact the health and wellbeing of the community. Students demonstrate their preparation to act as educated citizens through the presentation of their portfolio within the context of this capstone course.

    SSC 325
    APPLIED ANALYSIS OF RESEARCH
    3 credit hours
    See Details
    Evidence-based practice is an important component of effective clinical management. This course allows students to develop skills in applied statistics and research while learning to critically examine healthcare information from a variety of sources, including but not limited to professional journals, governmental reports and public media.

    HUM 213
    PRINCIPLES AND PRACTICE OF ETHICS
    3 credit hours
    See Details
    This course introduces students to theories and practices of individual, communal and societal obligations. Moral inquiry in the course proceeds from a philosophical basis, with an emphasis on varied professional codes of ethics in healthcare disciplines. Students will explore codes of ethics and how they relate to traditional Western philosophies.

    Meet the Faculty

    Our respiratory therapy faculty are highly experienced and credentialed in their own fields, giving you constant real-world insight you can use. While any instructor can recite from a textbook, ours go a step further and draw from vast personal and professional experiences. Instructors here care as deeply about their students as they do the subject matter and it shows.
    Meet the Faculty
    expand all \ collapse all

    Academic Minors

    Program Goals, Outcomes and Assessment

    To provide graduates of entry into respiratory care professional practice degree programs with additional knowledge, skills, and attributes in leadership, management, education, research, or advanced clinical practice both to meet their current professional goals and to prepare them for practice as advanced degree respiratory therapists.

    Program Outcomes

    Graduates of the Respiratory Therapy program will:

    1. Develop model, evidence-based protocols and respiratory care plans for clinical practice to include disease management.

    2. Demonstrate the effectiveness of the respiratory therapist in health promotion and disease prevention.

    3. Comprehend the role of leadership and management as it relates to state healthcare policies that affect patient care, professional practice.

    4. Utilize oral and written interdisciplinary communication in coordinating care for patients.

    5. Apply educational theory practice to implement education programs for pulmonary disease patients.

     

    AARC STATEMENT of ETHICS and PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT

    In the conduct of professional activities, the Respiratory Therapist shall be bound by the following ethical and professional principles. Respiratory Therapists shall:   

    • Demonstrate behavior that reflects integrity, supports objectivity, and fosters trust in the profession and its professionals.
    • Seek educational opportunities to improve and maintain their professional competence and document their participation accurately.
    • Perform only those procedures or functions in which they are individually competent and which are within their scope of accepted and responsible practice.
    • Respect and protect the legal and personal rights of patients, including the right to privacy, informed consent and refusal of treatment.
    • Divulge no protected information regarding any patient or family unless disclosure is required for the responsible performance of duty authorized by the patient and/or family, or required by law.
    • Provide care without discrimination on any basis, with respect for the rights and dignity of all individuals.
    • Promote disease prevention and wellness.
    • Refuse to participate in illegal or unethical acts.
    • Refuse to conceal, and will report, the illegal, unethical, fraudulent, or incompetent acts of others.
    • Follow sound scientific procedures and ethical principles in research.
    • Comply with state or federal laws, which govern and relate to their practice.
    • Avoid any form of conduct that is fraudulent or creates a conflict of interest, and shall follow the principles of ethical business behavior.
    • Promote health care delivery through improvement of the access, efficacy, and cost of patient care.
    • Encourage and promote appropriate stewardship of resources. 

    Effective 12/94; Revised 04/15

    For a more detailed description of the expectations for ethical behavior, see AARC's Position Statements.

    Written Statement

    Please develop a thoughtful and organized response to the questions below. Your response should be approximately two paragraphs for each question. The admissions committee is looking for responses that are not only well supported but that also use appropriate style and grammar. Be sure to include your name and program on the document itself. You may attach the responses to an email sent to the Admissions office at admissions@methodistcollege.edu.

    When drafting your written statement, please cite any sources using APA format if applicable.  Also know that instances of plagiarism within an applicant's written statement will disqualify them for acceptance to Nebraska Methodist College due to the College's commitment to academic integrity and stringent plagiarism policies.

    If you send your responses through the mail, please type your responses and send them to:
    NMC Admissions
    Nebraska Methodist College - The Josie Harper Campus
    720 N. 87th Street
    Omaha, NE 68114

    1. An NMC graduate is an educated citizen who exhibits breadth of learning through the liberal arts and sciences traditions in concert with professional education. Our goal as an institution is that graduates of NMC will be able to articulate and demonstrate growth in the following areas: as reflective individuals, as effective communicators, and as change agents.

      Please first address what or who has influenced your decision to pursue a career in healthcare?

    2. Reflective Individual: A reflective individual consistently uses logic and critical thinking in all aspects of life. Select one of the following classes that you have taken: English Composition, Literature, History, Government, Psychology, or Sociology.

      Share what was most interesting to you in this class. How might you apply what you learned to the healthcare field? If you do not have recent classes to reflect upon, you may reflect on a personal experience that you had and how what you learned from the experience can be applied to healthcare.

    3. Effective Communicator: Effective communicators express their ideas through talking, non-verbal communication, writing, and sometimes speaking languages other than English.

      Describe the type of communication listed above you feel most comfortable using. Give a specific example of a time when you exhibited strong communication skills and what the result was of this communication. For example, did you resolve a problem, put someone at ease, or help someone understand a complicated situation?

    4. Change Agent: One of the goals of our undergraduate education is to assist students in becoming agents of change. We create positive change when we work effectively in groups and bring individuals together for a common purpose. These skills are challenging and require patience and practice.

      Describe an experience you have had as a member of a group. Select a particular situation when a problem arose in that group and write about how you responded to it. You may select an experience that went well or one that you wish you could "do over."

    5. Please address any grades of D's or F's listed on your transcripts.  Also, please address withdrawals or other discrepancies on your transcripts. If you do not have any D's, F's or W's please respond: Not Applicable.    

    Which degree is right for me?

    Nebraska Methodist College offers different degree programs in respiratory therapy to fit your current level of education and/or certification. We've illustrated the most common situations below as a guide. For information specific to your situation, please contact one of our admissions coordinators.

    Which-RT-Degree-is-Right-for-Me-Build-02