The Respiratory Care program prepares students for general careers within the field and qualifies them to take the National Board for Respiratory Cares' entry level exams (CRT and RRT).

Respiratory Therapists care for patients who have trouble breathing—for example, from a chronic respiratory disease, such as asthma or emphysema. Their patients range from premature infants with undeveloped lungs to elderly patients who have diseased lungs. They also provide emergency care to patients suffering from heart attacks, drowning, or shock.

Essential Information for Prospective and Current Students

Acquired Skills

This is a list of skills that are taught as part of the respiratory care program curriculum. Prior to graduation, students must demonstrate proficiency in all the skills.
Acquired Skills (PDF)

Technical Standards

The following technical standards are essential in order to meet the objectives of the Respiratory Care Program at Frederick Community College. With reasonable accommodations, the student must possess:

1. Fine motor skills sufficient to perform skills such as picking up, grasping, manipulating small objects with hands, and writing with a pen or pencil.
2. Physical mobility and strength sufficient to move about on a unit and participate in client care.
3. Physical stamina sufficient to perform client care for entire length of clinical experience (6-8 hours).
4. Auditory ability sufficient for assessment of client health and safety.
5. Visual acuity sufficient to distinguish color and see objects up to 20 inches away.
6. Reading ability sufficient to understand the written word at a minimum of a tenth grade level.
7. Arithmetic competence that would allow the student to read and understand columns and/or writing, tell time, use measuring tools, and add, subtract, multiply and divide.
8. Emotional stability sufficient to assume responsibility/accountability for actions, provide client with emotional support, adapt to environmental stress, and monitor own emotions.
9. Analytical thinking sufficient to transfer knowledge from one situation to another, problem solve, prioritize tasks, and use long-term and short-term memory.
10. Critical thinking ability sufficient to exercise sound judgment through the sequencing of information and the identification of cause and effect relationships.
11. Interpersonal skills sufficient to establish rapport with clients and co-workers and respect the rights of others and the differences in clients.
12. Communication skills sufficient to teach others, explain procedures, interact with others, and convey information in writing.

Adapted from: Yocum, C.J (1996). Validation study: Functional abilities for nursing practice. Published by the National Council of State Boards of Nursing.

Health Requirements

Required Vaccines and/or Tests

Other Requirements

Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation:

All students must submit a card proving current CPR certification with American Heart Association. Basic Life Support (this is the only card accepted!). Certification must be maintained and current throughout the academic program.

Background Checks, Drug Testing and Medical Records:

All in-coming students are required to submit to a criminal background check and drug testing in order to attend clinical. Students are responsible for submitting all fees and online paperwork required by the Castle Branch company. Clinical sites may deny a student clinical placement based on the results obtained. Without clinical placement, it is not possible to complete the curriculum requirements. Students must submit results of completed criminal history background checks, drug screening, and medical records three weeks before the first day of the clinical semester. Failure to do so will result in forfeiture of clinical placement. Additionally, students must comply with all clinical site specific requirements as outlined in clinical agreements/memorandum of understanding.