Bachelor of Science in Respiratory Therapy
ABOUT THE PROGRAM
The Missouri Western Respiratory Therapy (RT) Program offers a Bachelor of Science in Respiratory Therapy. RT focuses on prevention, diagnosis, treatment, management and rehabilitation of patients across the lifespan experiencing breathing and/or other cardiopulmonary issues. Respiratory Therapists work in hospitals, nursing homes, offices, sleep labs, rehabilitation facilities and even patients own homes. The program is governed by the Commission on Accreditation of Respiratory Care (CoARC). Visit the CoARC website to obtain more information about RT.
WHAT IS A RESPIRATORY THERAPIST?
A respiratory therapist is a specialized health care practitioner trained in critical care and cardio-pulmonary medicine in order to work therapeutically with people suffering from acute critical conditions such as cardiac and pulmonary disease. Respiratory therapists graduate from a college or university with a degree in respiratory therapy, have passed a national board certifying examination and are licensed in the state in which they work.
Respiratory Therapists work in hospital’s emergency rooms, intensive care units, and trauma rooms; transport patients in ambulances, helicopters, and jets; are teachers or managers and some work in medical sales, pulmonary function labs, sleep labs or in home health care.
Respiratory therapists are specialists and educators in many areas including cardiology, pulmonology, and sleep therapy. Respiratory therapists’ main duties are advanced airway management; life support device (mechanical ventilator) management, aerosolized medication delivery, lung expansion and airway clearance delivery along with monitoring and assessing patients.
The NBRC (National Board for Respiratory Care) is responsible for credentialing the seven areas of Respiratory Therapy in the United States. Those seven areas of Respiratory Therapy include, as of December 2017: CRT (Certified Respiratory Therapist), RRT (Registered Respiratory Therapist), CPFT and RPFT (Certified or Registered Pulmonary Function Technologist), ACCS (Adult Critical Care Specialist), NPS (Neonatal/Pediatric Specialist), and SDS (Sleep Disorder Specialist).
Accreditation
The MWSU, CoARC program number 200646, Bachelor’s degree awarded, located at 4525 Downs Drive, St. Joseph, Mo 64507 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.
CoARC
264 Precision Blvd.
Telford, TN 37690 USA
Telephone: (817) 283-2835
Fax to Plain Paper: (817) 354-8419
Fax to Email: (817) 510-1063
