Respiratory Therapy, Career Associate of Science

The Career Associate of Science Degree in Respiratory Therapy at Albany State University is a two part curriculum. The first part consists of required prerequisite and general education courses, and the second part constitutes the actual professional curriculum. The professional curriculum is designed to prepare the graduate to function as an advanced level Respiratory Care Professional (RCP) in hospitals, non-acute care agencies, and in home care. After successful completion of all academic and clinical requirements, the graduate will be eligible to take the entry-level exam and upon successful completion of this examination the graduate may take the advanced level examination of the:

National Board for Respiratory Care (NBRC)
18000 W.105th St.
Olathe, KS
888-341-4811

Upon passing the NBRC entry-level exam and meeting all requirements for Georgia State licensure, the graduate may be licensed in the state of Georgia as a Respiratory Care Professional (RCP).

The Georgia Composite Medical Board
2 Peachtree St. NW
36th Floor
Atlanta, GA 30303
404-656-3913

has the right to refuse to grant a license to any individual who has been convicted of moral and/or legal violations specified in Georgia law. The  Albany State University Respiratory Care Program is accredited by the:

Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care (CoARC)
1248 Harwood Rd.
Bedford, TX 76021
817-283-2835.

In addition to the application forms submitted to the admissions office for admission to the college, students applying to the Respiratory Care Program for the first time or reapplying for any reason are required to submit a separate application for selection into the Respiratory Care Program. Applications are available in the Health Science Division Office or they may be downloaded from the ASU Website for students interested in enrolling in the Program.

To be considered for selection into the Respiratory Care Program, a completed program application must be received. The application deadline for the program is March 1^st. Applications received after the deadline will be considered only if the class has not been filled. The Respiratory Care Program has a limited enrollment; students are encouraged to apply as soon as possible.

Students are selected on the basis of

1. Grade point average in pre-requisite courses.

2. Overall grade point average and number of credits earned. Excessive withdrawals from pre-requisite courses may negatively impact a student’s application

3. Completed application packet materials.

4. An interview with program faculty.

An offer of acceptance is made to the applicants who achieve the highest rankings in the selection process. The selection process continues until the class is filled.

Associate Degree graduates of the  Albany State University Respiratory Care Program may be eligible to receive advanced placement in the Bachelor of Science programs in Respiratory Care offered by the four-year institutions of the University System of Georgia. Students desiring to complete a Bachelor of Science in Respiratory Care should make direct inquiry to the institution of choice.

Respiratory Care Program Requirements

1. Students will be required to submit a completed health form documenting satisfactory health status and evidence of health insurance at the beginning of the program.

2. The student is responsible for their own health in the event of illness, accident, or exposure to communicable disease in class, lab, or clinic.

3. Professional liability insurance is required prior to clinical rotations.

4. 1. Students must earn a “C” or better in all professional courses in order to progress to the next course in sequence. Any student failing to complete a professional course will not be allowed to continue in the program.

   2. The student may reapply for admission in the next class. Students seeking readmission will be evaluated by the Respiratory Care faculty to determine acceptability and placement in the program. Previously completed professional courses may be accepted or may need to be repeated at the sole discretion of the faculty.

   3. Students who fail to complete more than one Respiratory course (this may be two different courses or the same course twice) will be dismissed from the program and will not be re-accepted. Withdrawing from a respiratory course in lieu of failing will count as an attempt the same as a failure.

   4. Students who fail a clinical practicum must at a minimum repeat both the clinical and classroom courses covering that content.

5. Students are required to maintain a cumulative 2.0 GPA in order to graduate from the program and Albany State University.

6. The Respiratory Care Program reserves the right to discontinue, at any time, the enrollment of a Respiratory Care student if, in the judgment of the Vice President for Academic Affairs, the Dean of the Darton College of Health Professions and the Respiratory Care Faculty, the student does not appear to have the necessary qualifications or temperament for a career as a Respiratory Care Professional. Refer to the program handbook for more information.

7. The student must abide by the policies and procedures of the Respiratory Care program as defined in the program handbook.

8. The student must possess the essential physical and mental functional requirements for the profession in the categories of visual acuity, hearing, physical ability, speech, and manual dexterity. Refer to the Program Handbook for complete information.

9. Students will have two attempts to successfully demonstrate competency of any skill taught in any laboratory course or clinical practicum. This policy includes the American Heart Association ACLS course at the end of RESP 1138. Students unable to demonstrate competency after 2 attempts will fail the laboratory or clinical course, including ACLS, and will not be allowed to progress in the program. Students may re-apply according to the previously listed policies.

10. Respiratory students must demonstrate

    1. Sufficient critical thinking ability to be able to safely and effectively assess clinical situations and act appropriately.

    2. Sufficient interpersonal skills to interact successfully with co-workers, supervisors, patients and family members who may have different social, emotional, cultural and intellectual backgrounds.

    3. Sufficient communication abilities, both verbal and written, to be able to provide patient instruction and education, complete proper documentation and communicate with physicians and other health care workers professionally.

Additional Fees and Costs

1. Professional liability insurance is required prior to clinical assignment. Fees are assessed annually in the spring as part of the students Tuition and Fees.

2. Students are required to complete a series of Hepatitis B vaccinations. A series of at least 3 shots are required. Costs will vary depending on the student’s choice of provider. Students must have completed at least the first 2 shots of the series prior to clinical assignment. See the program handbook for more information.

3. Students are required to have approved uniforms, shoes, lab coat, stethoscope, and a watch capable of reading seconds.

4. Students will complete American Heart Association BLS, ACLS and PALS courses as they progress through the program. Fees for these courses are assessed as required. See the program handbook for more information.

5. Student membership in the American association for Respiratory Care is mandatory. Student membership fees are $50.00

6. Students will be required to undergo a criminal background check before clinical assignment. ASU uses a company called PreCheck for this purpose. Fees for this background check are assessed during the first semester of the professional curriculum.

7. Students will be required to complete a drug screen prior to clinical assignment. Students will be required to pay for and complete this drug screen before attending any clinical rotations.

8. Students must be prepared to travel to out of town clinical assignments. These are not optional and the student is responsible for the costs of travel to these out of town facilities. See the program handbook for more information.

Admission Requirements

1. Admission to Albany State University

2. Completion of all Learning Support requirements

3. Completion of the required courses prior to the program and general education courses with a cumulative GPA of 2.5 or higher. In addition students must earn a grade of “C” or better in the following courses:

   Course List

   Code	Title	Semester Hours
   ALHE 1120	Medical Terminology	2
   BIOL 1100K	Human Anatomy and Physiology for the Health Care Professional	4-8
   or BIOL 2411K & BIOL 2412K	Human Anatomy and Physiology I and Human Anatomy and Physiology II
   CHEM 1151K	Survey of Chemistry I	4
   PHSC 1011K	Physical Science I	4
   BIOL 2211K	Introduction to Microbiology	4

Science courses taken more than five years prior to enrollment in the program will be evaluated by the Respiratory Care Program Faculty and may need to be repeated.

¹

Students may take MATH 1001 or any higher level math course in place of MATH 1111

²

Humanities requirement may be met by taking any literature or appreciation course in the Humanities Area of the Core IMPACTS.