There are a lot of respiratory therapist programs to choose from and whilst they all offer excellent training facilities and tutoring styles, inevitably there are differences. This article will guide you on the basics of respiratory therapist programs and their unique features.
Training in respiratory care
Being passionate about the area of respiratory care is a factor that will define the career path for you. Not everyone is suited to this career option but it is a very rewarding career path to take. The respiratory therapist program will take around 42 months to complete and it can be started after high school has finished and the relevant qualifications have been achieved. It can be completed sooner if you are transferring to the course as a graduate and have some qualifications in the relevant field already. That will depend on whether you have additional qualifications that can be transferred into the course. If you have already started a nursing course and covered some of the modules then this will be taken into account. You will be required to sit an entrance examination for all respiratory therapist courses wherever they are held and you will need to obtain a certain grade before a place can be considered.
The respiratory therapist course will cover Anatomy and Physiology as you might expect. It also covers patient assessment to a high level, as this will be one of the key areas of responsibility of a respiratory therapist. It is important to obtain the correct information from a patient about their condition in order to make an accurate diagnosis that can be adequately treated. Psychology is included in the respiratory therapist program as this is an important element in a person’s illness and is the key to their recovery or motivation for maintaining a treatment plan. Social interaction and good communication skills are required as this area deals with a range of people from different backgrounds and ethnicities. Being able to convey important information to different groups of people is an essential skill. There is little point being a brilliant diagnostician of the patient cannot understand you.
Clearly, all the usual nursing practices will be covered on the course including infection control and understanding of procedures and use of pulmonary ventilation machinery. Cardiopulmonary diagnostic techniques and skills are essential to the role and there is in-depth training in this area, including resuscitation skills, which need to be of an advanced level when dealing with breathing conditions. The course includes practical assessment as well as exams and placement in a suitable environment will be necessary. Placement may be arranged by your course tutor or you may need to make your own arrangements. Each training program will have their own structure and will advise you when necessary of the steps you need to take.
Respiratory therapist programs also screen all students for drug use and criminal background. Tests for certain diseases or conditions are also undertaken. Condition screening includes TB, Rubella, Hepatitis B and tetanus amongst other things. These are standard practices and important for the reassurance of patients. Working with people with breathing difficulties is a vulnerable area of nursing and airborne diseases or condition like TB can seriously damage or make the condition worse. As you will be placed within a medical environment where you will interact with these patients, you can clearly see why it is absolutely essential to ensure you have no contagious conditions that can be transferred to a patient.
After completion of the respiratory therapist program
Once the program has been completed and passed then you will have to register with the National Board for Respiratory Care for certification to start practising. There will be an additional exam to pass before certification is given.
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