Respiratory Therapy Programs

Respiratory Therapy Degree

"Job opportunities will be very good, especially for therapists with cardiopulmonary care skills or experience working with infants. Respiratory therapists with bachelor's or master's degrees also may advance to supervisory or managerial positions in a respiratory therapy department."
-U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos084.htm

Ready for a healthcare career but not sure which program fits you? Consider this: Respiratory therapy will be one of the fastest-growing occupations through 2014, according to the Occupational Outlook Handbook published by the U.S. government.

California College San Diego's BSRT program prepares you to meet clinical and management challenges in this fast-growing field. You’ll learn the principles needed to successfully manage a respiratory therapy department, and have the diverse knowledge required to rise to the top of your profession. You must be a graduate of an Associate's level respiratory therapy program.

The curriculum emphasizes the professional skills and knowledge that are essential for respiratory practitioners in a management role including, but not limited to, the following:

• Cardiac & Renal Anatomy & Physiology
• Cardiopulmonary Pharmacology
• Pulmonary Anatomy & Physiology
• Microbiology & Decontamination
• Airway Management
• Medical Gas Therapy
• Lung Hyperinflation Therapy
• Arterial Blood Gases
• Advanced Cardiopulmonary Physiology
• Pulmonary Function Testing
• Introduction to Polysomnography
• Respiratory Care Protocols

Pulmonary Rehabilitation

• Mechanical Ventilation Management
• Perinatal and Pediatric Care
• Advanced Cardiac Life Support
• Aerosol and Humidity-Pulmonary Hygiene
• The Healthcare System
• Management Principles
• Management Planning Principles
• Psychology of Motivation
• Business Law
• Organization Design and Change

As a graduate of the program, you’ll be prepared to:

• Integrate leadership and management skills to deliver high-quality patient care via respiratory therapy teams.
• Demonstrate responsibility and accountability for design, delivery, and evaluation of patient care and therapeutics.
• Incorporate therapist protocols and techniques to find, critically appraise, and use the best practice to provide high-quality and cost-effective patient care.

Our programs prepare students for possible certifications* in
National Board for Respiratory Care (NBRC) Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT) eligibility. State licensure, including Respiratory Care Practitioner (RCP) Specialty examinations; including Neonatal/Pediatric Specialist (contact your Admissions Consultant for details).

California College San Diego's (CCSD) Associate of Science in Respiratory Therapy program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care (CoARC). The program has been placed on Probationary Accreditation as of May 16, 2008.

Commission on Accreditation
for Respiratory Care
1248 Harwood Road
Bedford, Texas 76021-4244
(817) 283-2835

The Bachelor of Science in Respiratory Therapy program is approved by the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges (ACCSC). Students must complete the AS in Respiratory Therapy program at CCSD or must have completed an equivalent program elsewhere (that program must be CoARC approved) in order to attempt the National Board of Respiratory Care Certified Respiratory Therapy (CRT) exam. The curriculum for the CCSD AS RT program is embedded in the BS RT program.

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* Certifications may require additional study and cost, and additional software may be needed.