Respiratory Therapy

 

APPLICATION INFORMATION

The Respiratory Therapy AAS application is open from February 1 to June 15. The Respiratory Therapy BAS application is open continuously.

Why PCC?

Do you like to help people? Do you want a job in a dynamic, growing health care profession? As a respiratory therapist (RT), you can provide care for patients who struggle to take their next breath. RTs never take a breath for granted. 

Respiratory therapy is:

  • A specialty profession helping patients with heart and lung conditions
  • A rewarding career with a competitive salary
  • A secure job opportunity
  • A respected profession
  • A way to make a difference in someone’s life

Our instructors have more than 50 years of combined clinical experience in all areas of respiratory therapy and hold a valid credential to teach in post-secondary education. We maintain a strong working relationship with surrounding hospitals and their respiratory therapy departments.

Our Associate of Applied Science Respiratory Therapy program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care (CoARC). 

Pueblo Community College offers a fully online Bachelor of Applied Science degree advancement for Registered Respiratory Therapist.

We provide an online learning experience which allows working professionals to complete their BAS degree.

Don't live in Pueblo? That’s OK – we make it easy!

You can attend lectures online and come to Pueblo just twice a month for labs. See your adviser for details. 

If you can’t breathe, nothing else matters.

What will I learn?

Respiratory Therapists apply scientific principles to prevent, identify and treat acute or chronic cardiopulmonary diseases. We will prepare you for a rewarding profession that will reach patients from acute care settings to rehabilitation programs such as asthma education

You’ll also learn:

  • Advanced pathophysiology of cardiopulmonary system
  • How to treat patients with breathing disorders and diseases
  • How to perform diagnostic procedures in the pulmonary function lab or bronchoscopy
  • Other subjects including pharmacology, chest-tube management, intubation, ICU and critical care clinical practice, arterial blood gas analysis, ECG interpretation, oxygen therapy, chest physiotherapy and ventilator management

RT program graduates may sit for the National Board of Respiratory Care (NBRC) credentialing exam that is required in the United States to work as a respiratory therapist.

You can also use your degree from PCC as a stepping stone to complete your bachelor's degree.

Bachelor of Applied Science Option

The profession has experienced an evolution in scope of practice, complexity of clinical skills and diversity of patient care. There is a growing need for critical thinking and non-technical skills, resulting in a demand for respiratory therapists who demonstrate skills in quality communication, deductive reasoning, management and education.

We offer you a comprehensive educational program to prepare you to be a leader in the field of respiratory therapy in leadership, education and advanced career opportunities.
For this program, you will need access to a computer with broadband internet that can stream video and audio. Your course may also require hardware such as a headset with microphone. Technical support is available for all courses.

Applicants must meet the following criteria:

  • Graduated from an accredited respiratory care program (Commission on Accreditation of Respiratory Care - CoARC)
  • Hold a current respiratory therapy license in any state
  • Hold a current credential from the National Board of Respiratory Care (NBRC) as a Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT)
  • Have a cumulative GPA of 2.5 for Respiratory Therapy degree and all other required pre-requisite courses must be completed at a “C” level or better
  • Meet PCC admissions criteria
  • Hospitals
  • Diagnostic laboratories
  • Cardiopulmonary rehabilitation programs
  • Home health
  • Medical transport (air and ground)
  • Physician offices
  • Long-term care facilities
  • Ventilator rehabilitation facilities
  • Higher education
  • Respiratory equipment sales and industry
  • Research and development
  • Pharmaceutical sales
  • Management and leadership roles
  • Emergency rooms
  • Operating rooms
 

Accreditation

The Pueblo Community College Respiratory Therapy Program #200169, Associates of Applied of Science, at Pueblo Campus is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care, 264 Precision Blvd. Telford, TN 37690 (www.coarc.com).


CoARC accredits respiratory therapy education programs in the United States. To achieve this end, it utilizes an ‘outcomes based’ process. Programmatic outcomes are performance indicators that reflect the extent to which the educational goals of the program are achieved and by which program effectiveness is documented.


Click here for the Outcomes data from the Annual Report of Current Status.

 

Marijuana Policy

THC (marijuana) is part of the required 10-panel drug screen prior to admittance into any Health Professions or Public Safety program at PCC. The passage of Amendment 64 in the State of Colorado, does not overrule Federal law, which states this is still an illegal substance. Students testing positive for THC (marijuana, including prescription marijuana) will not be allowed entrance or re-entrance into a Health or Public Safety program.

Professional Licensure Disclosure

The licensure requirements for Respiratory Therapy may differ between all 50 states 
and U.S. territories.  

Pueblo Community College (PCC) recommends each student visit Respiratory Therapist State Licensure  to identify the program requirements for each state in which you plan to live and practice.  

PCC can only guarantee that the requirements for the state of Colorado are met with our program.
Colorado Respiratory Therapy Licensure

PCC has not determined if the Respiratory Therapy meets applicable state requirements for the following states and territories: Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming, American Samoa, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Degree & Certificate Offerings in Respiratory Therapy:

Respiratory Therapy, AAS

Award/Program Credits
74

Respiratory Therapy, BAS

Award/Program Credits
120

Program Information

Location
Pueblo Campus
BAS, Online
Pathway
Health Professions
Awards
AAS, BAS
Program Start
Fall
Program Length
5 Semesters