Western Technical College
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Respiratory Therapy

  • Associate Degree
Respiratory Therapy image

Program Number: 

105151

Program Credits: 

64.00

Estimated Total Cost: 

$10,400.00

Typical Start: 

Fall
Financial Aid Eligible

Illness, injury, premature birth, and chronic respiratory conditions can rob people of their ability to breathe. A respiratory therapist is the person on the healthcare team who is involved with evaluating, diagnosing, and treating breathing disorders. You’ll work closely with a physician to develop treatment plans to improve respiratory function, and will be responsible for monitoring the effectiveness of the treatment. Treatment could include delivery of inhaled medications, use of therapeutic or life support equipment, or a combination of therapies. Your role will also include patient and family education. Instruction takes place in a traditional classroom format, alternating with a total of five clinical rotations in a hospital setting. General education courses are taught in traditional, online, and blended formats. After graduation, students are required to pass an exam issued by the National Board for Respiratory Care in order to earn the designation of Certified Respiratory Therapist (CRT). After earning the CRT credential, graduates are eligible to apply for a license to practice respiratory care anywhere in the United States. They are also eligible to take the Clinical Simulation Examination to be designated a Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT).

To view the Respiratory Therapy program’s required disclosure on professional licensure, please click here [1].

Career Opportunities

Respiratory Therapist
Respiratory Care Practitioner
Polysomnographic Technician

Program Outcomes

  • Living responsibly
  • Refining professionalism
  • Cultivating passion
  • Apply respiratory therapy concepts to patient care situations
  • Demonstrate technical proficiency required to fulfill the role of a Respiratory Therapist
  • Practice respiratory therapy according to established professional and ethical standards

Admission Requirements:

College Requirements

Application: 

Yes

Application Fee: 

$30 Application Fee

Transcript: 

High School or GED/HSED Transcript

Program Specific Requirements

Additional Requirements:

To enroll in the Respiratory Therapy program, first apply for admission to the College, then read the program’s Essential Functions and complete a background check. You can find links to these documents below. In addition, you must complete General Anatomy and Physiology and its prerequisites with a grade of “C” or better.  Please see the details below.

  • Respiratory Therapy Essential Functions [2]
  • Respiratory Therapy Background Check form [3]
  • General Anatomy and Physiology Prerequisites
  • One year of High School or one term of Developmental or College Biology
  • One year of High School or one term of Developmental or College Chemistry
  • General Anatomy and Physiology (10806177)
  • Contact the Welcome Center to make an appointment to complete your Intent to Enroll Form. Prospective or returning students should meet with an Admissions Coach [4]. Current students should meet with a Health and Public Safety College Advisor [5].

COVID-19 Vaccination Status 

COVID-19 vaccination is not required to attend classes at Western Technical College, however your clinical site now requires proof of completion of COVID-19 vaccination to attend their sites. To prevent any interruption in your clinical/practicum/field classes, we are now requiring you to provide us with your COVID-19 vaccination proof to enter this program.

Provide Proof of COVID-19 Vaccination [6]

Software and Technology

Most of Western’s classes require the use of a personal computer or laptop, standard software, internet access, and other technology-related items.

If you do not have a personal computer or laptop, or if the one you have does not meet the following criteria, resources may be available. Submit a Student Resource Request using our online form [7].

Computer/Laptop Hardware

  • Smartphones are not recommended for completing assignments.
  • Chromebooks are not recommended due to issues with installing software that is needed for classes, such as Office 365.
  • Web camera with microphone (usually built into newer laptops or can be purchased separately) is necessary for online participation.

Software Needs

  • Western uses the Blackboard Learning Management System. Some courses may use Zoom or Microsoft Teams to meet and work virtually. Visit our website for guidance on how to access and use these tools [8].
  • Office 365 (available to download for free once you have a student email)
  • Recommended web browsers: Chrome or Firefox

For detailed specifications, please review Technology and Software Recommendations for Most Classes [9] on Western’s IT Knowledgebase.

Campus Resources

  • Western has several computer labs available. Visit our website to find open hours and locations on the La Crosse campus [10]. Or find information on how to access resources on our Regional Locations web page [11].
  • The Learning Commons has computers, webcams, and microphones available for in-house use. Our librarians recommend checking your local public library for computer access on the weekends. Staff members can also provide information on free, off-campus Wi-Fi spots. Contact them at LearningCommons@westerntc.edu [12] or call 608-785-9198.

Need Assistance?

  • Contact the Learning Commons [13]! The staff are happy to answer questions, provide individualized assistance, and direct you to other supports as needed.

Accreditation

After graduation, the student is qualified to take the Respiratory Therapist Multiple Choice Examination issued by the National Board for Respiratory Care (NBRC). Successful completion of this exam earns the graduate the entry level designation of Certified Respiratory Therapist (CRT) which is required for licensure in all  states except Alaska and Hawaii.  After earning the CRT credential students can go on to take the Clinical Simulation Examination which will earn them the title of Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT).

The Respiratory Therapy program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care (www.coarc.com) [14], 264 Precision Blvd, Telford, TN 37690, phone 817-283-2835.

Success rates for both exams, as well as data on job placement are reported annually by the Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care (CoARC).

COARC [15]

Program Number: 200365

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. To compare Western Technical College to other colleges in the country, follow this link to the CoARC website: https://coarc.com/students/programmatic-outcomes-data/ [16].

Additional Information

Our Health and Public Safety programs are required to report additional information to prospective students, including certification exams, licensure, program completion rates, etc. You can find this information in the document below:

  • Supplemental Information [17]

Program Contact

Franz Schuttenhelm
Program Chair, Respiratory Therapy
608-789-6049
SchuttenhelmF@westerntc.edu [18]

Courses

The following list is not the official course list for this program. It is intended to give students an idea of what coursework will be required.

Current students should use the MyWestern [19] self-service portal when registering for class.

First Term

Gen Anatomy & Physiology
Course Number: 10806177
Credits: 4.00
Introduction to Diversity Studies
Course Number: 10809172
Credits: 3.00
Respiratory Survey
Course Number: 10515111
Credits: 3.00

Second Term

Developmental Psychology
Course Number: 10809188
Credits: 3.00
English Composition 1
Course Number: 10801136
Credits: 3.00
Microbiology
Course Number: 10806197
Credits: 4.00
Respiratory/Cardiac Physiology
Course Number: 10515174
Credits: 3.00
Speech
Course Number: 10801198
Credits: 3.00

Third Term

Respiratory Clinical 1
Course Number: 10515175
Credits: 2.00
Respiratory Disease
Course Number: 10515176
Credits: 3.00
Respiratory Pharmacology
Course Number: 10515173
Credits: 3.00

Fourth Term

Respiratory Airway Management
Course Number: 10515112
Credits: 2.00
Respiratory Clinical 2
Course Number: 10515178
Credits: 3.00
Respiratory Clinical 3
Course Number: 10515179
Credits: 3.00
Respiratory Therapeutics 1
Course Number: 10515171
Credits: 3.00
Respiratory Therapeutics 2
Course Number: 10515172
Credits: 3.00

Fifth Term

Respiratory Clinical 4
Course Number: 10515182
Credits: 3.00
Respiratory Clinical 5
Course Number: 10515183
Credits: 3.00
Respiratory Life Support
Course Number: 10515113
Credits: 3.00
Respiratory Neo/Peds Care
Course Number: 10515180
Credits: 2.00
Respiratory/Cardio Diagnostics
Course Number: 10515181
Credits: 3.00

Western Technical College
400 7th Street North
La Crosse, Wisconsin
54601

608-785-9200
800-322-9982


Links
[1] https://www.westerntc.edu/sites/default/files/programs/documents/Professional_Liscensure_Disclosure.pdf
[2] https://www.westerntc.edu/sites/default/files/programs/documents/RESP-EssentialFunctions.pdf
[3] https://www.westerntc.edu/sites/default/files/programs/documents/Viewpoint_Background_Check_Instructions.pdf
[4] https://www.westerntc.edu/admissions-coaches
[5] https://www.westerntc.edu/college-advisors
[6] https://www.westerntc.edu/sites/default/files/programs/documents/ViewPoint_Immunizations_Instructions.pdf
[7] https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=DniDXv9HckGZ5BpZ1xtAINzEPDqm29RGnADqdoibRwxUM0ZIV0tLRE1OS0NaOTY5U01aOFNVNDdVUS4u
[8] https://westerntc.libguides.com/blackboardforstudents/
[9] https://kb.westerntc.edu/112380
[10] https://www.westerntc.edu/computer-labs
[11] https://www.westerntc.edu/regional-locations
[12] mailto:LearningCommons@westerntc.edu
[13] https://www.westerntc.edu/learning-commons
[14] http://www.coarc.com
[15] http://www.coarc.com/
[16] https://coarc.com/students/programmatic-outcomes-data/
[17] https://www.westerntc.edu/sites/default/files/programs/documents/RT_Supplemental_Information.pdf
[18] mailto:SchuttenhelmF@westerntc.edu
[19] https://mywestern.westerntc.edu/