Expanding the Respiratory Therapy Curriculum. Final Report.

This project was conducted to upgrade Seattle Central Community College's four-quarter respiratory care program to a two-year associate degree program in respiratory therapy. The program needed to include a developmental pathway for entry of nontraditional students and also a college-level prerequisite entry pathway for traditional students. In developing the core curriculum, the following major sources of information were used: (1) the Joint Review Committee for Respiratory Care Education (JRCRTE), which also accredits these programs; the National Board for Respiratory Care composite examination matrix for their entry-level and advanced practitioner credentialing examinations; and (3) interviews and discussion with the Respiratory Technician Advisory Board and other leaders in respiratory care. The result of this project is an associate-degree level respiratory care curriculum that addresses two concerns: first, accessibility and successful completion of the program to and by nontraditional students who lack sufficient academic background, and second, the local health industry's demand for qualified entry-level practitioners in respiratory care. The curriculum plan uses lecture/discussions, laboratory experiences, and clinical settings. Along with traditional audiovisual materials used in allied health education, the program incorporates computer-assisted instruction modules into both the lecture and laboratory portions of the curriculum. This curriculum will make health careers available to a much larger segment of the college's student population and enable them to compete more effectively in the job market. (Program descriptions and course outlines are included in this report.) (KC)