Bachelor of Science in Respiratory Care in Respiratory Care with Advanced Placement Option to Master of Respiratory Care

Program Director

Dr. Kelly L. Colwell 
(330) 941-2631
klcolwell@ysu.edu

Accreditation

The Bachelor of Science in Respiratory Care (CoARC #200247) at Youngstown State University, Youngstown, Ohio is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care (www.coarc.com).

Current accreditation standing: CoARC reaffirms Continuing Accreditation for a 10-year cycle through July 31, 2031. All Standards are in compliance.

Date of last campus visit: May 21, 2021

Date of next campus visit: 2031

Pass rates: RRT  98%

Respiratory care is an allied health profession concerned with the diagnostic evaluation, treatment, management, rehabilitation, education and discharge planning of patients with cardiopulmonary disorders, and is the only healthcare professional trained and licensed to operate and manage ventilators and life support systems. 

The licensed respiratory care practitioner (RCP) is proficient in:

• Air land and sea transport of critically ill patients
• Airway insertion, placement, and management procedures
• Analyzing breath, tissue, and blood specimens to determine levels of oxygen and other gases.
• Basic and advanced cardiac life support techniques
• Broncho-pulmonary hygiene
• Discharge Planning
• Educating patients and families about lung disease to maximize their quality of life.
• Therapeutic administration of medical gases and aerosolized medications
• Intermittent and continuous mechanical ventilation management
• Non-invasive patient monitoring
• Perform Pulmonary function diagnostic testing and evaluation.
• Physician consultation to recommend adjustments to pulmonary treatments.
• Pulmonary rehabilitation

A licensed RCP must also be knowledgeable regarding various assessment techniques and patient education models. These skills are used with neonatal, pediatric, and adult patients in acute, sub-acute, and home care settings. To function effectively as a member of the multidisciplinary health care team, the RCP must have a sound understanding of:

• The physiological, psychological, and cultural needs of the patient
• The role of the various therapeutic interventions in the patient care plan
• Development of broad-based skills to contribute to the overall care of the patient more effectively.

Theory and laboratory experiences are provided prior to the student's entry into the clinical education phase of the program. This program can be completed in four calendar years. It includes three summer sessions. A master of respiratory care advanced placement option is also available and a sleep diagnostics option as well Please visit Respiratory Care for more information.

Advanced Master of Respiratory Care placement option.

The advanced placement option allows the undergraduate BSRC student to take up to 9 semester hours of graduate credit that can be applied to the Master of Respiratory Care program. Upon completion of the BSRC, the student will apply to and be accepted into the Graduate School and the Master of Respiratory Care Program in order to apply the graduate credits earned during the BSRC program. To be accepted into the BSRC Advanced Placement option, the student must meet the following criteria:

1. Junior standing with an overall GPA of a minimum of 3.2; or,
2. Junior standing in BSRC Completion Program and have completed 15 semester hours of required core upper division courses and have an overall minimum GPA of 3.2

Once accepted into the BSRC Advanced Placement Option, the student must maintain a GPA of 3.0 to continue to take graduate level courses. 

The goals of the Bachelor of Science in Respiratory Care are:

•   To prepare graduates with demonstrated competence in the cognitive (knowledge), psychomotor (skills), and affective (behavior) learning domains of respiratory care practice as performed by registered respiratory therapists (RRTs). 
• To prepare leaders for the field of respiratory care by including curricular content that includes objectives related to acquisition of skills one or more of the following:  management, education, research, and advanced clinical practice (which may include an area of clinical specialization). 

Bachelor of Science Respiratory Care (BSRC) Curriculum

Learning Outcomes

The student learning outcomes for the major in Respiratory Care are as follows:

• Upon completion of the program, graduates will demonstrate the ability to comprehend, apply, and evaluate clinical information relevant to their roles as advanced-level respiratory therapists (cognitive domain).
• Upon completion of the program, graduates will demonstrate technical proficiency in all the skills necessary to fulfill their role as advanced level respiratory therapists (psychomotor domain).
• Upon completion of the program, graduates will demonstrate professional behavior consistent with employer expectations as advanced-level respiratory therapists (affective domain).

The student learning outcomes for the Sleep Diagnostic Option in Respiratory Care are as follows:

• Upon completion of the program, graduates will demonstrate the ability to comprehend, apply, and evaluate clinical information relevant to their roles as sleep disorder specialists (cognitive domain).
• Upon completion of the program, graduates will demonstrate technical proficiency in all the skills necessary to fulfill their role as sleep disorder specialists (psychomotor domain).
• Upon completion of the program, graduates will demonstrate professional behavior consistent with employer expectations as sleep disorder specialists (affective domain).