Course Descriptions

Resp 101 (F) 3 hrs. cr.
Respiratory Therapy Foundations
Entry level information is presented regarding respiratory therapy history from its conception to its current goals and standing. Topics covered include medical terminology, hospital and respiratory therapy department structure and management, psychosocial aspects of patient care, and medical ethics. A clinical session, allows the student an orientation rotation at the program's clinical sites. Prerequisite: Admission to the respiratory therapy program and completion of a College Level Math course.

Resp 102 (F) 3 hrs. cr.
Cardiopulmonary Sciences
Focuses on the sciences used in the practice of respiratory therapy. Emphasis will be placed upon physics, chemistry, and microbiology as related to the cardiopulmonary sciences. Prerequisite: Admission to the respiratory therapy program.

Resp 105 (S) 3 hrs. cr.
Cardiopulmonary Anatomy and Physiology
An in-depth presentation of the cardiopulmonary system, its abnormalities, and corrective techniques as related to respiratory therapy. Included are the concepts of the cardiovascular system, ventilation, diffusion of pulmonary gases, hemodynamic measurements, ventilation perfusion relationships, oxygen and carbon dioxide transport, acid base balance, and arterial blood gas analysis. Prerequisite: Admission to the respiratory therapy program, college level math course and completion of Bio 121.

Resp 107 (F) 3 hrs. cr.
Respiratory Therapy Procedures
Theory and practice of basic respiratory therapy procedures as outlined in the National Board for Respiratory Care (NBRC) entry level examination content outline. Including cardiopulmonary assessment, medical gas administration, oxygen therapy, infection control, equipment maintenance, chest physiotherapy, chest expansion therapy, airway management, bedside pulmonary function testing, arterial puncture, and administering medicated aerosol therapy. Prerequ-isites: Admission to the respiratory therapy program and concurrent enrollment or completion of the Respiratory Therapy Procedures Laboratory course.

Resp 108 (F) 3 hrs. cr.
Respiratory Therapy Procedures Laboratory
Students practice entry level respiratory care procedures, using state-of-the-art equipment, in the clinical laboratory under simulated patient situations. The student will address the three difficulty levels of learning, in the laboratory environment (Recall, Application, and Analysis). Prerequisites: Admission to the respiratory therapy program and concurrent enrollment or completion of Resp 107.

Resp 120 (S) 3 hrs. cr.
Cardiopulmonary Pathology
Study of concepts and theory of selected cardiopulmonary diseases, to include: definition, clinical manifestations, etiology, pathologic, radiological and laboratory findings; prevention, prognosis, and treatment. Prerequisite: Admission to the respiratory therapy program and completion of Bio 121.

Resp 125 (S) 3 hrs. cr.
Clinical Respiratory Therapy Experience I
Clinical instruction supplemented by clinical conferences that allow the student to apply the classroom and laboratory respiratory therapy competencies mastered in specific respiratory therapy courses. Prerequisites: Resp 107 & Resp 108.

Resp 129 (S) 3 hrs. cr.
Cardiopulmonary Pharmacology
Comprehensive overview of the general principles of pharmacology. Focuses on the drugs and drug groups that are either administered by respiratory therapy personnel, or those that play a role in the care of cardiopulmonary patients. Prerequisite: Bio 121 and admission to the respiratory therapy program.

Resp 222 (F) 4 hrs. cr.
Introduction to Mechanical Ventilation
(Life Support Technology)
Emphasis on the technical components of mechanical ventilators, their classification, principles of operation, attachments, and the flow/pressure/volume curves generated by various ventilators, compliance, and resistance. An introduction to the management of patients receiving mechanical ventilation will be presented. Prerequisite: Admission to the respiratory therapy program.

Resp 226 (F) 3 hrs. cr.
Cardiopulmonary Diagnostics
Theory, application, and equipment for diagnosing respiratory pathologies through the diagnostic concepts used in respiratory therapy. Include techniques utilized for measurement of lung gas volumes, capacities, flows, and cardiopulmonary status during exercise testing. Prerequisite: Admission to the respiratory therapy program.

Resp 239 (F) 5 hrs. cr.
Clinical and Laboratory Experience II
Clinical instruction supplemented by clinical conferences that allow the student to apply the knowledge and respiratory care skills mastered in the Respiratory Care courses: Cardiopulmonary Diagnostics, Introduction to Mechanical Ventilation, and Neonatal and Pediatric Respiratory care in the laboratory and clinical setting. The course will emphasize ventilator care, diagnostic procedures, and alternate site care (home care). Prerequisite: Resp 125.

Resp 307 (F, S) 6 hrs. cr.
Cardiopulmonary Assessment
A systematic approach to advanced cardiopulmonary patient assessment. Emphasis is on evaluation of the respiratory care plan based upon laboratory data, electrocardiogram interpretation, fluid and electrolyte balance, acid base balance and oxygen transport, pulmonary function testing, exercise testing, interpretation of chest x-rays, bronchoscopy, and hemodynamic monitoring. Prerequisite: Admission to the respiratory therapy program. Graduates of an advanced-level respiratory therapy program may use this course as a review for their national board examinations. Course will consist of four lecture hours and four lab/clinical hours each week.

Resp 311 (F) 3 hrs. cr.
Neonatal and Pediatric Respiratory Care
Respiratory care of the neonatal and pediatric population beginning with fetal development and continuing through assessments of infants including, gestational age, APGAR scoring, and Silverman scoring. Various heart/lung deficiencies will also be discussed as well as treatment modalities. Prerequisite: Admission to the respiratory therapy program.

Resp 312 (F, S) 3 hrs. cr.
Advanced Mechanical Ventilation
(Advanced Life Support)
A continuation of the Introduction to Mechanical Ventilation (Life Support Technology) course. In-depth study of ventilator management in critical care, long-term care, and the home environment utilizing case studies, and clinical problem based learning sessions. In addition the course addresses ACLS (Advanced Cardiac Life Support). Prerequisite: Resp 222 and admission to advanced-level respiratory therapy program.

Resp 313 (F, S) 3 hrs. cr.
Alternate Site Respiratory Care (Writing Intensive)
Theoretical aspects of providing respiratory therapy at alternate sites. Includes components of home respiratory therapy, extended care units, long term care facilities, ventilator rehabilitation centers, physician offices, land/air transport, outpatient diagnostic clinics. Introduces the fundamentals of teaching and learning theories. Prerequisite: Admission to the advanced level respiratory therapy program.

Resp 340 (F, S, Summer) 5 hrs. cr.
Advanced-Level Respiratory Therapy
Clinical Experience
Progressive process of developing cognitive levels at the recall, application, and analysis levels as a respiratory care practitioner. Correlates directly with the Advanced Mechanical Ventilation (Advanced Life Support ) course, Cardiopulmonary Assessment, Neonate/Pediatric, and the Alternate Site (Management/Pulmonary Rehabilitation/Home Care) courses, to provide the student a clinical environment to demonstrate these learned advanced-level respiratory care competencies. Prerequisite: Admission to the advanced-level respiratory therapy program and concurrent enrollment or completion of the advanced-level theory coursework.

Resp 341 (F, S, Summer) 1 hr. cr.
Research Issues, Methods,
and Problems in Respiratory Care
Directed research and discussion in selected areas of respiratory care for advanced-level respiratory therapist. Course work includes independent literature search under the supervision of a respiratory care instructor that utilizes the student's program acquired respiratory care critical thinking, writing, and oral presentation skills. Research scope, depth, and area of concentration to be approved by the program director. Prerequisite: Students must be in their final semester of the advanced-level program to enroll in this course.