GE 112 — Algebra— 45 Clock Hours / 3 Semester Credits
Prerequisites: None
This course is designed to give students the math skills that provide a foundation for more advanced courses. Students will explore writing and solving linear and nonlinear equations, powers and exponents, quadratic equations, polynomials and factoring, graphing and solving linear inequalities, and functions. This is a General Education Course.
GE 201 – Introduction to Sociology – 45 Clock Hours / 3 Semester Credits
Prerequisites: None
This course studies basic methods and concepts of sociology, which have broad academic relevance and can be applied to studying sociology and other academic disciplines. This is a General Education Course.
GE 230 — Written & Oral Communication — 45 Clock Hours / 3 Semester Credits
Prerequisites: None
In this course, students will explore the fundamental analog and digital skills of oral and written communication to help create professional written and oral communication within their careers. This is an introduction to various methods used to communicate effectively and create language that articulates information in a way that connects a speaker to an audience. This online general education course is taught at Gurnick Academy of Medical Arts.
RC 100 – Respiratory Care Fundamentals I – 15 Clock Hours / 1 Semester Credit
Prerequisites: None
This course will provide an introduction to the field of Respiratory Care and its governing bodies. Students will explore topics such as the history of respiratory care, the importance of evidence-based practice, quality, patient safety, communication, record keeping, infection prevention and control, ethical and legal implications of practice, principles of Respiratory Care, and Basic Life Support.
RC 120 – Medical Terminology with an Emphasis in Respiratory Care – 30 Clock Hours / 2 Semester Credits
Prerequisites: None
This course will lay the foundation of the language used in the healthcare setting. Students will examine the elements of medical terms and how they apply to anatomy, physiology, procedures, and diagnoses. There will be a concentrated focus on the terminology that is utilized in the field of Respiratory Therapy.
RC 200 – Respiratory Care Fundamentals II – 75 Clock Hours / 4 Semester Credits
Prerequisites: Completing courses in preceding modules with a “C” or better.
The hybrid course will provide students with a foundation in the many respiratory treatment modalities within the hospital setting. In the classroom, students will explore airway pharmacology, aerosol drug therapy, bland aerosol therapy, airway clearance therapy, lung expansion therapy, medical gasses and associated therapies, airway management, and emergency response. In the lab setting, students will apply skills learned using high-fidelity simulation.
RC 220 – Anatomy and Physiology with an Emphasis on the Cardiopulmonary System – 60 Clock Hours / 4 Semester Credits
Prerequisites: Completion of courses in preceding modules with a “C” or better.
This course details the structure and function of the human body from a systemic approach. There is an in-depth focus on the cardiopulmonary system, cardiopulmonary physiology, and how it contributes to the acid/base balance of the body.
RC 240 – Pharmacology – 45 Clock Hours / 3 Semester Credits
Prerequisites: Completion of courses in preceding modules with a “C” or better.
The course will provide a history of pharmacology and will focus on medications used in the respiratory care setting and general nursing. Students will be familiarized with the classification of medications, their actions and application, principles and procedures for safe administration, possible side effects and interactions, and computation of adult and pediatric dosing.
RC 260 – Patient Assessment and Application – 60 Clock Hours / 3 Semester Credits
Prerequisites: Completion of courses in preceding modules with a “C” or better.
In this hybrid course, the online classroom will introduce the patient record. Students will learn how to modify a care plan by evaluating a patient’s respiratory status through physical assessment, including visual and tactile methods and measuring vital signs. In the lab, students can apply their assessment and data logging skills via high-fidelity mannequin simulation with charting scenarios. This course will also introduce the interpretation of the recorded data to determine the progression of care.
RC 300 – Respiratory Care Fundamentals III – 75 Clock Hours / 4 Semester Credits
Prerequisites: Completion of courses in preceding modules with a “C” or better.
In this hybrid course, the online classroom will cover various patient diagnostic applications, including electrocardiogram analysis, patient monitoring, and thoracic imaging. This course will explore the interpretation of laboratory values and arterial blood gas testing and its relation to ventilation, gas exchange, and acid/base balance. In the laboratory setting, students will learn to apply electrocardiogram testing, assist with patient positioning for imaging studies, and perform arterial blood gas sampling.
RC 320 – Introduction to Mechanical Ventilation – 75 Clock Hours / 4 Semester Credits
Prerequisites: Completion of courses in preceding modules with a “C” or better.
In this hybrid course, students will be introduced to mechanical ventilation theory, application, and airway management. In the classroom, students will explore respiratory failure and how it leads to the need for BIPAP and mechanical ventilation, the physiology of ventilatory support, patient-ventilator interactions, monitoring of the ventilated ICU patient, and weaning/discontinuation of ventilatory support. In the lab, students will have hands-on BIPAP and ventilator practice and can apply skills learned using practice lungs and high-fidelity simulation.
RC 330 – Clinical Practicum I – 144 Clock Hours / 3 Semester Credits
Prerequisites: Completion of courses in preceding modules with a “C” or better.
This clinical practicum will consist of 144 hours of supervised patient care in the hospital setting. Students will be able to perform patient assessment and a variety of low-acuity respiratory therapies. Students will be supervised by a licensed RCP preceptor employed by the hospital and have routine check-ins with a clinical instructor assigned by the program.
RC 340 – Specialized Respiratory Care – 30 Clock Hours / 2 Semester Credits
Prerequisites: Completion of courses in preceding modules with a “C” or better.
This course will explore respiratory care in specialty areas, such as e-medicine, sleep studies, skilled nursing facilities, pulmonary function testing, home care, pulmonary rehabilitation, and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation.
RC 400 – Respiratory Care Fundamentals IV – 60 Semester Hours / 4 Semester Credits
Prerequisites: Completion of courses in preceding modules with a “C” or better.
This course will explore cardiopulmonary diseases, such as pulmonary infections, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, interstitial lung disease, pleural disease, acute respiratory distress syndrome, heart failure, lung cancer, neuromuscular disease, sleep disorders, etc. Students will examine symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, and patient management.
This course gives the learner an overview of duplex imaging of the extracranial and cardiovascular systems. Course study includes normal and abnormal cross-section anatomy, hemodynamics, spectral analysis, clinical signs and symptoms, indications for exams, definitions of terms, scanning protocol, instrumentation sonography techniques (grayscale conventional, color Doppler, color with spectral Doppler, and power Doppler) and examples of common carotid, vertebral and Subclavian artery pathology. Clinical hands-on training integrated with didactic instruction is the primary focus of this program.
RC 420 – Advanced Mechanical Ventilation – 75 Semester Hours / 4 Semester Credits
Prerequisites: Completion of courses in preceding modules with a “C” or better.
This hybrid course takes an in-depth approach to managing the critically ill patient. In the classroom, students will delve deeper into the theory of mechanical ventilation and employ critical thinking skills in real-life case studies. In the lab, students will learn about advanced ventilator settings used in the Intensive Care Uni.
RC 430 – Clinical Practicum II – 216 Semester Hours / 4.5 Semester Credits
Prerequisites: Completion of courses in preceding modules with a “C” or better.
This clinical practicum will consist of 216 hours of supervised patient care in the hospital setting. Students will be able to perform patient assessment and a variety of low-acuity respiratory therapies. Students will be supervised by a licensed RCP preceptor employed by the hospital and have routine check-ins with a clinical instructor assigned by the program.
RC 500 — NBRC Review and Test Preparation — 45 Semester Hours / 3 Semester Credits
Prerequisites: Completion of courses in preceding modules with a “C” or better.
This course will help prepare students to take the NBRC credentialing exam. Attending a provided test preparation seminar and a passing score on the practice tests will be a course requirement.
RC 520 — Neonatal and Pediatric Respiratory Care — 90 Semester Hours / 5 Semester Credits
Prerequisites: Completion of courses in preceding modules with a “C” or better.
Students will address the needs of caring for the neonatal and pediatric populations. In the classroom, students will learn maternal risk factors, the stages of fetal development, fetal circulation, transition to extrauterine life, neonatal resuscitation, how to identify and treat neonatal/pediatric respiratory disorders, and neonatal/pediatric ventilator management. In the lab, students will apply skills to set up a variety of respiratory modalities unique to the neonatal/pediatric population and practice resuscitation using high-fidelity simulation.
RC 530 – Clinical Practicum III – 216 Semester Hours / 4.5 Semester Credits
Prerequisites: Completion of courses in preceding modules with a “C” or better.
This clinical practicum will consist of 216 hours of supervised patient care in the hospital setting. Students will be able to perform patient assessment and a variety of low-acuity respiratory therapies. Students will be supervised by a licensed RCP preceptor employed by the hospital and have routine check-ins with a clinical instructor assigned by the program.
