Respiratory Therapy

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The field of respiratory care is a rapidly expanding specialty in the medical profession. This program prepares the students to pass the Entry and Advance Level Exam National Board for Respiratory Care. The program offers the knowledge and skills necessary for a position as a member of a health care team in a hospital, respiratory care departments, anesthesiology or pulmonary rehab, pulmonary diagnostics, nursing homes, and home health agencies. The program also includes credit-hour components of general education/liberal arts courses. FNU awards an Associate of Science Degree upon graduation.

The Florida National University, Respiratory Therapy program #200557, Associate of Science Degree, Hialeah Campus is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care (www.coarc.com).

Program type

Associate

Credit Hours

80 hours

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Admission Requirements

Respiratory Therapy Program Admissions

Admission is based on criteria approved by Florida National University and consistent with State and Federal laws, regulations and program accreditation guidelines. Primary criterion include completion of college general education courses required by the major with a “C” or better in each subject, with the exception of the Natural Science courses (HSC 1531, CHM 1105, CHM 1105L, MCB 2000C, BSC 1085C, and BSC 1086C), that must be completed with a “B” in each subject, having the minimum 2.50 GPA or better and in concurrence with the technical standards of the profession of Respiratory Care. In the event that the student does not earn a “B” grade, it will be necessary to retake the class in order to proceed and meet the next required sequential course. (See Program’s Grading Policies and Procedures).

Credits from other accredited institutions will be considered only if the student has a 2.5 GPA in all General Education courses and a ‘B’ in all Natural Science courses. The transfer must be approved by the VP of Academics or the Office of the Registrar to be accepted by the program. Official transcript must be brought in person or mailed to FNU prior to full acceptance.

Application: Academic Requirements

Thank you for your interest in the Respiratory Therapy Program at Florida National University. The Respiratory Department will admit students through a selective admissions process for candidates that meet the academic and set clinical requirements. The program is designed to be completed by a FULL-TIME student for a period of 26 months.

These are the steps to admission and pre-selection to the program. All requirements must be complete for application consideration.

  1. Complete Florida National University Admission Application and return to Admissions Representative.
  2. All applicants must request official academics transcripts from high school and/or colleges and forward transcript(s) to the Campus Registrars.
  3. Complete two (2) diagnostic examinations:
    1. College Success
    2. Test of Essential Academic Skills (TEAS) acceptable score is (60 or above)
  4. Have TEAS score sent to the Respiratory Therapy Department.
  5. Have complete program application with official transcript sent to the Respiratory Therapy Department.
  6. Two letters of recommendation and essay explaining his/her career goals.
  7. Satisfactory interview with the Director of Respiratory Therapy program and/or program faculty member designee.

Additional Program Information

Disclosure of additional expenses: Mandatory certifications: CPR, OSHA, HIV, ACLS, PALS, OSHA, HIV, HIPPA, and the RT Board Review program, the Kettering Seminars Comprehensive Review, and a TMC SAE (program exit exam). In addition: Textbooks, uniforms, lab coat, stethoscope, a pulse oximeter, Level II and AHCA Background Checks, Liability Insurance, Physical Exam and Immunizations.

Disclosure of academic progress: Students must maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 (B) on a 4.0 grading scale on all RET Core courses. Students will be allowed to repeat only one core course. Students who do not earn a “B” when repeating a core course will not be allowed to continue in the program. Students who earn less than a “B” in a subsequent core course will be dropped from the program as well. Students who do not meet the required attendance hours in clinical practicum will have to make them up prior to the end of the clinical in question or repeat the practicum when it is offered again. The program has a make-up policy for clinical hours (see Program’s Student Handbook).


Respiratory Therapy Program Accreditation

At its June 2017 meeting, the Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care (CoARC) voted to confer Continuing Accreditation to the AS Degree Entry onto Respiratory Care Professional Practice Program at Florida National University. www.coarc.com

Admissions Policy for CRT to RRT Bridge Option

  • Candidates must have a current NBRC CRT credential.
  • Credit will be given to candidates meeting the above mentioned prerequisite for RET 1026C: Respiratory Care Equipment, and RET 1486C: Respiratory Anatomy and Physiology.
  • The following courses may be challenged by examination: RET 2350: Respiratory Therapy Pharmacology, and RET 2418: Cardiopulmonary Diagnostics.
  • Credit for clinical practicum will be given, at the discretion of the PD and DCE upon receiving a letter from the candidate’s respiratory department director stating the candidate has recent experience in pediatric, adult, and neonatal critical care.
  • Transferred credits: the program follows the university’s transfer credit policy.
Note: FNU accepts credits from regionally accredited institutions that are applicable to the program of study.

Re-entry Policy

  • If a student earns less than a B grade in an RET core course, the student will not be allowed to continue with her/his current cohort and be temporarily withdrawn from the program.
  • The student will have the option of re-entering the program the next time a cohort reaches the RET course that the student needs to re-take (usually within the period of one academic year). However, the student will first have to meet with the DCE and the PD for them to re-assess acceptance criteria.
  • If the student earns a C grade or less in the same course or in any other RET core course after the re-entry, the student will be terminated from the program, with no option to return.
  • Student opting for re-entry into the program must retake all core courses taken by the cohort where student is re-inserting in the Audit modality, but with the same attendance requirements as all students in the re-inserting cohort. Audit courses are mandatory for re-entry students but free of charge.
  • Students that want to re-enter the program after a period of a year has lapsed since the student was temporarily withdrawn, will have to go through the entire program’s admission procedure and will have to audit, at no extra charge all of the RET core courses taken (in sequence as per program policy) up to the re-insertion course.
  • The latter will serve as a refresher for the student to keep the knowledge fresh since both the Program’s Exit Exam and the NBRC National Boards are comprehensive in nature.
  • Student disqualified for legal, ethical, and or safety issues, will not be considered for re-entry.

Procedure

Students who do not earn a B grade in an RET core course will be notified in a joint session by the professor in charge of the class and either the DCE or the PD.
  • The notification will be done in writing.
  • The student will be invited to read the form and sign it.
  • If the student refuses to sign the form, it will be noted on the form and co-signed by the faculty in attendance.
  • A note will be written in the student’s electronic record as well, and an email will be sent to the student with information about the options: re-enter the program when a new cohort starts, or drop from the program.
  • The student will have 8 weeks to make a decision about either re-entering at a later date or dropping from the program, and will write a letter to the DCE and PD notifying them of their final decision.

Programmatic Outcomes Data

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.

Programmatic Outcomes Data →

Important Information

The rigorous nature of the program, make it is strongly recommended that applicants plan ahead financially for their 26-months in the program. The number of academic hours alongside with required study hours and clinical practicum hours make it difficult for a student to work while enrolled in the Respiratory Therapy program. Transportation is necessary for travel to and from the hospitals for clinical experience. Attendance at all scheduled classes, laboratories and clinical rotations are enforced; each one of those meetings holds an essential component of your progress in the program. (See Program Policies and Procedures, Attendance)

All applicants admitted into this program will be required to complete a physical examination and provide a complete immunization record. In addition, a complete FDLE LII and Local Background Screening in conjunction with Drug Testing will be required by clinical facilities. Positive results could impact a student’s chances of attending their hospital rotations, completing the program requirements, or gaining a license to practice upon graduation. The cost of required physical examinations, immunizations, background check and drug test will be paid by the student. Students accepted into the program will be provided with specific details. In addition, you will be required to take a sequential list of courses from the AHA (BLS-CPR, ACLS, and PALS) to get prepared for each of your clinical rotations. If time permits, the course for certification NRP will be offered. Should you have questions on the application process, please contact the Respiratory Therapy department at 305-821-3333 x-1055.

There is specific health, physical and technical requirements for advancement into all portions of the Respiratory Therapy program more specifically into the clinical practicum. The Respiratory Therapy Program at Florida National University complies with the American with Disabilities Act (ADA), and consistent with the ADA, the attached Essential Functions/Core Performance Standards Worksheet provides the framework to relate functional ability categories and representative activities/attributes to any limitations/deficits in functional abilities.

These standards shall be used by the Respiratory Therapy Program in combination with the professional scope of practice, job analysis, and expert consultation to make decisions related to the ability of the respiratory therapy student to perform the essential functions of respiratory care.