| RESPIRATORY THERAPY
School of Health, Wellness & Public Safety Division • Associate of Science Degree in Respiratory Therapy Program Description Respiratory care is an allied health profession, specializing in diagnostic testing, therapeutic treatment and critical care support for patients suffering from life-threatening or chronic cardiopulmonary diseases. Under medical direction, Respiratory Therapists assess and treat patients, monitor and evaluate cardiorespiratory function, perform diagnostic testing and maintain life-support systems for patients in critical care settings. The curriculum includes classroom, laboratory and supervised clinical instruction covering cardiorespiratory anatomy, physiology and pathophysiology, therapeutic treatments, cardiopulmonary diagnostic technology, critical care and life-support technology for adults, children and infants, respiratory home care and pulmonary rehabilitation. The CNM Respiratory Therapy Program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Educations Programs (CAAHEP) and the Committee on Accreditation for Respiratory Care (CoARC) and prepares graduates for the Certification (CRT) and Registry (RRT) credentials by the National Board for Respiratory Care (NBRC) and for Licensure (RCP) by the State of New Mexico Respiratory Care Board. Career and Advancement Opportunities Graduates of the CNM Respiratory Therapy Program are employed by acute care hospitals, transitional care hospitals, home health care agencies, skilled nursing homes and cardiopulmonary rehabilitation centers within New Mexico and throughout the nation. The CNM program has a 100 percent placement rate for its graduates. Graduates can attain specialty credentials through employment training in specialized areas of cardiopulmonary care. They are also encouraged to continue education toward a bachelor of science degree in respiratory therapy, general science, education or management to pursue leadership positions in the field. Special Requirements
Students are responsible for meeting prerequisite arts & sciences courses, being admitted to CNM as a Respiratory Therapy major, establishing a CNM GPA of 2.0 or better and completing the Petition Process for selection to begin the core Respiratory Therapy courses. Selection is based on the number of prerequisite and required arts & sciences courses completed and the date of declared major in Respiratory Therapy. Once admitted to the RT core courses, students pay a program fee to cover the cost of the uniform, stethoscope, name tag, hospital parking permits, criminal background checks, drug screening and health tests. Students will also pay an ACLS certification fee and a program fee during the final term of the program to cover the cost the National Board assessment tests. Students interested in certain Health, Wellness & Public Safety Students enrolled in the division programs must be in good physical and psychological health. Some programs require documentation of a recent health screening from a licensed health care provider confirming the ability to safely perform program specific activities and lift a minimum of 50 pounds. Reasonable accommodations are made for those students with disabilities. However, some disabilities may prohibit students from completing program specific competencies or gaining employment. Students with a disability that may interfere with completing program competencies, which may include providing safe patient care, are advised to contact the HWPS Division Office at (505) 224- 4111 for more information. Students must have a physical exam and a completed health form with evidence of current immunizations (PPD, DTP, MMR and hepatitis B) before beginning clinical coursework. Students are required to provide proof of CPR certification by the American Heart Association at the health provider level prior to beginning clinical experiences. This equirement may be met by completing HLTH 1001. Students will be required to undergo routine drug screening and a state and federal criminal background check with fingerprints at their own expense prior to beginning their clinical experiences. They will be notified of the process by the program director at the time of admission. For information on the criminal background check, please note the complete description on page 42 under the Health, Wellness & Public Safety Division description. Those students with a disqualifying conviction will be unable to meet clinical objectives in any of the allied health and nursing programs. Students should also contact appropriate credentialing or licensing agencies and local or regional industry for hiring and employment practices. Contact the HWPS Division Office at (505) 224-4111 for more information. All Health, Wellness & Public Safety Division career and technical courses required for graduation must be taken for a traditional grade of A, B or C. For Health, Wellness & Public Safety career and technical courses offered only for credit/no credit, a grade of credit (CR) must be earned. Graduation Policy - Pre- and corequisites are listed in course descriptions and are subject to change with each new catalog. It is the student’s responsibility to meet the pre- and/or corequisites in effect for the term in which a course is taken, regardless of the catalog under which the student entered or will graduate. Students may be stopped from enrolling or may be disenrolled if pre- or corequisites are not met.
- Students who have successfully completed courses that no longer exist from previous catalogs will be accommodated. Contact the division at (505) 224-4111 for more information.
Contact Information
Information sessions covering petition and selection process and the respiratory therapy career opportunities are scheduled monthly during the year. Dates and times for these sessions can be obtained by calling the Health, Wellness & Public Safety Division information hotline at (505) 224-4161. Program information is available from the program director, John Blewett, (505) 224-4138, jblewett@cnm.edu, or Clinical Coordinator Charles Fatta, (505) 224-4128, cfatta@cnm.edu, or from Academic Advisement and Career Development at (505) 224-4321. Additional courses are available to enhance this program of study. Please contact the program chair or program director for information. |
