Respiratory Care Practitioner

 

 

The Respiratory Care Practitioner program is designed to prepare the student for entry-level positions as a respiratory care practitioner and to meet the recognized competencies for registered respiratory therapists. Students are trained to provide care for patients with cardiopulmonary diseases. Students are introduced to duties and responsibilities of the Air Force respiratory care practitioner, fundamentals of respiratory patient care and clinical medicine, neonatology and pediatric care, cardiovascular and respiratory anatomy and physiology, chemistry, pharmacology, microbiology, physiologic measurements and cardiopulmonary diseases processes. Additionally, students are trained in the principles of EKG/ECG, arrhythmia interpretations, PFT measurements/interpretations, and nitric oxide, mechanical ventilation and home health care delivery systems. Phase I is academic (didactic) classroom training at METC.
 
 US Air Force
AFSC: Respiratory Care Practitioner
Program Length: 690 hours
Iterations per year: 5 - 6

 US Army
MOS: N/A

 US Navy
NEC: N/A
 

School Code 083


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Respiratory care practitioners are allied healthcare professionals who use various equipment, drugs and therapies to assist physicians in the diagnoses and treatment of diseases and illnesses related to the heart and lungs. 

The Respiratory Care Practitioner Apprentice Program is an introduction to the delivery of respiratory care and cardiovascular technology. This program is designed to prepare students for entry-level positions as RCP and cardiovascular technicians. 

Students are trained to provide care for patients with cardiopulmonary diseases. The instructional design of this program’s courses is group-lock step. 

This is a single military service program that has a two-phase schedule. Phase I in-resident training is conducted at METC.  Phase II transitions the student to clinical training and is conducted at military and/or civilian medical treatment facilities (MTF). 

Upon initial entry to METC, students are provided formal education and training that develops them into entry-level respiratory care practitioners within fixed and deployable medical facilities. Students will learn the respiratory care practitioner’s mission and scope of practice, respiratory therapy procedures and cardiopulmonary disease processes. 

Students are introduced to duties and responsibilities of the RCP and will be instructed in, but not limited to: fundamentals of respiratory patient care, clinical medicine, neonatology and pediatric care, cardiovascular and respiratory anatomy and physiology, chemistry, pharmacology, microbiology, physiologic measurements, cardiopulmonary disease processes, principles of EKG/ECG and arrhythmia interpretations, PFT measurements and interpretations, mixed gas therapy, mechanical ventilation and home health care delivery systems. 

Methods of instruction include, but are not limited to: lecture, demonstration, online materials, simulations, laboratory practice, and practical exercises. Quality control and safety techniques are emphasized throughout the program. 

Clinical training provides students with clinical knowledge and hands-on experiential training which consists of clinical practicum in a MTF or civilian medical facility. The training provides the opportunity for the student to assist the cardiologist and pulmonary physician in examinations, evaluation, diagnosing, and management of cardiovascular and pulmonary dysfunction by performing a broad spectrum of diagnostic procedures and respiratory therapy such as administration of electrocardiogram, echocardiogram, Holter monitoring, cardiovascular stress tests, pulmonary function studies, flow/volume loops, airway resistance, and blood gas analysis. Students will also assist in the performance of bronchoscopy max 02 studies, management of mechanical ventilator patients, respiratory therapy, airway management, and operation and maintenance of diagnostic equipment.

Accreditation Information:


This is a College of Allied Health Sciences of the Uniformed Services University degree applicable course.

The Respiratory Care Practitioner program (program #200543) is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care (CoARC) (WWW.COARC.COM).

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 CLICK HERE to view the outcomes data for this and other programs (https://coarc.com/students/programmatic-outcomes-data).

 

Credentialing Information:

Graduates of the Respiratory Care Practitioner Apprentice Program are required to take the Therapist Multiple Choice (TMC) exam and the Clinical Simulation Exam through the National Board for Respiratory Care (www.nbrc.org) in order to obtain the Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT) national credential.
 
The program curriculum is designed to meet United States Air Force education and training and requirements.  The institution has not determined whether program curriculum meets educational requirements for licensure or certification of any State.
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E-mail:dha.jbsa.dha-metc.mbx.operations-south@health.mil
 
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