The respiratory therapist, also known as Respiratory Care Practitioner, sees a diverse group of patients ranging from newborn and pediatric patients to adults and the elderly.

• Disease states or conditions often requiring respiratory therapy include (but are not limited to) the following:
  • asthma, emphysema, chronic obstructive lung disease, pneumonia, cystic fibrosis, infant respiratory distress syndrome, and conditions brought on by shock, trauma or postoperative surgical complications.
• Respiratory therapists are also involved in many specialty areas of the hospital:
  • adult intensive care units, newborn labor and delivery, neonatal and pediatric intensive care units, pulmonary function laboratory, sleep laboratory, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, stress testing, and bronchoscopy.
• In addition to hospitals, the respiratory therapist delivers Respiratory Therapy in these locations:
  • home, rehabilitation agencies, nursing homes, outpatient clinics, and physicians' offices.

Graduates of this program will receive the Associate in Applied Science degree in Respiratory Therapy.

Graduates are eligible to take the National Board for Respiratory Care (NBRC)-Certified Respiratory Therapy (CRT) exam.

Graduates must pass the CRT exam in order to qualify for a permanent North Carolina license as a Respiratory Care Practitioner.

Graduates are also eligible to take the NBRC-Registered Respiratory Therapist exam after passing the CRT. Click the Be an RT icon for more information from the American Association for Respiratory Care.