Respiratory therapy plays an essential role in today’s systems of health care delivery and respiratory therapists tend to be less recognizable than other health professionals. Respiratory therapy is responsible for caring for persons who are experiencing breathing issues, individuals struggling with lung disease, or individuals who are being supported in their breathing. Respiratory therapists work in a wide variety of settings including hospitals, intensive care units, emergency rooms, rehabilitation, and home health. The therapeutic scope is quite broad and encompasses a range of patients from the tiniest of premature infants with underdeveloped lungs to elderly patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. It is a profession that is both technical and clinical; it requires skill and compassion because it involves high-level intervention and complex critical thinking in combination with emotions making it a challenging and rewarding profession. Entering the profession involves a prescribed formal education program. The necessity of the length of education in respiratory therapy is developed to incorporate the theoretical content, the clinical component, the stress of high-stakes clinical medicine, and the possibility of different levels of competency in respiratory therapy. Respiratory therapy formally requires fewer years of study while meeting safety standards of clinical training. It is important to consider how long the student will take to become credentialed, from the degree level, to the pace of study, and whether the student has the goal of a career. Some people do it in two years, while others do it in four or even six years if they follow a graduate path. No matter which path you take, education means that graduates will enter the field with the necessary knowledge to help improve and save life.
The foundation: Associate degree programs
The entry-level education most likely to lead to a job is the associate degree in respiratory therapy. This program is set up to be completed in approximately 2 years of full-time study. Associate degree students complete general education courses(e.g., anatomy, physiology, biology, chemistry) and courses in respiratory therapy. In addition to completion of the above coursework, students also have a long clinical education (with clinical supervision) while learning to administer oxygen therapy, manage ventilators, and perform diagnostic tests. The associate degree is efficient in terms of the path to the workforce by allowing the student to get into practice much sooner than other entry pathways. The associate program has the requisite coursework and clinical exposure to allow the student to be eligible for new examinations for certification or licensing. For many students, the path to an associate’s degree is the most straightforward way to enter the field.
The bachelor’s degree route
Though the associate degree is still the minimal entry level in many regions, an increasing number of students have elected to pursue a bachelor’s degree in respiratory therapy. This degree usually takes four years of full-time education and tends to provide a more complete education. Coursework entails advanced cardiopulmonary physiology, critical care management, pediatric and neonatal respiratory care, and health sciences research. Students also receive opportunities to develop leadership, communication, and healthcare policy skills broader than is likely offered in an associate program. Graduates with a bachelor’s degree often will have more career pathways. These graduates will have an increased opportunity to attain supervisory roles, specialized clinical practice, and teaching or research roles. The extra two years of education beyond the associate degree will create a more robust professional profile and prepare the individual for greater responsibilities.
Graduate-level education
Some respiratory therapists will decide to pursue a master’s program after completing a bachelor’s degree. A master’s degree typically requires an additional two years of school after completing undergraduate studies. So now we can say approximately six years of time in school (i.e., the original four years of undergraduate education, plus two years of graduate education). This level of study provides advanced practice, research, leadership, or academic preparation. Graduate education provides many therapy specialties, like intensive care, pulmonary diagnostics, and neonatal care. Others will pursue health administration coursework preparing to lead departments or health care teams. Some therapy masters degrees allow some to pursue a faculty position at college or university level to ensure the ongoing growth of the profession.
Clinical training and certification
A distinctive feature of respiratory therapy education, as compared to other health care disciplines, is its unique emphasis on clinical education. In many programs, students spend many weeks outside the academic environment working with patients in health care settings such as hospitals, rehabilitation facilities, or specialized care units. This experience provides students with the opportunity to take knowledge acquired in the classroom and apply it in practice and working with actual patients with supervision of licensed professionals. For the majority of the regions in which respiratory therapists practice, certification or licensure is obtained to practice independently as professional after graduation. This assures potential employers and the public that respiratory therapists who are employees or licensed professionals are competent and adhere to standards associated with safety, assurance, and competency. While obtaining an examination candidate status to prepare for the examinations and the passing of these examinations can take a few additional months, this process adds credibility to the newly minted respiratory therapist.
Conclusion
In respiratory therapy, the educational timeline is generally between two and six years based on the academic pursuits and goals of the student. Due to degree options and career goals, the associate degree normally takes two years to complete, while the bachelor’s degree takes four, but allows students greater opportunities in career options. Graduate programs will normally take an additional two years or longer, as they prepare persons for leadership, specialization, and academic roles.