Nov 21, 2024  
2024-2025 Gaston College Catalog and Student Handbook 
    
2024-2025 Gaston College Catalog and Student Handbook

Respiratory Therapy, A.A.S. (A45720)


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Collaborative Program with Catawba Valley Community College, CVCC. While the degree is earned through CVCC, all students accepted into this program will take the entirety of the coursework on the Gaston College campus.

*Pending SACSCOC Approval

Courses required to meet graduation requirements in this curriculum are offered during daytime hours. Minimum time for completion: five semesters full-time attendance. The Associate of Applied Science degree is awarded graduates of this curriculum.

The Respiratory Therapy curriculum prepares individuals to function as respiratory therapists through demonstrated competence in the cognitive, psychomotor, and affective learning domains of respiratory care practice. Graduates perform diagnostic and therapeutic procedures with exposure to current and emerging practice settings.

The curriculum prepares graduates to operate within inter-professional teams and effectively communicate with clients/patients of various ages, ethnicities, and cultures. Application of problem solving strategies, applying ethical decision making, and understanding professional responsibilities are emphasized.

Graduates are eligible to complete the credentialing process through the National Board for Respiratory Care, which will qualify them for a license to practice in a variety of healthcare settings with responsibilities for assessment, treatment, management and education of patients with cardiopulmonary diseases.

The Respiratory Therapy curriculum prepares individuals to function as respiratory graduates with demonstrated competence in the cognitive (knowledge), psychomotor (skills), and affective (behavior), learning domains of respiratory care practice as performed by Registered Respiratory Therapists (RRT).

Note: Students must complete college level chemistry (CHM 100 or greater), 4 credit hours, prior to admission into the Respiratory Therapy program.

General Education Courses


Humanities/Fine Arts


  • Elective (3 Credit Hours)

Social/Behavioral Sciences


  • Elective (3 Credit Hours)

Major Courses


  • RCP 110 Intro to Respiratory Care (4 Credit Hours)
  • RCP 111 Therapeutics/Diagnostics (5 Credit Hours)
  • RCP 113 RCP Pharmacology (2 Credit Hours)
  • RCP 114 C-P Anatomy & Physiology (3 Credit Hours)
  • RCP 115 C-P Pathophysiology (2 Credit Hours)
  • RCP 122 Special Practice Lab (1 Credit Hour)
  • RCP 123 Special Practice Lab (1 Credit Hour)
  • RCP 145 RCP Clinical Practice II (5 Credit Hours)
  • RCP 152 RCP Clinical Practice III (2 Credit Hours)
  • RCP 210 Critical Care Concepts (4 Credit Hours)
  • RCP 211 Adv Monitoring/Procedures (4 Credit Hours)
  • RCP 214 Neonatal/Peds RC (2 Credit Hours)
  • RCP 215 Career Preparation (1 Credit Hour)
  • RCP 236 RCP Clinical Practice IV (6 Credit Hours)
  • RCP 246 RCP Clinical Practice V (6 Credit Hours)

Total Program Hours: 72


Developmental Course Requirements


Developmental coursework (both prerequisite and corequisite) will be required of students whose placement test measures indicate a need for greater proficiency in the areas of English and/or mathematics. Please refer to the Course Description section for prerequisite and corequisite course information.

Suggested Program Sequence Day


FIRST YEAR


Fall


Total Credit Hours: 17

Spring


Total Credit Hours: 19

Summer


  • RCP 152 RCP Clinical Practice III (2 Credit Hours)
  • RCP 123 Special Practice Lab (1 Credit Hour)
Total Credit Hours: 3

SECOND YEAR


Fall


  • RCP 210 Critical Care Concepts (4 Credit Hours)
  • RCP 236 RCP Clinical Practice IV (6 Credit Hours)
  • RCP 214 Neonatal/Peds RC (2 Credit Hours)
  • Humanities/Fine Arts Elective (3 Credit Hours)
Total Credit Hours: 19

Spring


  • RCP 211 Adv Monitoring/Procedures (4 Credit Hours)
  • RCP 246 RCP Clinical Practice V (6 Credit Hours)
  • RCP 215 Career Preparation (1 Credit Hour)
  • Social/Behavioral Science Elective (3 Credit Hours)
Total Credit Hours: 14

Total Program Hours: 72


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