Respiratory Therapy

Improve someone's life by helping them breathe easy. Respiratory therapists are essential health care providers for people with respiratory conditions and provide critical care in emergencies. They treat adults and children who have difficulty breathing due to asthma, bronchitis, emphysema, cystic fibrosis, congenital heart disease, pneumonia, trauma, sleep apnea or other respiratory conditions.

Wake Tech's five-semester Respiratory Therapy program focuses on developing proficiency in respiratory care practices, enabling graduates to carry out diagnostic and therapeutic procedures across diverse and evolving practice environments.

• Correctly read prescriptions, measure arterial blood gases and review patient information to assess a patient's condition
• Recommend appropriate diagnostic and therapeutic procedures using patient data from laboratory and physiologic evaluations
• Manage patient care by performing medical procedures or related duties
• Inspect, clean, test and maintain respiratory therapy equipment to ensure equipment is functioning safely and efficiently, ordering repairs when necessary
• Monitor a patient's physiological responses to therapy, such as vital signs, arterial blood gases or blood chemistry changes, mechanical ventilation and consult with the medical team
• Apply the skills required to perform all of the clinical procedural skills associated with the role and scope of practice of the advanced respiratory care practitioner

Students will gain experience working as part of a professional team and will be equipped to understand their professional roles, implement effective strategies and make ethical decisions. The curriculum includes more than 800 hours of hands-on experience in various clinical settings, such as adult, pediatric and neonatal intensive care units, emergency departments and pulmonary diagnostics.

Upon completing the program, students will be eligible to pursue certification through the National Board of Respiratory Care and obtain a license. That will allow them to practice in multiple health care settings, such as hospitals, pulmonary rehabilitation facilities, physician offices, pulmonary function labs or sleep medicine labs.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics forecasts a 13% increase in job opportunities for respiratory therapists between from 2022 and 2032. About 8,600 openings for respiratory therapists are projected each year, on average, during that period.

The average salary for a registered respiratory therapist in North Carolina is $74,015, but the range typically falls between $67,251 and $80,469.

Accreditation

Wake Tech is currently in the process of seeking accreditation for its program from the Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care (CoARC). However, Wake Tech can provide no assurance that accreditation will be granted by CoARC.

CoARC can be contacted at 264 Precision Blvd., Telford, TN 37690 or by calling 817-283-2835.

Professional licensure

Wake Tech academic programs (credit and non-credit) that are designed to lead to professional licenses are tied to North Carolina or national certifications. If you intend to pursue professional licenses outside North Carolina once you have completed your academic program at Wake Tech, please refer to the Professional Licensure section of the college's distance education authorization page for additional information.