nurse examining patients respiratory information

Respiratory Care, A.A.S.

The Respiratory Care program prepares eligible students to provide management of respiratory care to patients seen in hospitals, intensive care units, emergency rooms, and diagnostic laboratories. Instructors educate students in diagnostic, therapeutic, and technologic arts as applied to the adult, neonatal, and pediatric patient. Upon successful completion of the program, students are eligible to take the following certification exams administered by the National Board for Respiratory Care: Certified Respiratory Therapist (CRT) and Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT). Students who earn the Certified Respiratory Therapist (CRT) credential may apply for a Respiratory Care Practitioner license in the State of Illinois. This degree requires a minimum of 64 credits in program requirements and general education in the courses listed below.

For more information about Respiratory Care, please visit the program page.

This degree requires program application and admission; please visit the above link for details.

Degree Requirements

Field of Study Code: RESP.AAS.RC

Program Requirements
RESP 1101Basic Respiratory Care3
RESP 1102Intermediate Respiratory Care3
RESP 1103Advanced Respiratory Care3
RESP 1105Respiratory Assessment and Procedures4
RESP 1111Clinical Practice I2
RESP 1113Intensive Respiratory Care Clinical Practice1
RESP 1120Applied Cardioplumonary Anatomy and Physiology4
RESP 1121Science for Respiratory Care5
RESP 2201Advanced Life Support, Monitoring, and Trends4
RESP 2202Pulmonary Function Testing3
RESP 2205Neonatal and Pediatric Intensive Respiratory Care3
RESP 2206Advanced Intensive Respiratory Care - Adult2
RESP 2207Advanced Intensive Respiratory Care - Neonatal-Pediatric1
RESP 2250Respiratory Care Board Review4
RESP 2280Advanced Clinical Assessment and Protocol4
General Education
Select 18 to 22 credits from the following:18-22
Physical and Life Sciences – must be Biology1 Chemistry, or Anatomy and Physiology 2
MATH 1102
Mathematics for Health Sciences (or higher) 2
All other AAS General Education requirements
Total Credits64-68
1

Excluding BIOLO 1110 Environmental Biology.

2

Must have a B or higher.

General Education Requirements

For general education requirements for the A.A.S. degree, please visit the A.A.S. degree catalog page.

Suggested Semester Sequence

Pre Program Coursework

ENGLI 1101English Composition I3
or ENGLI 1105 Workplace Writing
SPEEC 1100Fundamentals of Speech Communication3
or SPEEC 1120 Small-Group Communication
or SPEEC 1150 Introduction to Business Communication
Gen EdPhysical and Life Sciences3-5
Gen EdMathematics3-5
Gen EdSocial and Behavioral Sciences 13
Gen EdHumanities and Fine Arts 13
Total Credits18-22

Program Sequence

Plan of Study Grid
First SemesterCredits
RESP 1101 Basic Respiratory Care 3
RESP 1105 Respiratory Assessment and Procedures 4
RESP 1120 Applied Cardioplumonary Anatomy and Physiology 4
RESP 1121 Science for Respiratory Care 5
 Credits16
Second Semester
RESP 1111 Clinical Practice I 2
RESP 1102 Intermediate Respiratory Care 3
 Credits5
Summer Semester
RESP 1103 Advanced Respiratory Care 3
RESP 1113 Intensive Respiratory Care Clinical Practice 1
 Credits4
Third Semester
RESP 2205 Neonatal and Pediatric Intensive Respiratory Care 3
RESP 2206 Advanced Intensive Respiratory Care - Adult 2
RESP 2280 Advanced Clinical Assessment and Protocol 4
 Credits9
Fourth Semester
RESP 2201 Advanced Life Support, Monitoring, and Trends 4
RESP 2202 Pulmonary Function Testing 3
RESP 2207 Advanced Intensive Respiratory Care - Neonatal-Pediatric 1
RESP 2250 Respiratory Care Board Review 4
 Credits12
 Total Credits46
1

One of these requirements must also fulfill the Global/Multicultural or Contemporary Life Skills requirements for the AAS Degree. Please see an advisor for specific courses to fulfill these requirements.