Respiratory Care

Respiratory Care

Gulf Coast State College welcomes you to the Respiratory Care Program!   Graduates of our program are eligible to take all national board exams offered in the field of Respiratory Therapy.   Successful completion of the Respiratory Therapist exam awards the graduate the credential of Certified Respiratory Therapist (CRT), or the Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT).  The CRT credential is recognized nationally and is required for obtaining a license to practice as a Respiratory Therapist.  The Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT) credential is awarded for higher achieved scores and the successful completion of the Clinical Simulation Exam.  The RRT is the highest level of credentialing in the field of Respiratory Therapy.    Through this five-semester program, we will help prepare you to pass your board exams through the National Board of Respiratory Care (NBRC) and after state licensing, begin your career.  We look forward to working with you!

The field of Respiratory Care is experiencing one of the highest levels of demand for graduates seen in the last decade. Employment opportunities are abundant both locally and nationally. This trend is forecasted to accelerate as the aging population increases. Starting salaries range between $36,000 and $55,000 annually, with sign-on bonuses and moving expenses being offered routinely.

Respiratory Care Program Goals:

• To provide instruction necessary to enable graduates to function as proficient Respiratory Therapist who have competence in the cognitive, psychomotor and affective learning domains of Respiratory Therapy that are performed by Registered Respiratory Therapist.

• To help satisfy the need in the local and regional communities for skilled Respiratory Therapist. 

Respiratory Therapists:

• specialize in the evaluation, treatment, and care of patients with breathing disorders.

• perform procedures crucial in maintaining the lives of seriously ill patients with breathing problems.

• assist in the treatment and rehabilitation of patients with heart and lung disease.

• are employed in hospitals, rehabilitation facilities, sleep disorders clinics, pulmonary function labs, hyperbaric chambers, skilled nursing facilities, and home health agencies.