Just the Facts
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Respiratory Therapy
- 67 Credit Associate Degree
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Program Length
- Two Years
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Delivery Method
- Face-to-Face
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Career Cluster
- Healthcare
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Program Location
- Eau Claire, River Falls
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Start Months
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August
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Financial Aid Eligible
- High Enrollment Demand Program
- Non-Traditional Occupation
- Technical Standards
Bloodborne Pathogens
Students in this program should be aware of the risks associated with bloodborne pathogens.
Estimated Program Cost
Learn more about the cost of attendance.
- Term 1
- $ 725
- Term 2
- $ 2,212
- Term 3
- $ 2,720
- Term 4
- $ 1,108
- Term 5
- $ 2,625
- Term 6
- $ 2,979
- Materials
- $ 1,234
- Books
- $ 1,364
- Estimated Total
- $14,967
Respiratory Therapy Overview
Looking for an exciting and rewarding career that pays well? Check out CVTC's Respiratory Therapy program and earn your associate degree in two years.
As a respiratory therapist you will evaluate, treat, and care for patients with breathing or other cardiopulmonary disorders. You will interview patients, perform limited physical examinations, and conduct diagnostic tests.
In the program, you will learn how to:
- Assess the cardiopulmonary status of patients
- Care for patients of all age groups and demographics
- Perform pulmonary function testing
- Deliver respiratory care
- Evaluate and monitor patient responses to respiratory care
- Provide patient, family, and community education
- Participate in life support activities in critical care
You will gain the following skills:
- Patient assessment
- Critical care skills
- Effective communication
- Critical thinking
- Patient education
The program is a combination of classroom and clinical training. As part of the respiratory therapist training, students will complete a clinical internship, allowing them to apply their education right away.
Check It Out
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Earn credit for prior learning!
Do you have previous educational or work experience in the field? You could be eligible to receive credit for prior learning
Explore This Program
Career Opportunities
- Respiratory Therapist
Graduate Employers
- Mayo Clinic Health System
- Regions Hospital
- Children’s Minnesota
- M Health Fairview
- Dove Healthcare - Regional Vent Center
- Marshfield Clinic
Graduate Outcomes
CVTC graduates are ready for the workforce. Each year, we send our graduates the Graduate Follow-Up Survey asking several questions related to employment. Here are the program outcomes and job data.
$72K yearly salary
Our recent Respiratory Therapy graduates reported an average starting salary of $71,738.
100% employed
100% of our recent Respiratory Therapy graduates got a job in the industry.
17 regional jobs
There are 17 job openings in the CVTC district for the Respiratory Therapy industry.
Transfer Credits to Other Institutions
Should you choose to continue your education after you leave CVTC, we have agreements in place with several institutions to ensure an easy transfer.
Program Courses
These are a few of the courses you will take in this program. Courses and the recommended sequence change from year to year; once you are enrolled in a program at CVTC you will be given a recommended course sequence that outlines what courses you should take and the order in which to take them.
You may search for available courses. If you are ever unsure of what courses to take, talk to your academic advisor. If you are looking for course information for previous years, check out our past catalogs.
Here are a few of the courses you can take in the Respiratory Therapy program.
Sample Courses
Respiratory Pharmacology
Examines basic pharmacology principles, drug dosage, and calculations. Medications for inhalation including mucolytics, bronchodilators, and anti-inflammatories.
Respiratory Neo/Peds Care
Provides a comprehensive orientation to the field of neonatal and pediatric respiratory care to include fetal development, birth, neonatal physiology, pulmonary dynamics, abnormal cardiopulmonary conditions, diseases, noninvasive and invasive therapeutic interventions.
Respiratory/Cardio Diagnostics
Advanced invasive and noninvasive diagnostic cardiopulmonary procedures including pulmonary function, hemodynamics, and rescue medicine.
Request More Information
Please provide your contact information and an Admissions Advisor will get back to you ASAP with more information about this program.
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Student Testimonial
I feel more prepared than many grads from other Respiratory Therapy programs that are 4-year degree programs!
Respiratory Therapy Graduate
A Program You Can Trust
Program Accreditation
The Chippewa Valley Technical College Respiratory Therapy Program, CoARC program number (200476), which confers an Associate of Applied Science, (A.A.S) degree, is located at Eau Claire, WI 54701 and Is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care (www.coarc.com).
CoARC accredits respiratory therapy education programs in the United States. To achieve this end, it utilizes an 'outcomes based' process. Programmatic outcomes are performance indicators that reflect the extent to which the educational goals of the program are achieved and by which program effectiveness is documented.
Chippewa Valley Technical College is currently in the process of seeking CoARC accreditation for a satellite campus respiratory care program in River Falls, WI. However, Chippewa Valley Technical College can provide no assurance that accreditation will be granted by the CoARC.
Program goals are:
to prepare 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 (RRTs)
Student Learning Outcomes
A Student Learning Outcome refers to the specific skills, knowledge, or abilities that students are expected to demonstrate upon successful completion of an academic program or degree.
Students will:
- Apply respiratory therapy concepts to patient care situations
- Demonstrate technical proficiency required to fulfill the role of a Respiratory Therapist
- Practice respiratory therapy according to established professional and ethical standards
Additional Admissions Resources
Admission Requirements
Each program requires specific requirements a student must meet to be considered for admissions to this program.
Advising Tips
We have compiled helpful tips and general information for students in this program.