Gwynedd Mercy University
AY2021-2022 Undergraduate Academic Catalog
The second-year entails course work in the art and science of respiratory care coupled with a chemistry course in the Fall and microbiology in the Spring . Respiratory care courses are didactic ( classroom ), laboratory , and clinical in nature . The didactic classes are designed to address the principles and concepts of the particular subject in question . The laboratory is designed for demonstration and practice and serves as an environment where the student can first experience the procedures and practices of respiratory care in a controlled and closely supervised manner . Many of the laboratory sessions are selfdirected with assistance provided by the faculty as needed and / or case studies or simulations to enhance theory . The clinical courses are both observational and performance in nature . The student will first observe procedures and modalities with the intention of gaining confidence and familiarity . After exposure and observation , the student will perform procedures and modalities until competency is assessed . Competency is followed by repeated practice and skill refinement . The ultimate goal is mastery and a high degree of expertise . The clinical component will entail clinical rotations in between semesters ( approximately two weeks but varies with academic calendar ) that will serve as orientation to the hospital and to the respiratory therapy department , two days a week of clinical rotation during the second semester , and eight weeks of clinical rotations during the summer . The clinical component is competency- based which means that the student must successfully complete all designated procedures to satisfy the course requirements . Upon completion of the second year of the program , the student will continue on to the third year , which is where credentialing-eligibility can be obtained .
The third year consists of advanced topics in respiratory care coupled with statistics in the Fall and a basic communication course in the Spring . The third year of the program is modeled after the second and consists of didactic ( classroom ), laboratory , and clinical courses . The didactic classes are designed to address the advanced principles and concepts in a classroom environment while the laboratory is designed for demonstration and practice . Laboratory sessions will frequently entail presentations and demonstrations by faculty , physicians and / or other health care professionals with knowledge and expertise in a variety of advanced topics . The clinical courses are both observational and performance in nature . The student will observe advanced procedures and modalities with the intention of gaining confidence and familiarity . After exposure and observation , the student will perform procedures and modalities until competency is assessed . Competency is followed by repeated practice and skill refinement . The ultimate goal is mastery and a high degree of expertise . Students in the third year of the program are expected to possess a relatively high degree of expertise and mastery with the skills and modalities addressed in the second year . The clinical component of the third year will entail clinical rotations two days a week in both the fall and spring semesters and approximately two weeks of clinical rotations in between semesters . Rotations are of an advanced nature and entail specialties , the specialty rotations will occur in a variety of clinical sites to include large university-teaching hospitals , pediatric and neonatal centers , community hospitals , and alternate care sites ; such as , home care and sub- acute care .
Upon completion of the third year of the program , the student will receive an associate degree in respiratory care and be eligible to sit for the NBRC Therapist Multiple Choice Examination . Successful completion of the Therapist Multiple Choice Examination at a designated ( low ) cut score level grants the student the Certified Respiratory Therapist ( CRT ) credential and allows the student to apply for a license to practice in the State of Pennsylvania .
Upon completion of the NBRC Therapist Multiple Choice Examination at a designated ( high ) cut score level , the student is eligible to sit for the NBRC Clinical Simulation Examination . Upon successful completion of this examination , the student is granted the title of Registered Respiratory Therapist ( RRT ) and the receipt of an exclusive registry number . The RRT is the terminal credential in the profession of respiratory care and the highest level of professional practice . All students should aspire to achieve this level of credentialing . Additional specialty examinations and credentials are available and can be addressed by
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