Respiratory Therapist

Fast Facts

•  Respiratory therapist was recently ranked the #16 overall best job in America and the #6 best health care job by U.S. News & World Report.
• Sites that respiratory therapists work in include sleep disorder centers, diagnostic laboratories, rehabilitation, research and skilled nursing facilities, patient transport systems, convalescent and retirement centers, educational institutions, and wellness centers.
• The median annual salary for a respiratory therapist is $62,810, as of 2020.
• About 81 percent of respiratory therapist jobs are in hospitals, mainly in departments of respiratory care, anesthesiology, or pulmonary medicine. Most of the remaining jobs are in offices of physicians or other health practitioners, consumer-goods rental firms that supply respiratory equipment for home use, nursing care facilities, and home health care services.

Learning Outcomes

As the Respiratory Therapy field continues to grow and expand, it is important for students to also expand and continue to learn during their educational pursuits and as a professional. The knowledge that is gained in the program is a wonderful foundation to continue to grow on. Throughout the educational experience, students will gain the scientific knowledge needed to provide respiratory therapy to patients in need. Along with the knowledge gained, the students will also gain the skills needed for applying that knowledge. Students of the Respiratory Therapist program are encouraged to become independent and lifelong learners. Students must have the desire to graduate and continue to grow professionally. The overall task of the Respiratory Therapist program is to provide our students with the theoretical background and the clinical experience necessary to become successful respiratory therapists.

• Utilize the application of scientific principles for the identification, prevention, remediation, research, and rehabilitation of acute or chronic cardiopulmonary dysfunction, thereby producing optimum health and function
• Review existing data, collect additional data, and recommend obtaining data to evaluate the respiratory status of patients, develop the respiratory care plan, and determine the appropriateness of the prescribed therapy
• Initiate, conduct, and modify prescribed therapeutic and diagnostic procedures
• Document necessary information in the patient's medical record and other forms and communicate that information to members of the health care team
• Obtain, assemble, calibrate, and check necessary equipment
• Use problem-solving to identify and correct malfunctions in respiratory care equipment
• Demonstrate appropriate interpersonal skills to work productively with patients, families, staff, and co-workers
• Accept directives, maintain confidentiality, do not discriminate, and uphold the ethical standards of the profession
• Describe and demonstrate the proper way to protect themselves, as well as the patient from infection
• Demonstrate Basic Life Support and Advanced Life Support techniques during simulation practice and clinical settings
• List and identify pharmacological agents used to treat cardiopulmonary patients, including indications and contraindications

Program Goal

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).

Additional Program Goals

After graduation from the Respiratory Therapist program, the students will be able to: 

1. Function as competent respiratory therapists as defined by the National Board for Respiratory Care’s credentialing examination content outlines.
2. Demonstrate the ability to apply the knowledge gained throughout the program in real patient care settings.
3. Demonstrate the communication skills needed in healthcare settings including communication with doctors, families, patients, and other healthcare workers.
4. Successfully take the credentialing examinations that are required for state licensure.

Career Outlook

Employment of respiratory therapists is expected to grow much faster than the average for all occupations — by about 21 percent over the next decade. This is largely due to the growing elderly population, which widely suffers from respiratory ailments and cardiopulmonary diseases such as pneumonia, chronic bronchitis, emphysema, and heart disease.

The vast majority of job openings will continue to be in hospitals. However, a growing number of openings are expected to be outside of hospitals, especially in home health care services, offices of physicians or other health practitioners, consumer-goods rental firms, or in the employment services industry as temporary workers in various settings.

The latest data from the Annual Report of Current Status is posted on the CoARC Outcomes webpage.

Admissions Requirements

In addition to Mercyhurst's standard requirements for associate degree admission, which include a high school diploma, a minimum GPA of 2.5, and either an ACT, SAT, or Mercyhurst Placement Test score, individuals applying for admission to the respiratory therapist program are subject to the following standards:

• Applicant must be a high school graduate or GED recipient with a minimum overall C average
• Applicant must have completed high school courses in algebra, biology, AND chemistry, with a minimum grade of C in each course
• Preference will be given to applicants with SAT scores at or above 900 (two sections total) or a 20 composite score on the ACT test
• Applicant may be required to take a Mercyhurst Placement Test to determine placement in appropriate English and math courses
• If an applicant does not meet the required scores to enter into Research and Writing and/or Elementary Algebra, he or she must take preparatory classes. Placement into Research and Writing and Elementary Algebra will enable the student to enter into the two-year track program of study. If preparatory English or Math is required, a three-year track will be recommended
• The skills test is required for students who achieved below 900 on their SATs (two section total), students who achieved below a 20 on sections of their ACTs, or have never taken the SATs or ACTs, as well as those who have been out of school for several years
• Applicant must have current CPR certification before the start of the clinical phase of the program
• Applicant must have a recent physical examination and records of the following immunizations before classes begin:
  • Hepatitis B
  • 2 step PPD
  • A one-time dose of the Tetanus, Diphtheria, and Pertussis Vaccine is mandatory
  • Rubella, Rubeola and Mumps titers
• Drug testing is required.
• A criminal record check is required.
• State and federal child abuse clearances are required
  • Note that a legal conviction may affect a student's ability to be placed in clinical rotations, complete the RT program, and attain state licensure where required. Students are encouraged to disclose information that would relate to this nature to the Program Director for appropriate academic advising.
• Official, final transcripts are required before the start of classes
• Eight hours of job shadowing is suggested prior to enrolling and can be set up by the program director, if interested

Transferring in from another college? Transfer students are welcome in this program, assuming we get a final, official college transcript from each college you have attended. If you still owe another college money, and cannot get a transcript, you will not be permitted to start classes. Check out our credit transfer policies to get an idea of what credits may be transferred in.