Programs > School of Healthcare > Respiratory Therapy
* Students that complete this program will receive Specialized Associate Degree (Occupational)
Our Respiratory Therapy programs teaches graduates to become health care specialists who provide care for patients with breathing disorders. Care includes assessment, evaluation, and treatment of patients ranging in age from premature infants to the elderly. Therapists also work with adults who have chronic lung problems, such as asthma or emphysema. As a respiratory therapist, you must possess good communication skills. You will work side by side with physicians, nurses and other health care providers in caring for patients with lung disorders.
In this program at Laurel, you'll start by developing basic medical skills like taking blood pressure and using oxygen delivery devices. Most importantly, you'll develop and sharpen your skills by applying this knowledge in clinical situations throughout the program.
Once you graduate, you’ll be able to take the Therapist Multiple Choice (TMC) Exam, and the Clinical Simulation (CSE) Exam. Then, you'll be ready to begin a career as a Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT) or a Certified Respiratory Therapist (CRT) with the ability to work in a wide variety of settings to evaluate, treat, and manage patients of all ages with respiratory illnesses and related conditions.
- Respiratory Therapy I / II / III / IV
- Clinical Application I / II / III / IV
- Critical Care I / II
- Applied Psychology
- Medical Terminology
- Anatomy & Physiology
- Cardiopulmonary Anatomy & Physiology
- Pharmacology
- Pathophysiology
- RT Certification Prep
- Medical Law & Ethics
Laurel's program prepares you to take the following
industry-recognized credentials:
OUR RESPIRATORY THERAPY CLINICAL SITES
- UPMC:
Mercy Hospital, Shadyside Hospital, St. Margaret Hospital, McKeesport Hospital, Magee Women's Hospital - Allegheny Health Network:
Forbes Hospital, Jefferson Hospital - Excela Health:
Westmoreland Hospital, Latrobe Hospital, Frick Hospital - WVU Healthcare:
West Virginia University Hospital, Uniontown Hospital, United Hospital Center - Washington Hospital
- University Hospitals Portage Medical Center, Geauga Medical Center, and Bedford Medical Center
- UPMC Horizon, Hamot, Northwest, and Jameson
- Bon Secours Mercy Health St. Elizabeth Hospital & St. Joseph Hospital
- University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center
- Andover Village Skilled Nursing
- Heritage Valley Health System
Use these quick links to read more about some of the ways Laurel incorporates experiential education in our programs!
Experiential
Learning
Student
Resources
Immersive Learning
Technology
RT Accreditation Information
This program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care (CoARC): visit their WEB SITE. Programmatic outcomes data can be found HERE. 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. The AST Degree Respiratory Therapy program at Laurel Business Institute (CoARC program number 200521) located in Uniontown, PA and Laurel Technical Institute (CoARC program number 200567) located at Hermitage, PA both hold the status of "Continuing Accreditation." For additional information, resources about the field of Respiratory Therapy visit these organizations: AARC and NBRC