Students participate in clinical settings, making observations and assisting with introductory respiratory care. Procedures include patient assessment, oxygen therapy, lung inflation, and infection control. This course introduces the student to the role of a registered therapist. Focus is on collaborative teaming with other health care providers. Emphasis is on critical thinking, prioritizing, and decision making.
Students also explore communication and medical ethics issues using care design models.
Topically, this course integrates the principles of gas physics, chemistry, and microbiology with clinical principles of medical gas therapy, aerosol therapy, and infectious diseases. Students will collect, analyze, evaluate, and interpret clinical data to determine a respiratory care plan. Students become familiar with cardiopulmonary diseases and diagnostic evaluations. Bedside testing, patient assessment, and pharmacologic interventions are key components of this course. Included in the lecture and lab format, are physician led discussions and clinical rounds.