Respiratory CareFor more information contact:
Susan Pearson , MPA, RRT, NPS
Program Chair, Assistant Professor
Respiratory Care Program
Phone: 574-289-7001 extension 6375
Email: spearson12@ivytech.edu
Office: 3106

Respiratory Care/Associate of Science Transfers to IUPUI
South Bend Curriculum 07-08

A Career in Respiratory Care
Do you enjoy helping people? Do you enjoy working with technology? Do you want a career with variety? Do you want a career with job advancement opportunities? Then Respiratory Care may be the career for you.

Respiratory therapists are 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.

Respiratory therapists possess good communication skills. Respiratory therapists work side by side with physicians, nurses and other health care providers in caring for patients with lung disorders. As part of the health care team, respiratory therapists help with interviewing patients, making recommendations to physicians to change therapy based on their assessments, and providing patient and family education about lung disease.

Respiratory therapists are critical thinkers. As part of a fast-paced health care team, they must be able to react quickly to changes in a patient’s condition.

Respiratory therapists are skilled at working with technology. They manage life support equipment and artificial airways for patients who can’t breathe on their own.

Respiratory therapists are present during high-risk births, where a premature infant may be at risk for breathing complications. When accident victims lose the ability to breathe on their own, respiratory therapists help administer life saving oxygen.

Career Outlook:
The need for respiratory therapists is expected to grow faster than the national average for all jobs. While U.S. employment in general is forecast to increase by 15 percent, the need for respiratory therapists will grow by up to 26 percent. As the number of older Americans increase, the need for respiratory care will increase as well. As new treatment advances are made for heart attack and accident victims, premature babies and AIDS patients, an increased demand for respiratory therapists will be created as well.

Earnings:
The average salary in the South Bend area for a new graduate entering the field is $17.50/hour (2006). The projected average salary in the U.S. for new therapists entering the field is $41,538.

Life and Breath Video
“This video shows the roles and responsibilities of respiratory care practitioners and interviews with real-life therapists, students, and physicians, and shows the various work settings and types of patients, as well as educational requirements.” (www.aarc.org)

To view this video, go to www.aarc.org. On the left hand side of the home page, click on the “careers” link. Scroll down to the bottom of the page and click on “Life and Breath Video.”

Respiratory Care /Associate of Science Transfers to Indiana University/Purdue University Indiana South Bend Curriculum 06-07