Program Description
The Respiratory Care Program at Tulsa Community College (TCC) is designed to prepare individuals with the knowledge, skills and behaviors that are required for successful advanced respiratory therapists. If you enjoy working in a fast-paced environment where your technical and scientific responsibilities will be matched by a real need for human relations skills, then the TCC Respiratory Care Program may be for you. Respiratory Care is a health care specialty that offers a set of unique challenges in the areas of prevention, diagnosis, treatment, management and rehabilitation of people with lung disorders. As an advanced respiratory therapist, you will be involved in a wide variety of lifesaving and life-supporting situations, working side by side with physicians, nurses and others on the health care team. You will treat patients ranging from newborns to senior citizens. Your expertise will be in demand and opportunities to expand your knowledge and skills will be great.
The Respiratory Care Program is a 2-year, 5-term, full-time day program consisting of specialized courses offered in a specific sequence. Graduates of the program are awarded an Associate Degree in Applied Science and are eligible to apply for the National Board for Respiratory Care (NBRC) Certification and Registry Examinations.
Accreditation
The Respiratory Care Program at Tulsa Community College is nationally accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care (COARC), 1248 Hardwood Rd., Bedford, TX 76021, (817) 283-2835.
Admission to the Program
The Respiratory Care program generally accepts 20-25 students each year beginning in the fall term. The general education courses may be taken prior to being accepted into the program to lighten term course loads.
Program Application Instructions
- All prospective Respiratory Care students who have not been enrolled at TCC within the past year must complete an application for admission to the College and submit their high school transcripts, ACT scores, and previous college transcripts to the Metro Campus Student Completion Services office at 909 South Boston, Tulsa, OK 74119. Incomplete submissions will not be considered for admission into the Respiratory Care Program. Admission to Tulsa Community College does not guarantee admission to the Respiratory Care Program.
- Applications to the Respiratory Care program must be completed online at tulsacc.edu/healthscienceapply by April 15. For more information, contact the Department of Allied Health office at (918) 595-7002.
Program Admission Requirements
A selection committee reviews all applications. Qualified applicants will be granted an interview with the Respiratory Care Program faculty. Qualified applicants are then ranked from the highest to the lowest score according to an established point system. The top 20-25 applicants are selected for the next fall semester class and are notified of their selection by the first week of May. The selection criteria are based upon the following:
- Cumulative GPA
- ACT/SAT Composite Score
- High School GPA (if less than 12 college credit hours)
- Math and/or Science GPA
- Math and Science ACT/SAT Score
- Interview
- BIOL 1314 - Human Anatomy and Physiology is a prerequisite course and must be taken prior to acceptance into the program.
- An extensive criminal background check, including but not limited to a seven-year county of residence nationwide criminal history check, national sexual predator screening, Social Security check, and Medicare/Medicaid fraud screening is required by all clinical affiliates. All Allied Health students participating in clinicals are required to complete these background checks, immunizations and a drug screening test by the Department of Allied Health office deadline prior to the first clinical rotation. Any positive findings may be subject to review by the clinical affiliates and could prevent the student from completing clinical requirements.
Contact Information
Program Director
Peggy Spears, MSRRT
918-595-7015
peggy.spears@tulsacc.edu
Additional Information Available
Program Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of this program you will be able to:
- Apply oxygen therapy concepts to relevant patient situations.
- Perform endotracheal suctioning while assessing the patient’s response to the procedure.
- Perform bronchodilator therapy using a small volume nebulizer while assessing the patient’s response to therapy.
- Make appropriate ventilator setting changes based on the patient’s physiologic responses.
- Recommend diagnostic and therapeutic procedures after assessing patient data from laboratory and physiologic evaluations.
Careers
Search careers in Respiratory Care at TCC Career Explorer and visit TCC Career Services to learn more about our free career planning and job preparation services.
Student Organizations
AARC (American Association of Respiratory Care) and NN2RC (National Network of Associate Degree Respiratory Care)
Degree Requirements
View a semester-by-semester course plan of study on the Respiratory Care Degree Map.
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