Department Information
Department of Allied Health Sciences
Lamb Hall
PO Box 70573
Johnson City, TN 37614
Phone: (423) 439-5050
Web Address: https://www.etsu.edu/chs/allied-health/
The Respiratory Therapist applies scientific knowledge and theory to practical clinical problems of respiratory care. Respiratory Therapists are qualified to assume primary responsibility for all respiratory care modalities. The Respiratory Therapist may be required to exercise considerable independent clinical judgment, under the supervision of a physician in the treatment of patients with respiratory dysfunction. The Respiratory Care Practitioner may perform the following respiratory care modalities: advanced airway management, pediatric and neonatal critical care, hemodynamic monitoring, metabolic cart studies, cardiopulmonary stress testing, and other advanced procedures.
Licensure requirements for respiratory care practitioners vary according to state statutes. In Tennessee, practitioners are required to pass the national examinations for certified and/or registered respiratory therapist respectively. Students entering the online degree completion program for Respiratory Therapy should be licensed or license-eligible as Respiratory Therapists.
Online Degree Completion Program Admissions Requirements
Students seeking admission to the Respiratory Therapy Degree Completion program must meet the following criteria:
- College GPA of 2.5 or better on a 4.0 scale on all transferable credit;
- Transcript(s) - proof of graduation from an accredited allied health professional program in Respiratory Therapy or hold certification in respiratory therapy;
- Licensed or eligible for professional licensure in the discipline.
Students that have successfully completed an Associate of Applied Science in Respiratory Therapy are eligible for enrollment into the online BS completion program. Regular meetings with the academic advisor for this program are strongly recommended.
Retention/Progression Policy
If a student receives a grade of C- or below in a required course in the major, the student must retake the course and meet the C or better requirement.
Prerequisites for Respiratory Therapy Program
It is recommended that students complete HSCI 2230 - Introduction to Microbiology (4 credits) /HSCI 2231 - Introduction to Microbiology Laboratory (0 credit) or a course that is transfer equivalent at another institution prior to enrolling in the online program, as this course is not currently offered online at ETSU.
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