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/
Accredited by:
Committee on Accreditation for Respiratory Care (CoARC)
1248 Harwood Rd.
Bedford, TX 76021-4244
(817) 283-2835
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.
Upon successful completion of the requirements for the Respiratory Therapy degree, students are eligible to apply for admission to sit for two examinations administered by the National Board for Respiratory Care. Candidates are required to pass the Certified Respiratory Therapist entry-level examination as a prerequisite to the clinical simulation advanced practitioner examination to become a Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT).
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.
Traditional Program
Admission Requirements
Students must be admitted to both the university and to the program, requiring separate application processes. Admission into the Respiratory Therapy program is a competitive selection process. Admission to the university does not guarantee entrance into the program. Application to the Respiratory Therapy program requires submission of the online application form, transcripts, written essay, and observation hours by the annual deadline of June 1.
Health Professions Interest Path: Prior to admission to the Respiratory Therapy program, students with less than 60 earned credit hours should declare a Health Professions Respiratory Therapy Interest major as they complete prerequisite courses and Compass Core requirements. Students with more than 60 earned credit hours may not stay in this major code with an overall GPA below 2.5. Because of the competitive nature of the Respiratory Therapy program, students who have below a 2.5 overall GPA after 30 attempted credit hours are advised to transition out of the Health Professions Respiratory Therapy Interest major.
Expenses
In addition to the usual registration and tuition, students are required to purchase items such as scrubs, lab coat, stethoscope, medical scissors, malpractice insurance, background check, drug screening, annual flu vaccinations, professional certifications (BLS, ACLS, PALS, & NRP), various seminars and conferences, board preparation seminars, and organizational memberships. Expenditures for these items are approximately $1,200 and are the responsibility of the student. Fundraising is optional.
Retention/Progression Policy
In order to progress in this major, a student must maintain a grade of C or better in each required course in the major to remain in the program. If a student receives a grade of C- or below in one required course in the major, the student must apply for admission to a new entering class, retake the course and meet the C or better requirement. This policy applies to only one course and its repeat.
If problems arise during any semester, whereby students are unable to uphold their academic standing, it is their responsibility to seek academic counseling from the course instructor and/or the counseling center on the main ETSU campus.
Progression status will be evaluated at the close of each semester for students receiving less than a C.
Students who are dismissed from the respiratory therapy program will be evaluated by the respiratory therapy program faculty to determine the feasibility of readmission. Students who wish to seek readmission must reapply to the Respiratory Therapy Program during the next admission cycle. Students who are dismissed from the respiratory therapy program are only eligible for readmission once. No student can be readmitted if dismissed for academic misconduct or behavioral issues.
Reentry: Students who withdraw from the respiratory therapy program in good standing must submit a letter to the Respiratory Therapy Program Director outlining their plan to reenter the respiratory therapy program. This letter will be reviewed by the Respiratory Therapy Program Admissions Committee and may be accepted based on admission criteria and available clinic placements. Students who are approved for reentry are required to work with the Respiratory Therapy Program Director to develop an individualized reentry plan to identify gaps in knowledge and demonstrate competency prior to enrolling in the requested semester. Failure to comply with or complete the individualized reentry plan will result in permanent dismissal from the respiratory therapy program.
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