bronchial treeUA Respiratory Therapy Program Mission

The Mission of the University of Akron's (UA) Respiratory Therapy program is to prepare leaders for the field of Respiratory Care by including curricular content that includes objectives related to the acquisition of skills in one or more of the following respiratory areas; management, education, research, and/or advanced clinical practice (which may include an area of clinical specialization).  The UA Respiratory Therapy program is a baccalaureate degree that serves primarily a five (5) county region in Northeast Ohio and prepares students to become entry-level Respiratory Therapists as a member of the paramedical team for the overall care of a patient as well as instilling life-long learning values that will help our students in achieving their professional and personal goals.

Program Goals

The UA Respiratory Therapy program implements this mission through clearly defined program goals and learning outcomes that meet or exceed the Accreditation Standards for Entry into Respiratory Care Professional Practice through the Commission on Accreditation in Respiratory Care (CoARC).  The program follows the National Board for Respiratory Care (NBRC) content outline in the presentation of the Respiratory Therapy curriculum and prides itself on the professional behavior and clinical competency skills obtained by its graduates.  Well supervised clinical rotations through all phases of the curriculum provides UA students with the practical foundation to meet the job demands as an entry-level Respiratory Therapist.

The program goals are:

  • Students will develop technical skills and problem-solving skills to be clinically competent for routine and non-routine patients and procedures.
  • Students will obtain effective communication skills that affirm the dignity and worth of all patients, family members, and staff.
  • To prepare graduates with demonstrated competence in the cognitive (knowledge), psychomotor (skills), and effective (behavioral) learning domains of Respiratory Care practice as performed by Registered Respiratory Therapists (RRT).

Learning Outcomes

Respiratory Therapists are highly-skill professionals qualified by education to perform appropriate health care services at the direction of physicians.  The UA baccalaureate program combines classroom instruction with practical application of knowledge and skills necessary to provide respiratory services.  At the completion of the degree the student Respiratory Therapist will have achieved the following learning outcomes.

The Student/Graduate Respiratory Therapist will:

  • Provide appropriate respiratory assistance and therapy to patients whose pulmonary system is compromised.
  • Apply critical thinking skills for non-routine patients and procedures in the most efficient manner (e.g. trauma, age-specific, etc.) (Clinical Competency)
  • Employ appropriate verbal and written communication skill (Communication).
  • Successfully pass the National Board for Respiratory Care (NBRC) licensing examination on their 1st attempt and obtain Respiratory Therapy employment within twelve (12) months of graduation (Program Effectiveness).