Respiratory Care - BS
St. Catherine University is one of the few institutions in the upper Midwest to offer a bachelor's degree in the field of Respiratory Care. The Respiratory Care Major is offered in five consecutive semesters (including a summer session) for students in the College for Women. The Respiratory Care Major is also available to students matriculating in other Associated Colleges of the Twin Cities (ACTC). Respiratory Care Majors receive individualized advising to facilitate timely completion of their professional and liberal arts and science courses.
The Respiratory Care Program curriculum integrates the respiratory care courses with liberal arts and science backgrounds to provide students with a well-balanced depth of knowledge. This diverse foundation will prepare students to function as a competent professionals in their daily interactions with patients in various healthcare settings. Students will learn the essential knowledge and skills required of a Respiratory Therapist in courses such as the following:
- Respiratory Care Fundamentals
- Pathophysiology in Respiratory Care I & II
- Cardiopulmonary Critical Care I & II
- Respiratory Care Clinical Applications (series of courses)
- Respiratory Care Clinical Specialty
With over 800 possible hours of clinical experiences in critical care, neonatal and pediatric intensive care, pulmonary diagnostics and rehabilitation, and long-term acute care, students actively collaborate with faculty and clinicians to develop well-honed respiratory care skills, critical thinking strategies, leadership skills, and professional communication skills. Clinical practicums are scheduled at nationally renowned metropolitan healthcare facilities such as HealthEast, Fairview/M Health, Park Nicollet, HealthPartners, Allina, North Memorial Medical Center, Hennepin Health, and Children's Hospitals of Minnesota.
St. Kate's Respiratory Care graduates are prepared to provide skilled patient care, influence the quality of healthcare services, promote cardiopulmonary health, and assume advanced positions in the profession. Upon graduation, most respiratory therapists are employed in acute care hospitals.
Graduates of the respiratory care program are eligible to take the National Board for Respiratory Care (NBRC) credentialing examinations. Upon receiving a low threshold passing score on the NBRC Therapist Multiple Choice (TMC) Exam, graduates are awarded the Certified Respiratory Therapist (CRT) credential. This allows graduates to apply to the Minnesota Board of Medical Practice to work as a licensed respiratory therapist in the state of Minnesota. Upon receiving a high threshold passing score, graduates are able to take the second of two board exams, and after passing the second exam, the Clinical Simulation Exam (CSE), they are awarded the Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT) credential.
The St. Catherine University Respiratory Care Baccalaureate Degree Major (St Paul, Minnesota) is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care https://coarc.com
The Respiratory Care Department requires that students apply to enter the Respiratory Care Major. Applications are accepted year-round (or until the program is full) in the year proceeding the year a student wishes to begin the program of study.
Respiratory Care Major Admissions Process:
- Students are required to apply to the respiratory care major and must have completed 30 credit hours with a minimum overall GPA of 2.5, including prerequisite courses.
- All prerequisite and supporting courses must be completed with a C (2.0) or better grade (and cannot be taken for S/U grading)
- Prerequisite transfer coursework will not be accepted if it is greater than 10 years old
Readmission Timeline Policy:
We understand and support students who may have had to stop out of the program due to health, grades, life circumstances, etc. If this occurs we do allow a student to readmit once into the program where they left off if space allows.
However, due to the changing nature of Respiratory Care a student must complete our program in three years’ time. If a student must stop out of the program for more than one academic year this student must re-enroll as a new student from the beginning of the curriculum. This statement is also subjective to if there are any curricular changes, they could also be subject to retaking coursework already passed.
The Program Director will be able to help you with these answers if a readmission were to be requested.
This major is offered in the College for Women only.
Curriculum
A minimum grade of C is required for all courses: respiratory care courses, prerequisites, and required supporting courses.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Required Courses | ||
| RESP 2110 | Cardiopulmonary Physiology | 2 |
| RESP 2120 | Fundamentals of Respiratory Care | 6 |
| RESP 2130 | Pharmacology | 2 |
| RESP 3110 | Clinical Applications I | 2 |
| RESP 3120 | Pathophysiology in Critical Care I | 2 |
| RESP 3220 | Pathophysiology in Critical Care II | 2 |
| RESP 3230 | Clinical Applications II | 6 |
| RESP 3300 | Cardiopulmonary Critical Care I with Lab | 4 |
| RESP 3330 | Clinical Applications III | 4 |
| RESP 3400 | Cardiopulmonary Diagnostics | 2 |
| RESP 4115 | Clinical Specialty I | 4 |
| RESP 4300 | Cardiopulmonary Critical Care II | 4 |
| RESP 4310 | Neonatal/Pediatric Respiratory Care | 2 |
| RESP 4800W | Senior Seminar | 4 |
| Total Credits | 46 | |
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Prerequisite Courses | ||
| BIOL 2200 | Introduction to Microbiology with Lab | 4 |
| BIOL 2610 | Human Anatomy and Physiology I with Lab | 4 |
| BIOL 2620 | Human Anatomy and Physiology II with Lab | 4 |
| Select one of the following: | 4-8 | |
| General Chemistry for Health Sciences with Lab | ||
| General Chemistry I with Lab and General Chemistry II with Lab (recommended) | ||
| IPE 1030 | Healthcare Teams Foundations and Medical Terminology | 2 |
| Total Credits | 18-22 | |
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Required Supporting Courses | ||
| IPE 4200W | Healthcare Teams - Evidence-Based Practice | 4 |
| PHIL 3400 | Biomedical Ethics | 4 |
| Select one from: | 4 | |
| Statistical Analysis for Decision Making | ||
| Biostatistics | ||
| Statistical Methods in Psychology | ||
| Statistical Analysis | ||
| Total Credits | 12 | |
The required supporting courses may be completed prior to beginning the respiratory care major or during the completion of course work in the major. The timely completion of these supporting courses is required for progression in the respiratory care major.
Respiratory care majors satisfy the Writing Requirement for Majors and the fourth writing requirement by completing RESP 4800W Senior Seminar and IPE 4200W Healthcare Teams - Evidence-Based Practice . They complete the Liberal Arts and Sciences Core Writing Requirement with two other writing-intensive courses (CORE 1000W The Reflective Woman and CORE 3990W Global Search for Justice).
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Fall Term | ||
| CHEM 1010 | General Chemistry for Health Sciences with Lab 1 | 4 |
| or CHEM 1110 | General Chemistry I with Lab | |
| Spring Term | ||
| IPE 1030 | Healthcare Teams Foundations and Medical Terminology | 2 |
| Select one from: | 4 | |
| Statistical Analysis for Decision Making | ||
| Biostatistics | ||
| Statistical Methods in Psychology | ||
| Statistical Analysis | ||
| Fall Term | ||
| BIOL 2610 | Human Anatomy and Physiology I with Lab | 4 |
| Spring Term | ||
| BIOL 2200 | Introduction to Microbiology with Lab | 4 |
| BIOL 2620 | Human Anatomy and Physiology II with Lab | 4 |
| Fall Term | ||
| PHIL 3400 | Biomedical Ethics | 4 |
| RESP 2110 | Cardiopulmonary Physiology | 2 |
| RESP 2120 | Fundamentals of Respiratory Care | 6 |
| RESP 2130 | Pharmacology | 2 |
| Spring Term | ||
| RESP 3110 | Clinical Applications I | 2 |
| RESP 3120 | Pathophysiology in Critical Care I | 2 |
| RESP 3300 | Cardiopulmonary Critical Care I with Lab | 4 |
| RESP 3400 | Cardiopulmonary Diagnostics | 2 |
| Summer Term | ||
| RESP 3230 | Clinical Applications II | 6 |
| Fall Term | ||
| IPE 4200W | Healthcare Teams - Evidence-Based Practice | 4 |
| RESP 3220 | Pathophysiology in Critical Care II | 2 |
| RESP 3330 | Clinical Applications III | 4 |
| RESP 4300 | Cardiopulmonary Critical Care II | 4 |
| RESP 4310 | Neonatal/Pediatric Respiratory Care | 2 |
| Spring Term | ||
| RESP 4115 | Clinical Specialty I | 4 |
| RESP 4800W | Senior Seminar | 4 |
| Total Credits | 76 | |
- 1
Or CHEM 1110 (fall) and CHEM 1120 (spring)