THE UNIVERSITY

East Tennessee State University, situated in Johnson City, Tennessee, is a state supported coeducational institution and one of the principal campuses governed by the Tennessee Board of Regents. Opening in 1911 as East Tennessee State Normal School, the institution experienced several name changes before achieving university status in 1963.

Today, ETSU is a multifaceted university with an enrollment of approximately 12,000 students and offers two-year, four-year, and graduate programs of study through nine colleges and schools.  ETSU's Division of Health Sciences, composed of the colleges of Medicine, Nursing, and Public and Allied Health, serves the state, region, and nation as a comprehensive academic health sciences center.

THE COLLEGE

The College of Public and Allied Health (CPAH) was established as the School of Health in 1959 and became operational in June 1960. Public and allied health courses have been offered since the mid-1940s. From this beginning, CPAH has grown until now it houses seven departments offering academic programs at the baccalaureate, masters, and doctoral degree levels.

The mission of the college is to integrate teaching, research, and service to create an environment conducive to quality education; to provide fundamental human and scientific understanding with applied experience necessary for lifelong learning in the health professions; and to promote a spirit of cooperation among members of the college.
 

THE DEPARTMENT

The Department of Allied Health Sciences, located at the Nave Center in Elizabethton (map), is a multidisciplinary department offering courses of study leading to the Bachelor of Science degree in Allied Health with concentrations in Cardiopulmonary Science and Radiography.

THE CARDIOPULMONARY SCIENCE PROGRAM

The Cardiopulmonary Science Program is administered in the Department of Allied Health Sciences. The Bachelor of Science (BSAH) degree provides the general education core and allied health core, cardiopulmonary didactic, and laboratory courses, and clinical internship education necessary for the advanced respiratory care practitioner (click here to see the AARC movie "Life and Breath" on the profession). 
 

*These prerequisite courses must be completed prior to being accepted into the Respiratory Therapy concentration in the fifth semester.  

W- Writing Intensive Course

O - Oral Intensive Course 

T - Technology Intensive Course 

ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS

To be considered for admission to the Bachelor of Science in Allied Health, applicants must meet the requirements for admission to ETSU. In addition, prior to being admitted to the professional core, applicants must complete the following program requirements:

• Maintain a college GPA of 2.5 or better on a 4.0 scale (developmental studies grades/quality points excluded);
• Complete prerequisite allied health courses (See Curriculum) as required by the cardiopulmonary science concentration obtaining a grade of "C -" or better in each course within the first two attempts by the time of admission to the professional core;
• Complete an additional minimum of 16 credit hours from the general education core (not including prerequisite courses) maintaining a college GPA of 2.5 or better on a 4.0 scale; and,
• A physical examination by a quality health care provider.

CAREER PREPARATION

To prepare for a career in respiratory care, you should attend and complete the requirements of a Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Program (CAAREP) accredited Respiratory Care Program. Upon completion of these requirements candidates are required to successfully complete three national board examinations before receiving the credential as a Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT). All respiratory care practitioners must be licensed in the state of Tennessee. In order to receive a Tennessee license, the practitioner is required to successfully pass the entry-level exam administered by the National Board for Respiratory Care (NBRC) within two years after completing a respiratory care program.

ACADEMIC ADVISING

Students interested in the respiratory care program at ETSU should direct inquiries to Dr. Don Samples, or Dr. Doug Masini at (423) 547-4900. Periodic advising is strongly recommended.

EXPENSES/FINANCIAL AID

Tuition and fees are published in the ETSU Schedule of Classes Bulletin. The student will incur the costs of tuition, room, board and books. In addition, each student is responsible for all expenses related to the clinical practicum including, but not limited to:  AARC membership, seminars, travel, housing, meals, tuition, uniforms, health and liability insurance, health screening, personal, and incidental expenses.

ROLE OF THE RESPIRATORY THERAPIST

The registered respiratory therapist (RRT) applies scientific knowledge and theory to practical clinical problems of respiratory care. The respiratory therapist is qualified to assume primary responsibility for all respiratory care modalities, including the supervision of certified respiratory therapist (CRT) functions. 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.  Graduates of this program (with clinical experience) may also pursue careers as certified (CPFT) or advanced pulmonary function technologists (RPFT), or neonatal-pediatric respiratory care specialists (NPS).

The respiratory therapist performs respiratory care modalities that include oxygen therapy, breathing treatments, humidity-aerosol therapy, pulmonary drainage procedures, mechanical ventilation, and cardiopulmonary resuscitation.  Respiratory care practitioners work in acute care hospitals with adults, premature infants and geriatric patients in surgical services, air and ground transport, multi-disciplinary nutrition teams, emergency department, neonatal/pediatric intensive care, and medical, cardiac, and surgical intensive care.  Practitioners may choose diverse working environments such as the diagnostic pulmonary laboratory, bronchoscopy laboratory, long-term acute care units, hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) units, or they may choose to work as a traveling therapist, home respiratory therapist, or pharmaceutical sales representative.

The respiratory therapist has a broad scope of practice in the hospital. Daily responsibilities include various respiratory care modalities in the treatment of pulmonary diseases and advanced critical care procedures. The respiratory therapist is also competent in the skillful use of advanced diagnostic tools to accurately diagnose the severity of respiratory dysfunction in neonatal, pediatric, adult, and geriatric patients.  

JOB OPPORTUNITIES

A national shortage of respiratory therapists has been identified. Studies have indicated that respiratory therapists are among the top 20 fastest-growing professions during the next 20 years. The future for respiratory therapists looks bright. Career opportunities are available throughout the country in rural and metropolitan areas. The need for the respiratory therapist's expertise is not limited to the hospital. Respiratory therapists can also work in nursing homes, long-term care facilities, physicians' offices, hospital administration, home care, traveling therapist, research, and in industry. The fastest-growing areas of employment for the respiratory therapist are outside the acute care setting.

FOR MORE INFORMATION

ETSU Office of Admissions (423) 439-4213

ETSU Office of Financial Aid (423) 439-4300, 439-4313

Department of Allied Health Sciences (423) 547-4900

Dr. Shane Keene, MS, MBA, CPFT, RRT-NPS, Perinatal-Pediatric Respiratory Care Specialist, Assistant Professor, Director of Clinical Education, Cardiopulmonary Science   (423) 547-4917

Dr. Douglas Masini,RPFT, RRT-NPS, FAARC-Perinatal-Pediatric Respiratory Care Specialist, Assistant Professor, Cardiopulmonary Science (423) 547-4916

Dr. Donald Samples, RRT - Chair of Allied Health Sciences and Associate Professor, Cardiopulmonary Science (423) 547-4905

Fax (423) 547-4921

APPLY FOR ADMISSION 

East Tennessee State University is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to award bachelor's, master's, educational specialist, doctor of education, Ph.D., and M.D. degrees.

The Cardiopulmonary Science Program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Program.

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East Tennessee State University is a Tennessee Board of Regents institution and is fully in accord with the belief that educational and employment opportunities should be available to all eligible persons without regard to age, gender, color, race, religion, national origin, disability, veteran status  or sexual orientation.  Printed by East Tennessee State University Press.  TBR 260-059-02 .2M   

East Tennessee State University makes available to prospective students and employees the ETSU security Information Report.  This annual report includes campus crime statistics for the three most recent calendar years and various campus policies concerning law enforcement, the reporting of criminal activity, and crime prevention programs.  The ETSU Security Information Report is available upon request from the Department of Public Safety, Box 70646 ETSU, Johnson City, TN 37614.  The report can be accessed on the Internet at::http://www.etsu.edu/dps/security_report.htm. 

Dr. Doug Masini, EdD. RRT/ Jennifer Bowman,  Copyright © 2004 East Tennessee State University, Department of Allied Health Sciences, All rights reserved.  Revised: August 17, 2004 .