B.S.R.T. Respiratory Therapy (First-Professional Program)
Nova Southeastern University Undergraduate Programs
Key Information
Campus location
Fort Lauderdale, USA
Languages
English
Study format
On-Campus
Duration
4 years
Pace
Full time
Tuition fees
USD 33,510
Application deadline
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Earliest start date
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Scholarships
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Introduction
Breathe Life into the Patients You Care For
You can be the one who literally helps breathe new life into a patient. Respiratory therapists are critical health care workers who possess the skills to assess, diagnose and treat patients who have difficulty breathing. This includes everything from helping patients with respiratory conditions, like chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and asthma, to attending to emergency situations that require the use of a life support machine. Respiratory care is a growing health care field that is rewarding professionally and personally.
Nova Southeastern University’s entry-level Respiratory Therapy program covers the fundamentals of respiratory therapy, cardiopulmonary physiology, and other specialized areas. As a student in this program, you’ll learn in high-tech simulation suites equipped with the same mechanical ventilators and equipment you’ll find at hospitals and other health care facilities around the country. A 10-bed intensive care unit with video conferencing features helps to prepare you to handle the most critical situations—you’ll experience real-life hospital emergencies in these simulation suites without the pressure of having a professor over your shoulder. You’ll be prepared for an emergency situation before you ever touch a real patient.
Why Should You Major in Respiratory Therapy at NSU?
- Earn more than 1,200 hours of professional, clinical experience in the field.
- NSU’s B.S. in Respiratory Therapy (BSRT) First-Professional program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care (CoARC).
- Your clinical rotations offer experience with a variety of patients and essential care settings.
- Four simulation suites (two adults, one pediatric, and one infant) equipped with the same technology used in hospitals and other health care settings.
- Learn from specialists from throughout NSU’s network of health care programs.
- Participate in NSU’s Clinic Exploration Program, which offers opportunities to shadow medical professionals on the job in many of NSU’s medical and health clinics.
- Obtain your degree in two years as a full-time student at NSU’s Palm Beach Gardens campus.
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Admissions
Scholarships and Funding
Curriculum
Pre-requisites (subject to change without notice)
Prerequisite credit may be transferred into Nova Southeastern University from a regionally accredited college or university. The Office of Transfer Evaluation Services will review all courses for equivalence.
- Humanities
- Social/Behavioral Sciences
- Math (higher than level 1040 one of which must be College Algebra)
- Written communication @ 1500 level or higher
- *Human Anatomy & Physiology I w/ Lab
- *Human Anatomy & Physiology II w/ Lab
- *Microbiology w/lab
- *General Chemistry w/lab
*These courses will meet the Natural and Physical Science General Education requirement of 6 credits.
Highly Recommended Courses
- Genetics
- Organic / Inorganic Chemistry w/ lab
- Physics
NSU Professional Curriculum
- Medical Terminology for Respiratory Therapy
- Cardiopulmonary Anatomy & Physiology
- Fundamentals of Respiratory Care w/Lab
- Respiratory Basics & Patient Assessment w/Lab
- Statistics & Principles of Scientific Literature Evaluation
- Clinical I (One 8 hour day/wk. for 16 weeks)
- Pulmonary Disease
- Pharmacology for Respiratory Therapy
- Mechanical Ventilation w/Lab
- Legal and Ethical Considerations in Respiratory Care
- Clinical II (Two 8 hour days/wk. for 12 weeks)
- Patient Monitoring w/lab
- Cardiopulmonary Diagnostics and PFT w/Lab
- Human and Infectious Disease (non-pulmonary)
- Clinical III (Two 8 hour days/wk. for 16 weeks)
- Neonatal/Pediatric Respiratory Care w/Lab
- Cardiopulmonary Technology and Specialties
- Alternate Respiratory Disciplines
- Clinical IV (Two 12 hour days/wk. for 16 weeks)
- Leadership and Management in Respiratory Care
- Clinical Seminar I
- Healthcare Research and Evidence-Based Practice
- Specialization Clinical V (Three 12 hour days/wk for 10 weeks)
- Clinical Seminar II
Experiential Learning/Internships
During your undergraduate studies, you’ll have a number of hands-on opportunities to gain real-world experience in clinical rotations and in NSU’s simulation suites.
Additionally, NSU’s Clinic Exploration Program (CEP) offers students the opportunity to shadow medical professionals on the job in many of NSU’s medical and health clinics. Program participants gain a broad perspective that shows how various medical fields work together and a practical, up-close review of several medical career options.
All undergraduate students may take part in CEP, no matter what major they pursue. Each rotation lasts two hours per week, for three weeks. Because this is a volunteer program, member commitments are flexible and voluntary.
Career Opportunities
An In-Demand Health Care Field with Multiple Options
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, careers in respiratory care are expected to grow at a much faster rate than the average for all occupations, due to an aging population. With your respiratory therapist degree, you can care for patients of different ages and clinical conditions. Your options for practice range from neonates to geriatrics, hospitals to community centers, and research to education.
Average Starting Salary
The average annual salary for respiratory therapists in May 2019 was $61,330. *
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Shark Destinations
You’ll find alumni of NSU’s respiratory therapy program at health care facilities like Holtz Children's Hospital and Joe DiMaggio Children's Hospital. *
*Data provided by NSU’s Office of Career Development.