Are you looking for a rewarding and in-demand healthcare career in Florida? Respiratory therapists are vital healthcare professionals who specialize in caring for patients with breathing difficulties and respiratory illnesses. With a growing demand for skilled respiratory therapists, exploring Respiratory Care Programs In Florida is a smart move for your future.
Students in a healthcare training program at State College of Florida, illustrating hands-on learning in allied health professions.
Respiratory therapists (RRTs) are licensed healthcare providers trained to manage patients of all ages with conditions ranging from asthma and COPD to pneumonia and critical respiratory failure. They work across diverse healthcare settings, including hospitals, long-term care facilities, outpatient clinics, sleep disorder centers, and home healthcare. Their expertise is crucial in managing life support equipment and providing essential respiratory treatments. The profession offers a competitive salary, often comparable to that of registered nurses and radiology technicians, making it a financially stable and fulfilling career path.
To address the current shortage of respiratory therapists in the healthcare sector, State College of Florida (SCF) has established a valuable partnership with St. Petersburg College (SPC). This collaboration brings together the strengths of both institutions to offer a robust respiratory care program. St. Petersburg College boasts a long-standing and highly respected Respiratory Care program in Florida, known for its state-of-the-art training facilities, advanced equipment, and exceptional student success rates on national certification exams. SPC graduates consistently achieve certification examination pass rates significantly higher than the national average, often by 20-30%.
This collaborative program allows students to complete their general education coursework at any SCF campus, providing flexibility and convenience. Clinical training, a crucial component of the program, will be conducted at hospitals and healthcare facilities in the Manatee and Sarasota regions, provided sufficient program enrollment. The specialized Respiratory Care courses are conveniently scheduled just one or two days per week at St. Petersburg College’s Health Education Center in St. Petersburg. Recognizing the needs of today’s learners, the program also offers online respiratory care classes, making it accessible to working adults and students with varied schedules. This flexible structure is specifically designed to accommodate the needs of adult learners of all ages seeking to enter or advance within the healthcare field.
For those interested in delving deeper into the specifics of the program, comprehensive information is readily available on the SPC website. Prospective students are encouraged to reach out to Steve Hardt, M.A., RRT, Program Coordinator at St. Petersburg College, at 727-341-3627 for further inquiries or to begin the application process.
Program Goal & Accreditation
The Respiratory Care Program is fundamentally aligned with the overarching philosophy and educational goals of the college. Its primary objective is to provide students with a well-structured learning experience that equips them with the essential knowledge, practical skills, and professional attitudes necessary to thrive as successful respiratory therapists.
Furthermore, the program is meticulously designed to ensure graduates demonstrate competency across the cognitive (knowledge-based), psychomotor (skill-based), and affective (behavioral) learning domains inherent in the practice of respiratory care as performed by Registered Respiratory Therapists (RRTs).
The St. Petersburg College Respiratory Care program, holding CoARC program ID number 200145 for its Associate in Science degree at the Health Education Center, holds accreditation from the Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care (CoARC) (www.coarc.com). CoARC is a recognized accreditation body ensuring high standards in respiratory care education. Their contact information is 1248 Harwood Road, Bedford, Texas 76021-4244, or by phone at (817) 283-2835. Accreditation signifies a commitment to quality and ensures that the program meets rigorous national standards for respiratory therapy education.
Program Entrance Requirements
Students participating in this collaborative program will complete their general academic coursework at any State College of Florida campus location. Specific entrance requirements include:
- Maintaining a minimum Grade Point Average (GPA) of 2.0 across all General Academic Requirements.
- Successful completion of all general education courses with a letter grade of ‘C’ or higher.
- Completion of at least 12 credit hours, specifically including:
- BSC 2085C w/lab (Anatomy and Physiology I with Lab) – 4 semester hours
- BSC 2086C w/lab (Anatomy and Physiology II with Lab) – 4 semester hours
- Successful fulfillment of the Computer Literacy requirement.
- Submission of a completed SPC Health Programs Application.
Post-Acceptance Requirements:
Upon acceptance into the program, students will need to fulfill the following requirements:
- Submission of a satisfactory physical and mental health statement from a licensed physician or nurse practitioner (specific form provided by the program).
- Completion of a criminal background check (form provided) and drug screening.
- Successful completion of the Basic Life Support for Health Professionals course or CPR for the Health Care Provider course, certified by the American Heart Association.
For more detailed information about the Respiratory Care Program, please contact Program Chair Steve Hardt, RRT at St. Petersburg College directly at 727-341-3627 or via email at [email protected].
Occupation Outlook
The field of respiratory therapy offers a promising career outlook. To gain deeper insights into the nature of the work, employment projections, and earnings expectations for respiratory therapists, please visit Learn More at the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The demand for respiratory therapists is projected to grow, making it a secure and impactful career choice.
