Respiratory Therapy

Background Check & Drug Test

If accepted, you will be required to complete a criminal background check, complete the health requirements, and perform drug testing before starting clinical courses. Wisconsin law requires background checks of persons who provide care for others or have access to people who receive care. This law applies to Blackhawk Technical College Health Sciences Division students. For more information about the background check, view the Criminal Background Check Information (PDF).

In accordance with Wisconsin Caregiver Background law, applicants with a criminal history may be denied placement by clinical affiliates or ineligible for national certification examinations. Applicants with any criminal background are strongly advised to meet with the program faculty and/or program advisor.

Academic Preparedness

Students must enroll in the program and take the following courses prior to moving to core ready status:

The Respiratory Therapy program complies with the American with Disabilities Act (ADA), and consistent with the ADA, this Essential Functions list provides the framework to relate functional ability categories and representative activities/attributes to any limitations/deficits in functional abilities. These standards shall be used by the Respiratory Therapy program to make decisions related to the ability of the respiratory therapy student to perform the essential functions of respiratory therapy.

Disability Resources Information

Gross Motor Ability

• Move within confined spaces
• Sit and stand to maintain balance
• Reach above shoulders and below waist

Fine Motor Ability

• Pick up large and small objects with hands
• Grasp/pinch/squeeze small objects with hands or fingers
• Write clearly and neatly with pen or pencil
• Use a computer
• Twist or turn knobs with hands
• Adequate manual dexterity as to be capable of maintaining sterility\

Physical Endurance

• Stand at client's side during procedure
• Sustain repetitive movements
• Maintain physical tolerance throughout 8 hour shift
• Work and complete tasks at a reasonable pace

Physical Strength

• Relocate 25 lbs., push/pull/roll 60 lbs.
• Move objects weighing 10-50 lbs.
• Carry equipment/supplies
• Squeeze with hands

Body Mobility

• Twist, bend, stoop and squat
• Move quickly
• Climb ladders/stools/stairs
• Walk

Hearing

• Hear faint to normal speaking sounds
• Hear faint body sounds (i.e., breath and heart sounds)
• Hear auditory alarms, telephones
• Hear sounds via stethoscope

Visual

• Visually assess clients
• See object up to 20 inches away and see object more than 20 feet away
• Use peripheral vision
• Distinguish color and color intensity
• See emergency lights/lamps

Tactile

• Feel vibrations (i.e., pulses)
• Feel difference in surface characteristics (i.e., palpate artery/vein)
• Detect client temperature and environmental temperature

Smell

• Detect odors from client
• Detect smoke, gas or noxious smells

Reading

• Read and interpret physicians' orders
• Read and understand written documents
• Read very fine or small print

Arithmetic

• Read and understand columns of writing, digital displays and graphic printouts (i.e., flow sheets)

Calibrate equipment

• Convert numbers to metric
• Tell time and measure time (duration)
• Count rates (i.e., pulses, breathing rate)
• Use measuring tools (i.e., thermometer, scales)
• Able to perform basic arithmetic functions; add, subtract, multiply, divide, compute fractions, use a calculator and record numbers

Emotional Stability

• Establish therapeutic boundaries
• Provide client with appropriate emotional support
• Adapt to changing environment/stress
• Deal and cope with the unexpected (i.e., crisis, grief)
• Focus attention on task despite distractions
• Perform multiple responsibilities concurrently
• Show appropriate compassion through communications

Critical Thinking Skills

• Transfer/extrapolate knowledge from one situation to another
• Process information
• Evaluate outcomes
• Problem solve, prioritize tasks
• Use long and short term memory
• Identify cause-effect relationships
• Plan/control activities for others
• Synthesize knowledge and skills
• Sequence information

Interpersonal Skills

• Negotiate interpersonal conflict appropriately
• Respect differences in clients and co-workers
• Establish rapport with clients and co-workers
• Work effectively with physicians, staff, clients and clients' families

Communication Skills

• Teach (i.e., client, family, co-worker)
• Speak clearly and distinctly
• Explain procedure
• Interact with others
• Direct activities of others
• Convey information through writing (i.e., progress notes)

Graduation from a Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care (CoARC)  accredited program is a requirement for respiratory therapy technician licensure in the state of Wisconsin and passing the National Board for Respiratory Care (NBRC) to become a Certified Respiratory Therapist (CRT) or Registered Respiratory therapist (RRT). Blackhawk Technical College is currently seeking program accreditation from CoARC.

Upon successful completion of this program, you will be able to:

• Apply respiratory therapy concepts to patient care situations
• Demonstrate technical proficiency required to fulfill the role of a Respiratory Therapist
• Practice respiratory therapy according to established professional and ethical standards