Are you looking for a rewarding career helping patients of all stages of life?
Respiratory therapists evaluate, treat and care for patients of all ages, from premature infants with underdeveloped lungs to elderly people suffering from chronic breathing and other cardiopulmonary conditions.
You'll work under the supervision of a physician, administering respiratory therapy to patients with chronic illnesses such as asthma or emphysema. You'll also assist in emergencies when life-support treatment is needed. Respiratory therapists set up, operate and monitor devices that provide oxygen or medicine in the form of a mist or gas to patients. You must be able to see and hear well, have mechanical ability and manual dexterity to work with machines and be able to be on your feet most of the day.
The Respiratory Care program offers students a combination of strong classroom preparation and rigorous clinical experience in a wide variety of healthcare settings. Graduates are trained to care for patients with heart and lung diseases.
Our program is designed to meet the evolving healthcare needs of our diverse community and our faculty is committed to a student-centered approach to teaching and learning that focuses on the development of evidence-based, ethical and collaborative practice among our graduates and student.
A Career in Respiratory Care
As a Respiratory Therapist, you can make a difference in the lives of others. It is a challenging and rewarding profession with strong projected employment growth.
Graduates of the Respiratory Care program are actively recruited and employment opportunities are generally found in health care settings, including:
- Medical Centers
- Hospitals in emergency rooms, adult, pediatric and newborn intensive care units, open heart units, cardiopulmonary rehabilitation and air transport
- Rehabilitation Centers
- Skilled Nursing Facilities
- Home Care Agencies
- Physician Offices
- Sleep Laboratories
- Medical Sales
Selective Admissions
Respiratory Care is a selective admissions program. To be accepted, you must meet additional requirements beyond general acceptance to the college.
Curriculum
See learning outcomes and required courses for the Respiratory Care program.
Explore ProgramResources
Learn More About Your Campus Program
Contact
Nancy LaRoche-Shovak, MS, RRT
Program Coordinator, Respiratory Care
Phone: 860-512-2714
Email: nancy.larocheshovak@ctstate.edu
Brita Chambers, MEd, RRT
Director of Clinical Education, Respiratory Care
Phone: 860-512-2716
Email: brita.chambers@ctstate.edu
Accreditation
CT State Manchester has been recognized with the Distinguished Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT) Credentialing Success Award from the Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care (CoARC). The award recognizes Manchester’s superb pass rate on the RRT credentialing exam. The campus’s program has previously been recognized by CoARC in 2016, 2017, 2018, 2020, 2021 and 2022.
The CT State Manchester Respiratory Care Program (A.S. degree) is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care. Information about COARC can be obtained by visiting www.coarc.com. CT State Manchester program number: 200044.
Contact
Betty Joseph-Jerome, RRT, MBA, MPH
Program Director, Respiratory Care
Phone: 203-596-8662
Email: betty.josephjerome@ctstate.edu
Accreditation
The CT State Naugatuck Valley Respiratory Care Program (A.S. degree) is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care. Information about COARC can be obtained by visiting www.coarc.com. CT State Naugatuck Valley program number: 200460.
Contact
Tracy Walker
Interim Program Director, Respiratory Care
Phone: 203-857-6917
Email: tracy.walker@ctstate.edu
Accreditation
The CT State Norwalk Respiratory Care Program (A.S. degree) is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care. Information about COARC can be obtained by visiting www.coarc.com. CT State Norwalk program number: 200090.