Respiratory Therapy Associate Degree Program

WHY CHOOSE A CAREER IN RESPIRATORY CARE?

Do any of the following sound like you?

You like helping people
You want to make a meaningful difference with your life
You like to "think on your feet"
You seek recognition, respect, and appreciation
You want the power to accomplish things and have a role in decision making
You are looking for challenging and rewarding work
You want a job with a good salary
You desire job mobility
You want a position that is in demand and need job security

If any, or all of the above, describe you, then respiratory therapy may be the right choice for you.

As a typical respiratory therapist working in a hospital, you will travel about the hospital, meeting and caring for patients of all ages, from newborn infants to the elderly. Following physician-approved protocols, therapists perform an assessment of each patient, develop a care plan, treat the patient, monitor patient response, and modify the care to meet the patient's needs. They routinely work in hospital intensive care units caring for patients on life support, making decisions that directly affect the patient's outcome. Patients in respiratory distress are invariably grateful when they can once again take a breath with ease! When a typical respiratory therapist reaches retirement, he or she has impacted the lives of literally thousands of patients and has the satisfaction of a career well spent!

In addition to working in hospitals, a growing number of therapists are employed at other sites such as physicians’ offices, outpatient clinics, and home health agencies. Some therapists specialize in such areas as adult critical care, newborn care, pediatric care, laboratory diagnostic testing, clinical research, patient transport, pulmonary rehabilitation, or home care. At the American Association for Respiratory Care website, http://www.aarc.org/, click on "How to be an RT" to learn more about what a career in Respiratory Therapy has to offer!

The US Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts employment of respiratory therapists will rise "faster than the average of all occupations." Specifically, the employment of respiratory therapists is projected to grow by up to 26% through the year 2014. This increase is expected because of the substantial growth in the elderly population and the increasing incidence of asthma and chronic lung disease. According to the 2005 American Association for Respiratory Care Human Resources Study, the projected average annual income for respiratory therapists working in the U.S. is $56,222. In this survey, the average annual income for beginning therapists was $41, 538. You can read more about the respiratory therapist career at the pahealthcareers.org web site.

To learn how you can become a respiratory therapist, click on the "drop down" box below to read about our program or contact:

Larry Vosburgh, Program Director
Mansfield University/Robert Packer Hospital School of Respiratory Therapy
Guthrie Square, Sayre, PA 18840
(570) 882-4513

Email: vosburgh_larry@guthrie.org