Respiratory Care

• Fort Hays Tech | North Central selects a maximum of ten (10) students for the Respiratory Care Program each year. Acceptance of students into the Respiratory Care Program is dependent upon available openings. Applicants should apply as early as possible; however, the program will continue accepting applicants until maximum capacity for the program is filled.  Students that turn in their applications prior to November 1st are eligible for early admission. If the student meets all the required criteria (listed below) and has applied with all of the necessary completed documents, they will be admitted into the program. Late submission is any application received after November 1st Late submission students must meet the required criteria and will be subject to the point system scale if more than 10 students apply.  Students are accepted annually into the program with courses beginning in August  
• The respiratory care applicant must take the Test of Essential Academic Skills (TEAS) entrance examination for purposes of placement in the program. 
  • A minimum score of 50.0% or higher on the total score is required.   
  • The TEAS may be repeated a total of 4 times.  A minimum of 28 days between each attempt is required.    
  • If the applicant achieves the required score on the TEAS and has not used all the attempts allowed, they may retake the exam to attempt a higher score.   
  • The applicant must pay each time the test is taken.    
• All applicants must have a 2.5 GPA or better in completed general education courses required for the program. All required information must be in the official file maintained by the Respiratory program Director before the application is reviewed. Responsibility for completing the information rests entirely with the applicant.
• Criminal conviction may jeopardize eligibility for licensure.     

Class Selection: The following table indicates the scoring criteria that will be used for the selection process.  

• Classes will be selected by the highest-ranking applicants. The process also used to select applicants for the wait list.   
• Class selection will be finalized and those selected will be notified in February.     
• If the class is not full, the admission process will continue past January until the required enrollment is met.       

Applicant Obligations    

• A physical examination and health history is required. All required immunizations must be current. The physical form will be emailed following class selection with a deadline for submission of the completed document prior to any clinical experiences.     
• Applicants must provide evidence of current CPR certification through American Heart Association prior to any clinical experiences. The student is responsible for maintaining certification throughout the respiratory program.     
• Applicants must obtain a drug screen. These results must be sent directly to the Director of Respiratory Care from the laboratory/ testing center. If a result is positive, the student must provide a statement from the prescribing provider of expected positive result/ prescribed medication. If unable to provide this, the applicant is no longer eligible for the current academic year and may apply for the following academic year.     
  • Online Fort Hays Tech | NC Admission Application and TB Questionnaire   
  • Online Application: As you contemplate applying for admission to the Respiratory program, please be aware that Fort Hays Tech | NC partners with multiple health systems and healthcare providers to provide clinical experiences. These clinical partners may require all students to have received the COVID-19 vaccine before being allowed to begin their on-site experiences. As a result, unvaccinated students could be precluded from participating in such experiences, which could impact their completion of program requirements.   
  • Background check form.  Online signed Technical Standards Policy: will add to website  
  • Online Completion of Scholarship and Grant Applications   
  • Submission of Vaccination Records  

In addition, the student should do the following:   

• Completion of designated prerequisite courses.  
• Request a transfer of official college transcript(s). All transcripts from other colleges must be requested by the student and sent directly to the Fort Hays Tech | NC Registrar's Office.   
• Interview with a Program Faculty member. The interview will be scheduled by a Respiratory Care Program Director.   
  
  It is the responsibility of the applicant to make sure all application materials are received in the Respiratory Care department in a timely manner by following up with their faculty advisor. 

The technical standards have been established through consideration by faculty and consultation with the following sources: The Vocational Rehabilitation Act; The Americans with Disabilities Act; Guide for Occupational Information; Dictionary of Occupational Titles; and the Occupational Skills Standards Project from the National Health Care Skills Standards Projects.   

1. Physical Demands: must display medium strength rating, per the Dictionary of Occupational Titles, recommends exert 20 to 50 pounds of force (occasionally: up to 1/3 of the time), and/or 10 to 25 pounds of force frequently:  2/3 of the time, and/or up to 10 pounds of force constantly: 2/3 or more of the time to move objects.   
2. Motor Skills: Must possess sufficient motor function to elicit information from patients by palpation, auscultation, percussion, and other evaluation procedures. Must execute motor movements including the physical/dexterity strength to stand and ambulate and possess the physical/dexterity strength to lift and transfer patients. Candidates must also have the physical strength to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation.   
3. Coordination: Procedures require coordination of both gross and fine muscular movements, equilibrium, and functional use of the senses touch and vision. Must have manual dexterity and engage in procedures involving grasping, pushing, pulling, holding, manipulating, extending and rotation.   
4. Sensory/Observational Skills: demonstrations and participates in laboratory experiments. Must be able to observe patients and obtain an appropriate medical history from the patient or guardian.  Requires functional use of vision, hearing, and other sensory modalities. Must have visual perception including depth and with clarity.   
5. Communication Skills:  must be able to communicate in English effectively and sensitively with patients.  In oral and hand-written form with faculty, allied health personnel, and peers in the classroom, laboratory, and clinical settings. Sensitive to multicultural and multilingual needs.  Must have the ability to complete reading assignments, search and evaluate literature, complete written assignments, maintain written records and complete assessment exercises. Must also use therapeutic communication, such as attending, clarifying, coaching, facilitating, and touching.   
6. Intellectual/Conceptual, Integrative, and Qualitative Skills: ability to measure, calculate, reason, analyze, and synthesize data. Problem solving and diagnosis, including obtaining, interpreting, and documenting data, are critical skills demanded of respiratory therapists. Allowing students to make proper assessments, sound judgments, prioritize therapeutic interventions, and measure and record outcomes. Must have computers skills for searching, recording, storing, and retrieving information.   
7. Behavioral/Social Skills and Professionalism: attributes of empathy, integrity, concern for others, interpersonal skills, interest, and motivation. Must have the emotional well-being required for use of their intellectual abilities, sound judgment, prompt completion of all responsibilities to the evaluation and care of patients, development of mature, sensitive, and effective relationships with patients. Must adapt to constantly changing environments, demonstrate flexibility, and function in uncertainty and stresses of the educational process and clinical problems of patients.   
8. Professional conduct and appearance, maintain confidentiality within the respiratory scope of practice. Must be assertive, delegate responsibilities appropriately, and function as part of a respiratory therapy team. Such abilities require skills necessary to meet deadlines and manage time.  

Fort Hays Tech | North Central is committed to nondiscrimination on the basis of race, color, gender, ethnic or national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, religion, age, ancestry, disability, military status, or veteran status in admission or access to, or treatment or employment in, its programs and activities. Further, it is the policy of the college to prohibit harassment (including sexual harassment and sexual violence) of students and employees. Any person having inquiries concerning the college’s compliance with the regulations implementing Title VI, Title VII, Title IX, Section 504, and the Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act is directed to the VP of Student and Instructional Services (Section 504/ADA Compliance Officer and Title VI, Title VII, & Title IX Compliance Officer) at (785)7389055, cisbell@ncktc.edu, or PO Box 507, 3033 US Hwy 24, Beloit, KS 67420.    

Fort Hays Tech | North Central is committed to nondiscrimination on the basis of race, color, gender, ethnic or national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, religion, age, ancestry, disability, military status, or veteran status in admission or access to, or treatment or employment in, its programs and activities.

•  The Respiratory Care Program , CoARC program number200680, degree(s) awarded, and campus location holds Provisional Accreditation from the Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care (www.coarc.com). 
• www.COARC.com 
• https://coarc.com/students/programmatic-outcomes-data/  
• Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care 264 Precision Blvd Telford, TN 37690 (817) 283-2835  

Director of Clinical Education: TBD

Estimated Cost