Program Overview

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Respiratory Therapy Program

The mission of the WSU Department of Respiratory Therapy is to prepare graduates for the practice of respiratory therapy in a variety of health care settings. The program offers career mobility through an articulated ladder approach to respiratory therapy education.

Mission Statement

The mission of the WSU Department of Respiratory Therapy is to prepare graduates for the practice of respiratory therapy in a variety of health care settings. The program offers career mobility through an articulated ladder approach to respiratory therapy education. WSU respiratory therapy faculty provides education to a diverse population of students residing in urban and rural areas, building a foundation for life-long personal and professional learning at the Associate of Applied Science (AAS), Baccalaureate (BS) and Master's level (MSRT).

Goals

The stated goals of the Department of Respiratory Therapy at Weber State University are to:

• Prepare competent pre-professional and baccalaureate respiratory therapists (national credential eligible upon program completion) through traditional and satellite educational models.
• Ensure credentialing success and to demonstrate professionalism in respiratory care practices.
• The program utilizes rigorous selection criteria to admit students who have the technical and behavioral characteristics to succeed in the program.
• Continuous advising and mentoring procedures are in place to graduate appropriate numbers of practitioners to match employment needs in Utah and the region.

Student Learning Outcomes

Associate Degree

Within health science programs in institutions of higher learning, learning outcomes have been identified and are measured in three specific domains. Specific functions are regularly discussed in advisory meetings with employers (managers, directors, physicians, community members) in Utah and articulated to meet employment needs in the state and region.

• Cognitive skills (problem solving) are facts and concepts that respiratory therapists must know and apply in practice.
• Psychomotor skills (task competency) are performance-based activities encountered in laboratory and/or clinical settings.
• Affective skills (attitude) are measured in attitudes or motivations of students in exhibition of favorable behavioral traits and in developing empathy for patients.

For students enrolled in the Respiratory Therapy program at WSU, the program will:

• Prepare competent Respiratory Therapy practitioners meeting cognitive employer expectations (3 on a 1-5 Likert scale).
• Prepare competent Respiratory Therapy practitioners meeting psychomotor employer expectations (3 on a 1-5 Likert scale).
• Prepare competent Respiratory Therapy practitioners meeting affective skills as expected by employers (3 on a 1-5 Likert scale).
• Successfully credential 80% of graduating students at CRT level per CoARC threshold standards.
• Retain 60% of students selected into the Respiratory Therapy program per CoARC threshold standards.
• Place 70% of students within 6 months of program completion per CoARC threshold standards.

Bachelor Degree

Within health science programs in institutions of higher learning, learning outcomes have been identified and are measured in three specific domains. Specific functions are regularly discussed in advisory meetings with employers (managers, directors, physicians, community members) in Utah and articulated to meet employment needs in the state and region.

• Cognitive skills (problem solving) are facts and concepts that respiratory therapists must know and apply in practice.
• Psychomotor skills (task competency) are performance-based activities encountered in laboratory and/or clinical settings.
• Affective skills (attitude) are measured in attitudes or motivations of students in exhibition of favorable behavioral traits and in developing empathy for patients.

For students enrolled in the Respiratory Therapy program at WSU, the program will:

• Prepare competent Respiratory Therapy practitioners meeting cognitive employer expectations (3 on a 1-5 Likert scale).
• Prepare competent Respiratory Therapy practitioners meeting psychomotor employer expectations (3 on a 1-5 Likert scale).
• Prepare competent Respiratory Therapy practitioners meeting affective skills as expected by employers (3 on a 1-5 Likert scale).
• Successfully credential 80% of graduating students at CRT level per CoARC threshold standards.
• Retain 60% of students selected into the Respiratory Therapy program per CoARC threshold standards.
• Place 70% of students within 6 months of program completion per CoARC threshold standards.

Curriculum Design

The Respiratory Care curriculum uses a competency-based approach to learning. The learning objectives are carried out in 65 credit hours (minimum) of professional coursework evaluated in three phases (cognitive, psychomotor, affective domains of learning) that integrate individual course and curricular objectives.

Program and Contact Information

The Respiratory Therapy program (REST) at Weber State University is a state, regional, and national leader in respiratory care curriculum and education. The program maintains continuing accreditation by the Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care (CoARC). Annual reporting is conducted for program outcomes pertaining to four student cohorts located in Ogden, WSU-Davis, SLC, and in Provo, Utah at Utah Valley Regional Hospital.

Assessment Plan

Each year, the National Board of Respiratory Therapy TMC Report is run to identify graduate TMC scores by content area. Content areas below the national average trigger a review and revision of the curriculum. The review is completed annually.

Program Review

This information is part of the cyclical program review process. Details such as mission statements, learning outcomes, etc., are updated as part of the biennial assessment reporting process, an integral component of program review.