Clinical Health Professions

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Chase Poulsen, PhD, RRT-NPS, ACCS
Chair, Department of Clinical Health Professions
Professor & Program Director Respiratory Therapy Entry to Practice 
540-985-1392(Office)
540-224-4785 (Fax)
cpoulsen@radford.edu

• Respiratory Therapy (Entry to Practice and Degree Advancement Tracks)
• Emergency Services (Initial Certification and Degree Advancement Tracks)

Respiratory Therapy (Pre Licensure Entry to Practice Track)

Mission

The mission of the Respiratory Therapy Program is to prepare professional, ethical, knowledgeable, competent, and compassionate Registered Respiratory Therapists (RRT).

Goals

To prepare graduates with demonstrated competence in the cognitive (knowledge), psychomotor (skills), and affective (behavior) learning domains of respiratory care practice as performed by registered respiratory therapists (RRTs).

To prepare leaders for the field of respiratory care by including curricular content with objectives related to the acquisition of skills in one or more of the following: management, education, research and advanced clinical practice (which may include an area of clinical specialization).

Outcomes

Demonstrate competence in the cognitive (knowledge) learning domain of respiratory care practice as performed by registered respiratory therapists (RRTs).

Demonstrate competence in the psychomotor (skills) learning domains of respiratory care practice as performed by registered respiratory therapists (RRTs).

Demonstrate competence in the affective (behavior) learning domain of respiratory care practice as performed by registered respiratory therapists (RRTs).

Develop a research foundation to promote leadership in the respiratory therapy field.

Develop managerial skills to promote effective leadership in the respiratory therapy field.

Accreditation

The Respiratory Therapy Pre-Licensure Entry to Practice Track, CoARC program number 200312, Baccalaureate degree, Roanoke campus, is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care (www.coarc.com).

The CoARC accredits respiratory therapy education programs in the United States. To achieve this end, it utilizes an ‘outcomes based’ process. Programmatic outcomes are performance indicators that reflect the extent to which the educational goals of the program are achieved and by which program effectiveness is documented.

The CoARC’s outcomes webpage - https://coarc.com/students/programmatic-outcomes-data/

Background

The Respiratory Therapy Program is a four-year program distributed over nine semesters. Foundational courses are delivered within the first two years. The blend of classroom, laboratory, and clinical components is designed to prepare students for careers as Respiratory Therapists. Respiratory Therapy courses begin in the junior year and are interspersed with other foundational courses. 

Admissions Requirements

• Radford University Admission Requirements   
• Internal and external (transfer) students must complete all coursework within the first two years of the plan of study with a cumulative GPA of 2.5 or above to progress to junior status
• Any deviation from this policy must be approved by the Program Director.​

Program Requirements

Essential Mental Abilities:

• Follow instructions and rules
• Apply basic mathematical and algebraic skills without the use of a calculator.
• Demonstrate safe practice within the defined clinical time.
• Critical thinking ability sufficient for clinical judgment and for making quick lifesaving decisions.

Essential Communication Skills:

• Speak clearly in order to communicate with patients, families, healthcare team members, peers and faculty.
• Interpersonal abilities sufficient to interact with diverse individuals, families, and groups.
• Ability to independently read and accurately interpret written communications (i.e., test questions, MD orders, etc.)

Essential Physical Abilities:

• Gross and fine motor abilities sufficient to provide safe and effective care.
• Stand and walk for eight to twelve hours/day.
• Bend, squat, kneel, and twist upper and lower back.
• Assist in lifting or moving clients of all age groups and weights.
• Perform CPR (i.e., move above patient to compress chest and manually ventilate patient). 
• Use hands for grasping, pushing, pulling, and fine manipulation.
• Auditory abilities sufficient to hear alarms, beepers, pagers, or phones.  
• Ability to withstand sudden alarms, sounds, and flashing lights.
• Auditory abilities to monitor breath sounds with a stethoscope 
• Visual abilities to distinguish calibrated markers on related equipment, determine depth of instrumentation placement, and read small print on medicine containers.
• Tactile ability sufficient for physical assessment.

Professional Behavior

• Demonstrates safety and honesty in all situations.
• Incorporates professional and ethical standards, including the Patient Bill of Rights, and the AARC Statement of Ethics and Professional Behavior.
• Demonstrates professional demeanor (e.g., dress code and smoking policies per college and program handbook, respect for others, accepts criticism, cooperative, controls temper, attentive, and uses professional language).

Respiratory Therapy is a licensed profession. Licensing within a state requires a comprehensive background check on individuals attempting to practice within said state. If an individual believes that there are circumstances that could prevent licensure, they should make an appointment with the Program Director or Student Affairs.

Graduation Requirements 

In order to graduate from the Respiratory Therapy Program all students must:

• Complete the Plan of Study and pass all required Biology and RETH courses with a letter grade of “C” or “P” (Pass).
• Pass all Clinical Competencies
• Pass the NBRC – Therapist Multiple Choice Exam Self-Assessment Exam*
• Pass the NBRC – Clinical Simulations Self-Assessment Exam*

*Threshold set by faculty member teaching corresponding course.

Advising Tips 

Students wishing to decrease their course load in the Junior and Senior years may take non-RETH courses prior to beginning the first semester of their junior year of the program.  Your academic advisor will assist you in the personalization of the plan of study.

Respiratory Therapy (Degree Advancement Track)

Douglas Wright, PhD, RRT, RRT-ACCS
Associate Professor and Degree Advancement Program Director  
540-985-1551(Office)
dwright1@radford.edu

Program Goal

To provide graduates of entry into respiratory care professional practice degree programs with additional knowledge, skills, and attributes in leadership, management, education, research, and/or advanced clinical practice that will enable them to meet their current professional goals and prepare them for practice as advanced degree respiratory therapists.

Outcomes

Design research, critically analyze literature, apply appropriate methods, interpret data, and communicate effectively and ethically in written and verbal form.

Apply diverse teaching methods, design effective instruction, and adapt strategies to improve student engagement and learning.

Demonstrate effective leadership and management skills, make strategic decisions, motivate teams, and manage organizational change to achieve goals.

Admission Requirements

Graduation or anticipated graduation (within one term) from an accredited Associate of Science (AS) or an Associate of Applied Science (AAS) in Respiratory Therapy with a GPA of 2.5 or above.

Accreditation

The Degree Advancement Respiratory Therapy program at Radford University is accredited through the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) and the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV). Radford University is currently in the process of seeking CoARC accreditation for this degree advancement program. However, Radford University can provide no assurance that accreditation will be granted by the CoARC.

Graduation Requirements:

Complete the plan of study with a minimum of 120 credit hours of which a minimum of 30 credit hours must be taken through Radford University

Complete all RETH coursework with a letter grade of “C” or higher

Obtain the RRT credential prior to graduation.

Emergency Services (Initial Certification and Degree Advancement Tracks)

Kari Whitney, MS, ATC, NRP
Program Director

Instructor
540-831-1795(office)
mkwithney@radford.edu

Mission

The mission of the Bachelor of Science in Emergency Services program is to prepare professionals to provide excellent patient care and to meet the challenges of the evolving field of emergency services.

The mission of the Paramedic education component of the Emergency Services Program is to prepare Paramedics who are competent in the cognitive (knowledge), psychomotor (skills), and affective (behavior) learning domains to enter the profession.

Goals/Outcomes

Graduates of the Bachelor of Science in Emergency Services program will be able to

• provide care to patients of all age groups and ethnicities,
• advocate for patients, 
• serve in a designated National Incident Management System (NIMS) command or staff position during incident operations,
• communicate effectively on an interprofessional team and with peers,
• analyze data and assess findings to formulate an appropriate plan of action,
• mitigate the hazard level of an incident scene,
• assess the need for and propose appropriate fire, injury, and/or illness prevention strategies,
• evaluate emergency services related research,
• exhibit caring, culturally competent behaviors in the delivery of services,
• value life-long professional development,
• participate in research processes in an emergency services organization

Accreditation

National Accreditation

The Emergency Services program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (www.caahep.org) upon the recommendation of the Committee on Accreditation for Emergency Medical Services Professions (CoAEMSP).

Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs
727-210-2350
www.caahep.org

To contact CoAEMSP:
Phone 214-703-8445
www.coaemsp.org

State Accreditation

The program is also accredited by the

Virginia Department of Health,
Office of Emergency Medical Services (VAOEMS)
1041 Technology Park Drive
Glen Allen, VA 23059-4500
Phone 804-888-9120

Background

The Bachelor of Science Degree in Emergency Services prepares graduates for entry-level clinical practice in emergency medical services while developing knowledge, skills, and abilities for future leadership roles. 

The Emergency Services Program offers two tracks:

1. Initial Paramedic Certification Track (E, A, L): This track prepares students to obtain their initial paramedic certification. Successful graduates will be eligible to sit for the national paramedic credentialing exam (NRP). Students seeking employment as paramedics with a fire department may be required to complete additional vocational training to obtain their firefighter certification, which is not offered at Radford University. The Initial Paramedic Certification track is offered on campus only.
2. Degree Completion Track (R, E, A): This track is designed for students already working in emergency services who want to broaden their career advancement opportunities by completing their bachelor’s degree in Emergency Services. Students pursuing this track should already have some college experience and may be eligible to receive institutional credit for possessing a national paramedic credential (NRP). This track is offered 100% online for those who qualify.

Admissions Requirements

• University admissions requirements   
• For Initial Paramedic Certification Track, must have current Virginia EMT-Basic certification (reciprocity is available from other states) prior to the start of the second semester
• Must be 18 years of age or older prior at the start of the second semester

Program Requirements - Initial Paramedic Certification Track

Paramedic Minimum Performance Standards

The emergency services provider must be a confident leader who can accept the challenge and high degree of responsibility entailed in the position.

Mental Demands

The paramedic must have excellent judgment and be able to prioritize decisions and act quickly in the best interest of the patient, must be self-disciplined, able to develop patient rapport, interview hostile patients while maintaining a safe distance. The paramedic must be able to function independently at an optimum level in a non-structured environment that is constantly changing.

Communication Demands

The paramedic must be able to recognize and utilize communication unique to diverse multicultural groups and ages within those groups.

Physical Demands

Aptitudes required for work of this nature are good physical stamina, endurance, and body condition that would not be adversely affected by frequently having to walk, stand, lift, carry, and balance at times, in excess of 125 pounds. Motor coordination is necessary because of uneven terrain; the patient’s, the paramedic’s, and other workers’ well-being must not be jeopardized.

Program Associated Costs (Excluding Tuition, Housing)
Note: all costs are estimates and are subject to change.

Graduation Requirements

The following requirements are placed on students for either continued progression in the program or eligibility to sit for national certification examination.

• Final grade of “C” or better in all required Emergency Services courses.
• Final grade of “C” or better in courses:  BIOL 310, BIOL 311, ENGL 111, or transfer equivalent courses from another institution.
• Successful completion of two (2) math proficiency tests. These tests are designed to assess basic math computation skills and the ability to calculate medication dosages.
• Successful completion of all requirements of the Student Minimum Competency Matrix and additional requirements on EMCE.
• Successfully meet all required clinical and field hours and skills competencies.
• Achieve a final summative affective evaluation of 2.5 or higher.
• Successful completion of a summative written and examination.
• Successful completion of a summative oral examination with the Program Medical Director.
• Completion of 120 credit hours of which a minimum of 30 credit hours must be taken at Radford University

Programs

*Programs may have different REAL designations based on the concentration(s) selected. Click on the major for more details.

• Emergency Services, B.S. (R, E, A) or (E, A, L)* - Radford University Carilion Site
• Respiratory Therapy, B.S. (R) or (R, A, L)* - Radford University Carilion Site

To graduate with a minor, a student must have a 2.0 or higher GPA in all courses required for the minor, and should be officially registered for the minor at least one semester prior to graduation. Courses used to fulfill major or minor requirements cannot be used to fulfill concentrations or option requirements within Interdisciplinary Studies.

• Emergency Services Minor (R, L)

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