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Pre-Professional Program

Cardiopulmonary science, also known as respiratory care, is an allied health profession whereby professionals are identified as respiratory therapists who provide for the diagnosis, treatment, management, preventive care, and rehabilitation of patients with cardiopulmonary abnormalities.

Patients who have asthma, chronic bronchitis, emphysema, cystic fibrosis, and coronary heart disease are commonly seen by respiratory therapists. The respiratory therapist works with patients in the critical care unit, emergency department, newborn nursery, outpatient clinic, critical care transport, home care, and alternate care centers.

Working with physicians and other health professionals, respiratory therapists assess the health status of clients, manage complex diagnostic and life support systems, maintain sophisticated monitoring devices, and routinely administer medications, as well as other procedures.

Note: Florida A&M University changed the program name from respiratory therapy to cardiopulmonary science in 1998.

Faculty

Director: Simmons, Mary
Director of Clinical Education: Woods, Kandy
Medical Director: Saint, David

Curriculum-The curriculum in cardiopulmonary science is designed to prepare students to become registered respiratory therapists. The curriculum is divided into two phases: a pre-professional curriculum and a professional curriculum. The professional phase consists of classroom, laboratory, and clinical experiences. The curriculum is structured to provide the necessary knowledge and clinical competence requisite to entry-level license and eligibility to registry credentials. All courses and comprehensive examinations in the professional phase must be passed in sequence with a “C” grade or better and/or acceptable score. Comprehensive examinations must be successfully completed to graduate.

Admission Process—To apply for admission into the professional curriculum, a grade of “C” or better is required in all pre-professional courses. Candidates must complete a Division of Cardiopulmonary Science application and 16 hours of clinical observation and inquiry to be considered and accepted for admission into the professional curriculum.

Clinical Education-The clinical education experience begins in the second semester of the professional curriculum. In this phase of the program, the student is expected to adhere to the curriculum, clinical policies and hospital regulations. Students are required to pay for and clear criminal background and finger print screening. Students are responsible for the purchase of uniforms and accessories needed as part of the educational experience.

Professional Credentials-A Bachelor of Science degree in cardiopulmonary science is awarded upon completion of the curriculum. Graduates are eligible to apply for the Florida Respiratory Care Practitioner License and/or Entry-Level Examination administered by the National Board for Respiratory Care (NBRC). Successful candidates will be eligible to apply for the Registry Examinations also administered by the NBRC.

Accreditation—The CPS Program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care (CoARC). CoARC #200321

Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care
1248 Harwood Road
Bedford, Texas 76021-4244
(817) 283-2835

Cardiopulmonary and Respiratory Links

• Respiratory therapist and the profession: http://www.aarc.org/career/
• American Association for Respiratory Care Links: http://www.aarc.org/links/links.asp
• Florida Society for Respiratory Care: http://www.fsrc.org/
• Promoting Heart and Lung Health: http://www.aacvpr.org/
• Accreditation of Respiratory Therapist Programs: Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care: http://www.coarc.com/
• Credentialing and Licensure of Respiratory Therapists: http://www.nbrc.org
• Honor Society for the Respiratory therapy profession: http://www.nbrc.org/Lambda/default.htm
• American Heart Association: http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=1200000
• Animated Lungs and Tutorials on the Cardiovascular System: http://www.innerbody.com
• About Lung Health: http://www.yourlunghealth.org/
• Lung Photographs: http://www.quitsmokingsupport.com/lungphotos.htm
• How Lungs and Sleep works: http://science.howstuffworks.com/sleep.htm
• Official CoARC Communication - Outcomes Data Published: http://www.coarc.com/47.html

Alternate Course Listing

Lower Division Courses

Upper Division Courses

Programs

• Cardiopulmonary Science, BS

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