Respiratory Care (AAS)

• The program goal is 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).
• The respiratory care program prepares graduates to be competent in delivery of therapeutic procedures in acute care settings, in performing diagnostic procedures, and in performing rehabilitation therapeutic procedures. The respiratory care program also prepares graduates to assist physicians in the diagnosis of cardiopulmonary disorders, provide emergency cardiopulmonary care in the emergency room, and implement therapist driven protocols in the practice of respiratory care.
• Program Highlights
• The Respiratory Care Program offers both day and evening cohort program offerings. Experienced faculty offers industry expertise which includes whole patient population age range from labor and delivery, neonatal, pediatric, adult, geriatric and terminal care, diagnostic and clinical procedures, emergency, critical care, and transport services. The program offers state-of-the-art equipment in hospital simulated settings. Students will gain experience with equipment offered within college-affiliated hospitals.
• Credentials and Careers
• The course of study for the respiratory care program is a 66-credit hour (six continuous semesters) Associate of Applied Science degree. The respiratory care program prepares graduates for the credentialing examinations administered and awarded by the National Board for Respiratory Care (NBRC).
• Areas for employment of respiratory care professionals include acute care hospitals, sub-acute care hospitals, rehabilitation hospitals, hyperbaric medicine, home care facilities, and physician offices. Specialties within the profession include adult critical care, neonatal/pediatric care, air and ground transport therapy, pulmonary function technology, and sleep technology.
• Transferability
• General education courses (Core) are designated for easy transfer to Texas public institutions and applicable to requirements at private and out-of-state institutions.
• Technical coursework may be transferrable to other institutions.
• Please consult with a program advisor for more information about transferability.

• Students must demonstrate college-level readiness in reading, writing, and math, as evidenced by LSC approved exam scores showing placement into ENGL 1301 - Composition & Rhetoric I and MATH 1314 - College Algebra or higher or completion of developmental co-requisites.
• The following must be completed with a minimum grade point average of 2.0 ENGL 1301 - Composition & Rhetoric I
• BIOL 2401 - Human Anatomy & Physiology I
• PSYC 2301 - General Psychology
• Submit official transcripts from all colleges attended other than LSC.
• Complete an application to the respiratory care program: https://webapps1.lonestar.edu/healthoccupationsonlineapp/
• Complete Health Sciences Reasoning Test (HSRT).
• Submit writing sample per writing prompt given during the application process.
• Application and all required documents must be submitted before the specified application deadlines.
• Admission is limited to twenty-four (24) stu­dents.
• Students are reviewed and selected by the admissions committee using the following criteria:
• Scoring of all academic courses applying to the degree plan using a numeric scale. See link for Scoring Chart: http://www.lonestar.edu/departments/respiratorycare/Respiratory%20Care%20Application%20Sample%20Scoring%20Chart%202019.pdf
• Completion of previous degrees https://webapps1.lonestar.edu/healthoccupationsonlineapp/
• HSRT scores
• Writing Sample
• Points are deducted for retakes of academic courses.

• This award requires 66 credit hours in total; the course list below is the 65 credit hours specific to it.
• Lone Star College reports 2448 contact hours for this award.
• Where the course list shows "Choose N credit hours", those courses are the options for one elective slot, not additional requirements.

• Administer and implement safe, effective respiratory care under supervision of department managers, respiratory therapists, and physician direction.
• Establish and maintain effective interpersonal relationships and be able to function interdependently with health personnel.
• Advise when appropriate and/or intervene when medical outcomes are at risk.
• Gather information and utilize critical thinking skills to effectively make appropriate bedside decisions.

• Tuition shown is the in-district rate of $111.00 per credit hour for 66 credit hours.
• Out-of-district Texas residents pay $249.00 per credit hour ($16,434.00); international and out-of-state students pay $313.00 per credit hour ($20,658.00).
• Lab fees vary by course and liability insurance, uniforms and supplies vary by program, so Lone Star College publishes no all-in total for this award. Tuition above excludes them.
• Financial aid and payment plans are available to most students.
• Application fee: none. Lone Star College applications are free.

• Upon completion of the Respiratory Care Program https://www.lonestar.edu/respiratory-care-dept-kingwood.htm , students are eligible to sit for the Therapist Multiple Choice Exam (TMC) administered by the National Board of Respiratory Care (NBRC).
• The NBRC and/or respective State licensing agencies might not admit applicants with a history of convictions, chemical dependence and/or mental illness for the credentialing examination. The NBRC has no legal authority over respiratory students until an application for credentialing is filed with the NBRC. Therefore, the NBRC and/or State licensing agencies cannot give an opinion as to the admittance of a student, prior to filling out the application. LSC policy: http://www.lonestar.edu/ConsequencesCriminalConviction.htm

A Background Check is required upon admission. Students with a criminal history will be referred to the Texas Medical Board for guidance.

The Lone Star College-Kingwood (CoARC program #200338), Associate in Applied Science program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care ( www.coarc.com ). 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. Programmatic Outcomes can be found at this link: http://coarc.com/students/programmatic-outcomes-data/.

• The Student Success Course Requirement is satisfied through successful completion of RSPT 1201.
• The Respiratory Care Program will be offering a part-time, evening program, effective Fall 2025. Please refer to the program website link below for information about the part-time program.
• Respiratory Care Program