Respiratory Care Technical Standards

The Respiratory Care Program complies with all Americans with Disabilities Act requirements. Jackson State does not discriminate on the basis of disability in admission and access to academic programs, services or employment. Students with disabilities who want to request accommodations should contact the Disability Resource Center (DRC) inside the Counseling Office. It is the responsibility of the student to provide current, documented evidence of their disability to the DRC. For additional ADA information, go to the JSCC Disability Resource Center.

In keeping with the accreditation standards outlined by CoARC, all students must possess the physical and emotional abilities required of a respiratory therapist. These abilities include, but are not limited to, the following:

  1. Physical strength necessary to carry common objects, push or move common equipment, move and reposition patients in bed, perform CPR, etc.
    1. The student must be able to meet the physical demands of an eight/twelve-hour clinical shift.
  2. Bilateral manual dexterity required to assemble common equipment, perform skills such as intubation, arterial puncture, and assure cleanliness of all equipment used in providing respiratory care.
  3. Possess visual, auditory, and tactile sensory skills.
    1. Auditory ability to hear alarms, listen to breath sounds, measure blood pressure, etc.
    2. Visual acuity necessary to differentiate colored alarms, read information from various types of electronic monitors, record data onto electronic and print media, etc.
    3. Tactile sensory skills to conduct patient assessment.
    4. Visual and reading skills to enable review of existing patient data in the patient medical chart
  4. Verbal abilities to effectively communicate necessary information to others.
    1. Possess communication skills necessary to conduct patient interviews and explain planned therapy to the patient.
    2. Possess verbal and written skills to communicate information to appropriate members of the healthcare team.
    3. Possess a command of the English language necessary to effectively communicate verbally and in writing with patients, families and other health care workers. An English proficiency test may be required of those who use English as a second language.
  5. Perform the duties of a respiratory therapist under the stress of medical emergencies, death and dying, natural disasters, etc.
    1. The student must be able to initiate, conduct, or modify respiratory care techniques in an emergency setting.
    2. The student must be able to make accurate observations, perceive events realistically, and think clearly, objectively and rationally.
  6. Due to limited physical space in some clinical practice areas, the student must be able to fit into small spaces (such as between the patient’s bed and the equipment).