Respiratory Therapy Program Details
Questions? Contact Us!
Amy Boeckmann, MPA, BS, RRT
Program Chair
ajboeckmann@dmacc.edu
515-964-6378
With a DMACC Respiratory Therapy Degree, you can make a significant difference in the lives of individuals that have difficulty breathing caused by trauma, asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) among other conditions.
The DMACC Respiratory Therapy program qualifies for the last-dollar scholarship. The program accepts new students each fall semester and requires 5 semesters including a variety of learning environments such as classroom, laboratory, simulation and 780 clinic hours. Students will gain experience in a variation of clinic opportunities preparing students to fill the high demand. Clinical sites include UnityPoint Des Moines, MercyOne, VA, Mary Greeley, Broadlawns and more!
Graduates are eligible to take the national credentialing examinations for licensure, which is required to practice in any state. Students average 2-3 courses each semester through the program and most program courses are scheduled in the mornings.
- Meet with Program Chair of the Respiratory Therapy program
- Submit to Admissions office evidence of high school graduation or GED completion prior to enrollment.
- Submit to Admissions office of successful completion in MAT 156 - Statistics
- Submit to Admissions office evidence of grade "C" or above in both BIO 168 - Anatomy and Physiology I and BIO 173 - Anatomy and Physiology II, or BIO 164 - Essentials Anatomy/Physiology
- Submit to Admissions office evidence of successful completion in ENG 105 - Composition I.
- Submit to the Admissions office evidence of successful completion of SDV 108 or SDV 109
- Must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.5 or higher in required program entry requirement courses and cannot be on Academic Probation. All prerequisite courses must be completed with a grade of “C” or better.
What is a Respiratory Therapist?
- Healthcare worker
- Treat people with breathing or cardiopulmonary problems
- Assess and evaluate patients then treat based on consultation with a physician
Respiratory Therapy vs. Nursing
- Specialized in heart and lungs
- Daily variety in assignments and patients
- No wait list for program entry
- No entry exam for program entry
- Utilization of complex lifesaving equipment and technology
Duties/Responsibilities
- Aerosol Therapy
- Suctioning
- Mechanical Ventilation
- Arterial Blood Gases
- Intubation/Extubation
- ECG
- Bronchoscopy
- ECLS (ECMO)
- Pulmonary Function Testing
- Mucus Clearance
- Polysomnography
- CPR
- Education
Additional Resources
The DMACC Respiratory Therapy Program (#200218) awards an AAS degree to graduates of the program at the Ankeny location and is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care (CoARC)
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. View outcomes.
Program Goal:
To prepare graduates with demonstrated competence in the cognitive (knowledge), psychomotor (skills) and affective (behaviors) learning domains of respiratory care practice as Registered Respiratory Therapists (RRTs).
All graduates of the DMACC respiratory therapist program have been employed in the profession.
- New students are accepted each fall semester.
- The program requires a firm understanding of basic math.
- Health records must be current to attend clinic.
- Background Check could limit program completion.
- Learning opportunities include a simulation, 750+ hours of clinic at area healthcare facilities, didactic and lab learning.
- The first semester is heavy in didactic and laboratory learning. Clinic rotations start the second semester of the program and continue to the 5th and final semester of the program. Clinic days are in addition to the scheduled classes.
- The majority of Respiratory Therapy classes are during the morning hours.
- There is a significant amount of learning time required outside of scheduled class and clinic time.
- Students are supervised by licensed respiratory therapist during clinic rotations. During clinic hours, students are expected to perform skills that have been previously learned in respiratory courses.
I chose the DMACC Respiratory Therapy program because I see it as an excellent stepping stone toward a career in respiratory research. After completing my undergraduate studies in Biochemistry at Drake University, I wanted to build on my passion for helping others breathe better, particularly because I have asthma. The RT program at DMACC has allowed me to explore different areas where Respiratory Therapists can work and identify potential fields needing further research.
Rachel DuBose - Respiratory Therapy Graduate
Helping other have always been my passion. Being respiratory therapist, I would be a frontline helper to the people that have breathing issues with various diseases and conditions. As far as the program goes, DMACC has lower fees, great group of professors and staff who goes extra miles to help student succeed.
Tejen Adhikari - Respiratory Therapy Graduate