When most people think about respiratory care, they think about helping someone breathe. But for respiratory therapists, that’s only the beginning.
They work alongside physicians, nurses and other health care professionals, caring for patients from premature infants to adults. They manage ventilators, assess patients and respond when breathing becomes difficult or even life-threatening. At Delta College, students begin preparing for those moments early.
Hands-on learning
Respiratory care students spend about seven weeks building a foundation in the classroom before beginning clinical rotations during their first semester. From there, what they learn in lectures and Delta’s hands-on lab quickly connects to caring for real patients.
See the program in action and hear from the students and faculty who know it best
in Delta's Respiratory Care spotlight video.
“Being able to apply what you learn right away has a big advantage,” student Alec
Mendoza said. “You jump into clinicals after a couple months of bookwork, and everything
starts to fall into place.”
Mentored by healthcare professionals
Back on campus, a lab designed to mimic a hospital gives students access to the technology they can expect to encounter as entry-level respiratory therapists. Faculty members bring their own professional experience into the classroom, using real-world scenarios to prepare students for more than just an exam.
“They let you practice anytime you want, and they make sure you’re doing it right and you’re doing it consistently,” student Carlee Swaton said. “They’re not going to let you fail.”
For Bryan Graybill, director of clinical education, that connection is especially important.
“Delta College has an established, reputable program, which is the primary feeder for a large number of hospital systems in the area,” Graybill said. “Our community is reliant on our graduates.”
Get started
For students ready for a hands-on career in health care, respiratory care offers the opportunity to turn what they learn at Delta into work that matters, one patient at a time.
Explore Delta’s Respiratory Care program at delta.edu/programs.
By Mikaila Bluew, writer & editor
