Revised 3/2014

RTH 253 - Advanced Clinical Procedures III (3 CR.)

Course Description

Offers clinical instruction in advanced patient care practice. Clinical 15 hours per week.

General Course Purpose

This course is offered in the fourth semester of the respiratory therapy program. It is the second part of instruction in the critical care setting with emphasis on intensive respiratory care skills, maintenance of artificial airways, continuous mechanical ventilation, and physiologic monitoring.

Course Prerequisites/Corequisites

Prerequisites: Completion of the first three semesters of the RTH program with completion of RTH 296 or permission of the assistant dean. Students must demonstrate competence in advanced respiratory therapy instrumentation and adequate preparation for the course through successful completion of a written exam and clinical competencies prior to admittance into the course.

Course Objectives

Upon completion of this course the student should demonstrate proficiency in:

• initiation and maintenance of mechanical ventilation
• proper techniques for arterial puncture and arterial line sampling
• medical gas therapies for the critical care patient
• non-invasive monitoring techniques
• CPAP and/or BiPAP therapies
• Student is required to present a case study using PowerPoint
  • The presentation must include 1 table

Major Topics to Be Included

• patient assessment in the critical care setting
• mechanical ventilation
• weaning parameters
• non-invasive monitoring techniques
• specialty rotations as assigned