Respiratory Therapy

School of Health, Wellness & Public Safety

CONTACT INFORMATION

Program information is available from the Ask CNM Contact Center at (505) 224-3000 or go to cnm.edu.

Program Description

Respiratory care is an allied health profession specializing in diagnostic testing, therapeutic treatment and critical care support for patients suffering from life-threatening or chronic cardiopulmonary diseases. Under medical direction, Respiratory Therapists assess and treat patients, monitor and evaluate cardiopulmonary function, perform diagnostic testing and maintain life-support systems for patients in critical care settings. The curriculum includes classroom, laboratory and supervised clinical instruction covering cardiopulmonary anatomy, physiology and pathophysiology, therapeutic treatments, cardiopulmonary diagnostic technology, critical care and life-support technology for adults, children and infants, respiratory home care and pulmonary rehabilitation. The CNM Respiratory Therapy Program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Educations Programs (CAAHEP) and the Committee on Accreditation for Respiratory Care (CoARC) and prepares graduates for the Certification (CRT) and Registry (RRT) credentials by the National Board for Respiratory Care (NBRC) and for Licensure (RCP) by the State of New Mexico Respiratory Care Board.

Special Requirements

Starting in 2012, the Respiratory Therapy program will be designated as a Limited Entry Program at CNM. Students who wish to pursue the Respiratory Therapy program will need to apply and be accepted before they can start the program. Please refer to the Office of Limited Entry Programs for information about application requirements, selection criteria, and deadlines.   .

Career and Educational Opportunities

Graduates of the CNM Respiratory Therapy Program are employed by acute care hospitals, transitional care hospitals, home health care agencies, skilled nursing homes and cardiopulmonary rehabilitation centers within New Mexico and throughout the nation. The CNM program has a high placement rate for its graduates. Graduates can attain specialty credentials through employment training in specialized areas of cardiopulmonary care. They are also encouraged to continue education toward a bachelor of science degree in respiratory therapy, general science, education or management to pursue leadership positions in the field.

Exit competencies (see Program Exit Competencies  ) for this program of study are available at cnm.edu/exitcomp.

For the graduation policy refer to the Moving On  section, cnm.edu or the Students tab in my CNM.