ERIE COMMUNITY COLLEGE
NORTH CAMPUS
RESPIRATORY CARE PROGRAM
COURSE OUTLINE
A.
Unit code and suggested title:
RC110
Principles of Respiratory Care I
B.
Curriculum/Program:
Respiratory Care Program/655B
C.
Catalog Description:
This is an introduction course designed to build on the major concepts of practice for
the Respiratory Therapist. Topics include: An Introduction to Health Care and the
Profession, Medical Gas Storage and Delivery, Humidity and Aerosol Therapy, Lung
Expansion Theory, Basic Patient Assessment and Infection Control Procedures.
Pre-requisite: Matriculation in the Respiratory Care Program or permission of the
department. All Respiratory Care coursework must be taken in sequential order.
D.
Duration of Instructional Periods:
Two 1.5 hour classes a week for 15 weeks
E.
Academic Credit Hours: 3.0 hours
Contact Hours: 3.0 hours
(3-0-3)
F.
Suggested Text/Course Materials:
Egan’s Fundamentals of Respiratory Care,
10th Edition, by Robert Kacmarek, James Stoller, Albert Heuer, Elsevier, 2013
Workbook for Egan’s Fundamentals of Respiratory Care,
10th edition, by Stephen Wehrman, Elsevier 2013
G.
Course Outcomes:
Upon completion of this course, the student will be able to:
1.
Demonstrate an understanding of the profession of Respiratory Care and its impact
on the health care system.
a.
What elements constitute quality respiratory care
b.
What methods are used for monitoring quality of respiratory care delivery
c.
How respiratory care protocols enhance the quality of respiratory care services
d.
What disease management is
e.
What evidence-based medicine is
2.
Demonstrate an understanding of the safe and effective storage and delivery of
medical gases.
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
f.
g.
h.
i.
j.
k.
Which gases and gas mixtures are used clinically and how they are produced
What differences exist between gaseous and liquid storage methods
How to determine the contents of liquid and compressed gas cylinders
How to compute the duration of flow for compressed and liquid gas therapy
How to properly store, transport, and use compressed gas cylinders
How to differentiate gas supply systems
What to do if a bulk oxygen delivery system fails
What safety systems apply to various equipment connections
Which device to select to regulate gas pressure and control flow
How to assemble, check for proper function, and identify malfunctions in gas
delivery equipment
How to correct common malfunctions of gas delivery equipment
3.
Demonstrate an understanding of medical gas therapy
a.
When oxygen therapy is needed
b.
How to assess the need for oxygen therapy
c.
What precautions and complications are associated with oxygen therapy
d.
How to select an oxygen system appropriate for the respiratory care plan
e.
How to administer oxygen to adults, children, and infants
f.
How to check for proper function and to identify and correct malfunctions of
oxygen delivery systems
g.
How to evaluate and monitor a patient’s response to oxygen therapy
h.
How to modify and recommend modification of oxygen therapy on the basis of
patient response
i.
How to implement protocol-based oxygen therapy
j.
What indications, complications, and hazards apply to hyperbaric oxygen
therapy
k.
When and how to provide nitric oxide therapy
l.
When and how to administer helium-oxygen therapy
4.
Demonstrate and understanding of the humidity and bland aerosol therapy
a.
How airway heat and moisture exchange normally occur
b.
What effect dry gases have on the respiratory tract
c.
When to humidify and warm inspired gas
d.
How various types of humidifiers work
e.
How to enhance humidifier performance
f.
How to select and safely use humidifier heating and feed systems
g.
What indications, contraindications, and hazards pertain to humidification
during mechanical ventilation
h.
How to monitor patients receiving humidity therapy
i.
How to identify and resolve common problems with humidification systems
j.
When to apply bland aerosol therapy
k.
How large-volume aerosol generators work
l.
What delivery systems are used for bland aerosol therapy
m.
How to identify and resolve common problems with aerosol delivery systems
n.
How to perform sputum induction
2
o.
How to select or recommend the appropriate therapy to condition a patient’s
inspired gas
5.
Demonstrate an understanding of aerosol therapy
a.
What characterizes an aerosol
b.
How particle size, motion, and airway characteristics affect aerosol deposition
c.
How aerosols are generated
d.
What hazards are associated with aerosol drug therapy
e.
How to select the best aerosol drug delivery system for a given patient
f.
How to initiate and modify aerosol drug therapy
g.
What patients need to know to properly self-administer drug aerosol therapy
h.
How to assess patient response to bronchodilator therapy at the point of care
i.
How to protect patients and caregivers from exposure to aerosolized drugs
6.
Demonstrate an understanding of lung expansion therapy
a.
What causes various types of atelectasis
b.
Who needs lung expansion therapy
c.
What clinical findings are seen in atelectasis
d.
How lung expansion therapy works
e.
What indications, hazards, and complications are associated with the various
modes of lung expansion therapy
f.
What the primary responsibilities of the registered respiratory therapist (RRT)
are in planning, implementing, and evaluating lung expansion therapy
7.
Demonstrate an understanding of basic patient assessment
a.
Why patient interviews are necessary and what techniques are used for
conducting a patient interview
b.
What abnormalities in lung function are associated with common pulmonary
symptoms
c.
What abnormal breathing patterns indicate about underlying pulmonary
pathological conditions
d.
What terms are used to describe normal and abnormal lung sounds
e.
What mechanisms are responsible for normal and abnormal lung sounds
f.
Why is it necessary to examine the precordium, abdomen, and extremities in
the patient with cardiopulmonary disease
8.
Demonstrate an understanding of the principles of infection control
a.
Why infection control is an important fundamental in respiratory care
b.
How infection spreads between patients and among healthcare personnel
c.
How to select the best method for processing reusable equipment
d.
How and when to pasteurize respiratory care equipment
e.
How to select and apply chemical disinfectants for processing respiratory care
equipment
f.
How to select a method and prepare and sterilize respiratory care equipment
g.
How to monitor the effectiveness of sterilization procedures
h.
How to apply barrier and isolation procedures
3
i.
j.
H.
How to protect yourself and your patients from infection
What role you play in bacteriologic surveillance and hospital epidemiology
Program Competencies:
1.
Collect and evaluate existing pertinent clinical information and recommend
procedures to obtain additional data relative to Respiratory Care
(objectives 3, 4, 5, 6)
2.
Manipulate equipment by order or protocol (objectives 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8)
3.
Ensure infection control (objective 8)
4.
Perform quality control procedures for Respiratory Care equipment
(objectives 3, 4, 8)
5.
Maintain records and communicate information (objectives 3 & 4)
6.
Maintain a patent airway, including care of artificial airways (NA)
7.
Remove bronchopulmonary secretions (NA)
8.
Achieve adequate ventilator support (NA)
9.
Evaluate and monitor patient’s objective and subjective response to
Respiratory Care (objectives 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
10.
Recommend and independently modify therapeutic procedures based on
patient’s response (objectives 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
11.
Initiate and conduct pulmonary rehabilitation and home care within the
prescription (objectives 3, 4, 5, 6)
12.
Determine the appropriateness of the prescribed Respiratory Care plan and
recommend modifications when indicated (objectives 2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
13.
Initiate, conduct, or modify Respiratory Care techniques in an emergency
setting (objectives 3, 4, 5, 6)
14.
Act as an assistant to the physician performing special Respiratory Care
Procedures (objective 7)
15.
Demonstrate behavior consistent with the acceptable professional conduct
standards, such as appearance, quality of work, quantity of work, continuing
education, human relation skills, leadership skills, reading skills, writing skills,
and verbal communication skills (objectives 1 & 7)
4
I.
SUNY General Education Knowledge and Skills Areas: N/A
J.
ECC Learning Outcomes (LO):
2.
Critical Analysis and Reasoning ( objectives 2,3,4 and 6)
5.
Quantitative reasoning ( objectives 2,3,4,6 &7)
K.
Student Learning
K1.
Evaluation of Student Learning:
There will be 5 unit exams, each worth 15% of the final grade and 1
comprehensive final worth 25% of the final grade.
K2.
Assessment of Student Learning:
The Respiratory Care Program will assess student learning with this course
and all other Respiratory Care courses by evaluating several program review
instruments including course examinations, annual assessments on faculty
and coursework, capstone activities and post-graduation survey and
credentialing exam rates.
L.
Library Resources:
Students will be required to complete relative computer-assisted instructional
programs and/or clinical simulations pertinent to this course.
M.
Topical Outline:
WEEK
Introduction to the Course
Review Course Outline
1
Health Care and the Profession of
Respiratory Therapy
2
Storage and Delivery of Medical Gas
3
Indications of Oxygen and Hazards
4&5
Oxygen Delivery Services
6
Importance of Adequate Humidity
Relative Humidity Measurements
7
8
Indications for Aerosol Therapy
9
5
N.
Aerosol Delivery Devices
10
Lung Expansion Therapy
Indications and Techniques
11-12
Basic Patient Assessment
13
Infection Control
14
Final Exam
15
Proposal Prepared by: James Bierl, Professor/Department Head
Date Prepared: May 2014
Date Last Updated: May 2014
6