RCC’s Respiratory Therapy achieves 100% pass rate
Graduates of the Respiratory Therapy program at Robeson Community College have something to celebrate – the 2021-2023 cohort obtained a 100% pass rate on the National Board of Respiratory Care, an entry-level examination, to become Registered Respiratory Therapists. Some graduates are also opting to take the Advanced Practitioner exam, which will open up more advanced opportunities in Respiratory Therapy.
“We are really excited that our students excelled on the National Board for Respiratory Care examination,” stated Kelli Heustess, the program director for Respiratory Therapy at RCC. “This is great news for our recent graduates and our program, which shows the high standards that we set academically in the classroom and through our partnership with our clinical sites to prepare students to enter the workforce.”
“These students started this program in the midst of the pandemic when there was a shortage of respiratory therapists… for many the pandemic is what inspired them to go into this field of medicine,” Heustess added.
Graduates of the Respiratory Therapy degree may find employment at hospitals, clinicals, nursing homes, education, industry, and home care. Throughout the duration of the two-year program, students seek to master patient assessment and treatment of cardiopulmonary diseases, which include life support, monitoring, drug administration, and treatment of patients of all ages in a variety of settings.
“We really push our students to go above and beyond, to not just settle for passing the courses but to really become one of the best providers they possibly can for their patients,” stated Danyelle Miray, an instructor for the Respiratory Therapy program. “This achievement of a 100% pass rate demonstrates that all of our students worked hard to raise the bar.”
All nine have obtained employment as Registered Respiratory Therapists at local hospitals.
“We congratulate each student on their accomplishments,” Heustess said. “We are extremely proud of them. They were all registered by June 5th.
“Our students have worked hard over the last two years, and we celebrate with them on becoming Registered Respiratory Therapists,” Miray said. “We wish them much success as they work their way up through a career in healthcare.”
The Respiratory Therapy program at Robeson Community College is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Respiratory Care (CoARC). For more information, please contact Kelli Heustess at (910) 272-3400 or kheustess@robeson.edu or Danyelle Miray at (910) 272-3399 or dmiray@robeson.edu. You may also visit them on the web at https://www.robeson.edu/healthsci/resp.
