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Technical Standards

Respiratory Care Program Technical Standards

The UNMC Respiratory Care Program is dedicated to the education of students who possess the rigor and stamina to become competent and empathetic practitioners of respiratory care. As a student, you must achieve certain technical standards of first knowledge than skill to successfully complete an advanced degree in respiratory care. The student must achieve satisfactory performance in all academic courses, as well as outside “non-academic,” studies to provide a well-rounded education. The continuous evaluation process includes a curriculum involving physical, cognitive, and behavioral factors that are essential for the practicing respiratory professional. In addition to the standards listed below, view the College of Allied Health Professions distance education programs Technical Standards.

Observational

The act of using senses and visually observing a person to gain valuable information from a distance and at the bedside to integrate collected information for assessment and diagnosis and treatment planning.

Didactic Examples: Interpretation of the following: lectures, teamwork, interpreting diagnostic test results, and technology for learning.

Communication/Professionalism

The ability to engage in respectful and non-judgmental conversation with the patient, family, and interdisciplinary team. Professional communication occurs both verbally and non-verbally, and in written records.

Didactic Examples: Communicate and engage in classroom, laboratory, and simulation settings, orally, in writing, reading, interpretation of data/tables, figures, computer/technology literacy, and in interpersonal channels.

Cognitive/Critical Thinking

The student will use critical thinking to process, conceptualize theory, evaluate, apply, analyze, and synthesize gathered information to guide engagement with patient care and academic studies.

Didactic Examples: Applies high-level critical thinking to analyze research articles and utilize data to improve quality outcomes. Case Studies evaluation and application of evidence-based medicine in developing an education care plan for a specific pulmonary disease. Able to solve problems and generate new ways of processing or categorizing information.

Affective

The student follows the American Association for Respiratory Care Statement of Ethics and Professional Conduct at clinical and in the classroom. The student should be able to cope in high-stress situations within the classroom. The student demonstrates integrity, trust, honesty, and ethical behavior, at all times.

Didactic Examples: Acknowledge and respect the views of members of your class when working on group projects. Demonstrate an optimistic outlook when working through conflict with a fellow student. Cope with the constant rigors of a mentally and emotionally demanding program and seek help when under duress.

Physical and Sensory Function

The student must have sufficient motor and sensory function to perform a patient assessment including palpation, auscultation, percussion, breath sounds both gross and fine muscular movements, and functional senses such as vision, hearing, and touch.

Didactic Examples: Laboratory classes may require hand/eye coordination for drawing blood gases, intubation, turning knobs on equipment, lifting/pushing equipment, reaching over your head with plugging in equipment or adjusting settings, attending simulation training, application, usage of medication syringes vials blood gas syringes and other tools used for examination and therapy.