Respiratory Care Letter

I am writing to let you know about an excellent career opportunity that you may have overlooked. Are you aware of the continuing demand for qualified respiratory therapists?

Respiratory Care is the allied health profession that cares for patients with deficiencies and abnormalities of the cardiopulmonary system. The respiratory therapist sees a diverse group of patients ranging from newborn and pediatric patients to adults and the elderly. Disease states or conditions often requiring respiratory care include asthma, emphysema, chronic obstructive lung disease, pneumonia, cystic fibrosis, infant respiratory distress syndrome, and conditions brought on by shock, trauma, or postoperative surgical complications.

Respiratory therapists are also involved in many specialty areas in the hospitals such as newborn labor and delivery, neonatal and pediatric intensive care units, pulmonary function laboratory, sleep laboratory, adult intensive care units, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, and EKG testing. In addition to hospitals, the respiratory therapist delivers respiratory care in the home, rehabilitation agencies, nursing homes, outpatient clinics, and physician’s offices.

The demand for respiratory therapists is expected to continue to increase. For example, as of January 2000, the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics projects “Employment of respiratory therapists to increase much faster than the average for all occupations through the year 2006.” Respiratory care is listed as one of the fastest growing professions and the need for respiratory therapists is expected to increase 42.6% for the period 1998 – 2008. This increase in demand is expected because of substantial growth of the elderly population, and increases in the numbers of patients with asthma and chronic lung disease.

The Respiratory Care program at Massasoit Community College is 2 years in length, and upon completion awards the Associate Degree. Biological principles is a prerequisite course that is required prior to entering the program. This prerequisite course may be taken at Massasoit Community College.

I hope you take the time to consider this excellent career opportunity in the field of Respiratory Care.
You can download an application at www.massasoit.edu.

If you need additional information, please contact me at 508-588-9100 ext. 1787 or email.

Sincerely,

Martha DeSilva, Med. RRT
Program Director
Massasoit Community College