Guide to Online Associate's Degrees in Respiratory Care

If you’re thinking about getting your associate degree and you think you’d like to work in the medical field, then you might want to think about getting your advanced respiratory care associate degree.

Why Get An Associate Degree In Respiratory Care?

So, you’re thinking, what the heck is advanced respiratory care, and why would I want to get my associate degree in it?

Well, advanced respiratory care is a field that treats patients with respiratory problems or diseases.

With an associate degree in advanced respiratory care, you would be a respiratory therapist (also called respiratory practitioner or respiratory technician). You would work directly with doctors and nurses to treat patients both in a clinical setting, and at their home.

Getting an advanced respiratory care associate degree will allow you to embark on an incredibly rewarding career that truly helps people live better lives.

Associate Degree Programs in Respiratory Therapy: What You’ll Learn

Because you’ll be working directly with very sick people in this field, coursework for an associate degree in respiratory therapy is fairly demanding. You should comfortable in the math and sciences fields, and expect plenty of classes that focus on the human body.

Some of the courses you might see while getting a respiratory care degree include:

Cardiopulmonary Anatomy and Physiology
Principals of Respiratory Care
Applied Pharmacology
Diagnostic and Therapy Principals
Microbiology
Advanced Respiratory Care
Advanced Principals of Ventilator Therapy

It’s also important to realize that before you can work as a respiratory care practitioner, you must sit for the National Board for Respiratory Care exam to become a Certified Respiratory Therapist (CRT). Most, if not all, schools will help you prepare for your licensure exam.

Careers With An Advanced Respiratory Care Associate Degree

As we mentioned earlier, getting your associate degree in advanced respiratory care will allow you to get started on a career that is really rewarding.

For instance, as a respiratory therapist you could work with premature infants whose lungs aren’t fully developed yet. You would be responsible for helping them breathe until they’re strong enough to safely go home. Or, you could work in the field of geriatrics, helping older people whose lungs are diseased or malfunctioning.

You could even work in an emergency room providing vital care to drowning victims, people who have had a stroke, or are suffering from severe asthma attacks.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, hospitals employ the largest number of respiratory therapists (79%). If you work for a hospital this means you won’t have a traditional 9-5 job. Your schedule will include nights, weekends, and holidays, and you might be required to be on-call for emergency situations that arise when you’re off work.

If you work for an organization that provides at-home care (like hospice), then you’ll probably spend a good part of your day traveling to patient’s homes.

In either case, it’s important that you have excellent people skills and plenty of empathy for the patients you work with.

The good news is that this field is expected to grow at a rapid pace over the next ten years, thanks in large part to the aging Baby Boomer population. There’s an expected job increase of 19% through 2016, which means you shouldn’t have any trouble finding a job once you leave school.

As far as how much you can earn with an associate degree in respiratory care, the Bureau of Labor Statistic’s 2008 Occupational Handbooks lists a salary range of $40,840 to $64,190.

Working in the field of respiratory care means that you’ll be in a position to help people live better, healthier lives. That, coupled with a great salary, seems like a pretty great career to pursue.

Guide to Online Associates Degree Programs

Associate degree holders generally have better job prospects than those with only a high school diploma. Earning an associate degree usually takes two years, and doing so in at an online school can be much more convenient than at a traditional campus. Below are the top accredited online schools offering associate degrees in the US.

	With one of the largest offerings of accredited online associate degrees, Post University is consistently highly rated by its students because of its flexibility and affordability. All associate degrees offered are fully accredited. Post was founded in 1890 and has been providing highly-rated degree programs to students ever since with an emphasis on practicality and application. Read full school profile » Request Information
	The University of Phoenix was one of the first accredited colleges to offer online degrees. Today, it has grown to become one of the nation's largest universities through its online division and campuses coast to coast. They remain one of the top choices for students looking for an associates degree online because of the broad array of choice and affordability they offer students. Read full school profile » Request Information
	With perhaps the largest number of online associates degrees offered, Kaplan University's degrees are fully accredited, affordable, and offer a flexibility that many other online schools cannot match. This unrivaled selection spans several industries, hundreds of specializations, and all degree levels of education, empowering students to choose their own path to a career. Read full school profile » Request Information
	One of the nation's leading Christian universities, Liberty offers a broad range of accredited associate degrees online. Their incorporation of moral and ethical considerations into study make them a popular choice for students seeking a well-rounded education built on academic integrity. Established in 1985, Liberty University has one of the longest-standing online education programs in the country. Read full school profile » Request Information
	The online associates degrees at Everest University can be completed in under 2 years, making this a great way for students to quickly works towards their life goals. An associates degree can give you a jump-start on your career and open opportunities around every corner. Many of the programs help students pursue positions in ever-growing fields. Read full school profile » Request Information
	Virginia College offers a wide range of accredited associates programs. VC takes several steps in helping students pays for college by offering financial aid to those who qualify, including textbooks in the tuition cost, and providing online programs that can be completed under two (2) years, giving students a quick way to jump start their careers. Read full school profile » Request Information
	DeVry University is a highly-regarded leader in education with campuses across the nation and several online degrees available. DeVry focuses on providing degrees centered in the technology industry or fields that require a broad understanding and need for technical skills. DeVry has several highly popular degrees like Accounting, Web Graphic Design, Health IT, and Network Systems Administration. Read full school profile » Request Information
	Strayer University has over the last decade become one of the most respected schools offering accredited online associate degrees. Their strong reputation among employers, broad course offerings, and over one hundred years in education make them consistently a top choice for students. Strayer has over 85 campuses and 60,000 students currently attending online or at one of its campuses. Read full school profile » Request Information