Up & Coming Weekly

August 23, 2016

Up and Coming Weekly is a weekly publication in Fayetteville, NC and Fort Bragg, NC area offering local news, views, arts, entertainment and community event and business information.

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AUGUST 24-30, 2016 UCW 21 WWW.UPANDCOMINGWEEKLY.COM FTCC Offers Respiratory Therapy Training by JOHN HOLLOMON Healthcare has always been a field that is both challenging and rewarding. As technological advances in medicine are made, healthcare fields are broadened, and eventually new disciplines are created. Most people are familiar with branches, such as nuclear medicine or radiography; however, many have never heard of Respiratory Therapy. Respiratory Therapy focuses on the body's respiratory system. What is often misunderstood is how the respiratory system goes beyond taking in oxygen for distribution throughout the body and exhaling waste gasses. When an individual has problems with breathing, such as asthma, this condition disrupts the state of internal balance, or homeostasis, which in some cases can be life threatening. In addition to having knowledge about the respiratory system, a respiratory therapist must also look at many aspects of the cardiovascular system, which involves how oxygen reaches other parts of the body. In fact, the relationship involving the heart and lungs is so significant that some hospitals refer to the Respiratory Therapy Department as Cardiopulmonary. Graduates of the Respiratory Therapy program at Fayetteville Technical Community College are equipped with the skills to work with this expanding branch of health care. Through lecture, laboratory and hospital clinical rotations, students learn the basic physiology of respiratory therapy needed for patient assessments, oxygen therapy, diagnostic procedures and ventilator management. Graduates have an in-depth understanding of the anatomy and pathology of the respiratory system for identification, treatment, management and rehabilitation of diseases, such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, emphysema and interstitial lung disease, just to name a few. Students will have the opportunity to enhance critical thinking skills for troubleshooting and equipment manipulation. After earning an associate of applied science degree in Respiratory Therapy at FTCC, students are qualified to take the required national boards, the Therapist Multiple Choice Exam. Graduates who successfully earn a Certified Respiratory Therapist certification may then apply to the state agency for licensure and begin work in most states. The advanced credential of respiratory is the Registered Respiratory Therapist which requires a candidate to pass a Clinical Simulation Exam. The RRT credential is not only a professional achievement but also a monetary benchmark. According to salary.com, a CRT's median annual salary in the Fayetteville area is around $52,000, while RRT's receive about $4,000 more per year in salary. If you are an ambitious problem-solver who is looking for a challenging, exciting, and dynamic career in healthcare and are team-oriented and enjoy helping others, consider respiratory therapy as a career. Email questions to hollomaj@faytechcc. edu. Learn more about the Respiratory Therapy program of study at www. faytechcc.edu. Click on Academics and then Health Programs to locate details about the Respiratory Therapy program of study. The website shares a great deal of information about FTCC in general and the many opportunities available. Visit our campus locations in Fayetteville, Spring Lake, and Fort Bragg to see firsthand why FTCC is the smart choice for education! The respiratory system is more than inhaling and exhaling. Complications to respiratory health can be life threatening. JOHN HOLLOMON, FTCC Department Chair, Respiratory Therapy. COMMENTS? Editor@ upandcomingweekly.com. 910.484.6200

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