Respiratory Therapy, BS: Technical Standards
Applies To
This policy applies to Respiratory Therapy students in the College of Health Professions.
Policy Statement
SUNY Upstate Medical University complies with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act. All applicants and students are held to the same academic and technical standards of admissions and training. Reasonable accommodations will be made for qualified individuals with a disability. However, the student is expected to perform these functions in a reasonably independent manner.
Technical Standards
Respiratory Therapy is a life-supporting, life enhancing, health care profession practiced under medical direction. Respiratory Therapy services provided to patients with disorders of the cardiopulmonary system include: diagnostic testing, therapeutics, monitoring, and rehabilitation.
Respiratory Therapy students are held accountable for the following Technical Standards:
- Observation:
- Students must have sufficient visual capacity to:
- Visualize information presented in images on paper, computer monitors, slides, and video.
- Observe laboratory, clinical and/or lecture demonstrations.
- Observe patients accurately at a distance, close at hand, and on a video monitor.
- Students must have sufficient visual capacity to:
- Communication:
- Students must demonstrate reading skills at a level sufficient to accomplish curricular requirements and provide clinical care to patients.
- Students and candidates for admission must speak intelligibly and hear sufficiently possessing verbal and written communication skills in the English language sufficient to elicit and transmit patient information in oral and written format to members of the healthcare team, effectively communicate with other members of the healthcare team, family, and patients effectively and sensitively as well as describe, assess, and record changes in patients' mood, activity, posture, physical appearance, and physiologic parameters.
- Sensory and Motor Function:
- Students must have the functional sensory and motor skills to directly perform the physical set up and use of equipment and patients for treatment and appropriate diagnostic testing such as aerosol therapy, mechanical ventilation, arterial blood gas puncture and analysis, and complete pulmonary function testing.
- Students must possess functional sensory and motor skills to execute quick, purposeful and appropriate movements during all instances of patient treatment interventions and diagnostic testing particularly in emergent/critical care settings such as intubation, cardiopulmonary resuscitation, and administration of medication by various routes.
- Students must detect and respond appropriately to malfunctions in medical equipment. (e.g. leaking air and safety alarms.)
- Students and candidates for admission must have functional sensory and motor skills to directly perform inspection, palpation, percussion, auscultation, and other diagnostic maneuvers that assist in the physical evaluation of the patient.
- Students must practice in a safe and effective manner following appropriate rules, regulations, and guidelines for safe, effective, and professional clinical practice (e.g. following standard precautions).
- Students must accurately elicit from a patient a medical history and other information required to adequately and effectively evaluate a patient's cardiopulmonary condition.
- Students must have the physical ability to transport both patients and related medical equipment in safe and efficient manner.
- Intellectual:
- Critical thinking is a necessary skill for respiratory therapists, so students and candidates for admission must have the intellectual capacity to measure, calculate, reason, analyze, integrate, and synthesize information from various modalities, test results, monitoring equipment, and patient information to effectively treat and assist in the diagnosis and management of patients.
- Students must have the ability to comprehend spatial relationships of structures and various monitoring and diagnostic imaging.
- Students must be able to accept and learn through a variety of teaching and learning modalities including classroom lecture, cooperative learning, online, small group activities, laboratory exercises, individual and group presentations, simulation and the use of technology assisted learning.
- Behavioral and Social Attributes:
- Students and candidates for admissions must demonstrate the emotional stability to exercise good judgment, prompt completion of all responsibilities attendant to the care and treatment of patients, and the development of mature, sensitive, and effective relationships with patients and other members of the healthcare team. Students must:
- Solve problems in a timely manner.
- Tolerate physically taxing workloads.
- Function effectively under stress.
- Have the ability to adapt to changing environments, display flexibility, and learn to function in an environment of uncertainty inherent in the clinical practice of respiratory therapy.
- Treat all patients, families, colleagues, and other members of the healthcare team with dignity and respect.
- Demonstrate honesty, integrity, dedication, compassion, non-discrimination, and motivation.
- Be able to accept constructive criticism and respond appropriately with an acceptable modification of behavior.
- Students and candidates for admissions must demonstrate the emotional stability to exercise good judgment, prompt completion of all responsibilities attendant to the care and treatment of patients, and the development of mature, sensitive, and effective relationships with patients and other members of the healthcare team. Students must:
Definitions
Technical Standards are a set of standards necessary for a student to be able to succeed in the curriculum.
Related Information
Policy History
Review Date: |
Change Description: |
6/4/20 |
Policy from Student Handbook Website reformatted for MCN Policy System. Policy reviewed and approved by the Dean’s Advisory Council |
5/19/22 |
Policy reviewed and reapproved by the Dean’s Advisory Council with no changes. |
12/5/24 |
Policy reviewed and reapproved by the Dean’s Advisory Council with no changes. |