This course introduces students to both the field of technical writing and the uses of technical writing within a variety of professions. Students will learn how technical writers use document design strategies based on rhetorical principles to respond to communication challenges. Through practice with a variety of genres, students will gain experience with audience analysis, communication ethics, research, collaboration, professional style, and editing. The course culminates in a writing project based on a professional, academic, or community issue of the student's choosing. Students are encouraged, and will be assisted, in designing projects that reflect their professional interests.

This course is designed to introduce students to the current state of the science of respiratory care and to develop meaningful discussion around topics related to respiratory science and its role in respiratory care practice.  Discussions will revolve around current best practices in respiratory assessment, diagnostics, and therapeutics in Respiratory Care, especially in the critical care and emergency room settings.

This course is an introduction to the fundamentals of clinical research, especially as related to the profession of respiratory care.   This course is designed to enhance the communication skills of respiratory therapy students in finding, evaluating, and incorporating research into discussions regarding respiratory care and clinical practice. 

This course focuses on the skills needed to critically examine research as evidence for current respiratory clinical practice.   In this course, respiratory therapy students will evaluate one or more current respiratory therapy clinical practice modalities and find research evidence that either supports current practice or that indicates the need for change or revision.  Discussions will include quality and abundance of evidence and methods for communicating evidence in a way that supports changes in practice or adaptation if support exists.  

This course will introduce the various strategies currently used to reduce health care costs while improving the quality of life for individuals with chronic conditions.  This course will examine the long-term effects of COPD, CHF, asthma, and other chronic conditions affecting the cardiopulmonary system.  Other topics will include the Hospital Readmissions Reduction Program, (HRPP) its impact on reimbursement, the role of the COPD navigator and other disease management programs and the key role the respiratory therapist plays. 

This course will revolve around various topics related to the ethical practice of respiratory care.  The roles of respiratory therapists and other members of the interprofessional team in caring for patients with terminal disease and their family members will be discussed as well as the futility of medical intervention in End-Stage terminal disease.  

This course will introduce respiratory students to the topic of polysomnography and other diagnostic measures utilized to assess sleep disturbance and its effects on the cardiopulmonary system.  CPAP and other treatment modalities are also discussed.  

This course is an introduction to the various management and leadership roles in Respiratory Care.  Discussions will include decision making, cost reduction, the importance of inter-departmental collaboration, healthcare and academic administration organizational structure, student retention, as well as other topics related to management/ leadership roles, in both clinical and academic settings.