Moving Forward With ‘2015 and Beyond’: Adult Critical Care Specialty Examination

In the January 2013 ASA NEWSLETTER, I wrote an article titled “2015 and Beyond” that discussed how the respiratory therapy profession is moving forward with meeting the demands of health care in the future. The “2015 and Beyond” campaign encourages higher standards of education and credentialing for respiratory therapy students entering the profession. The majority of respiratory therapists (RTs) graduate with an associate’s degree, a small minority with a bachelor’s degree and a few with a master’s degree. Once a student graduates from a training program, he or she takes the Certified Respiratory Therapy (CRT) exam for entry into the profession. Though not required for licensure, some RTs choose to take the Registered Respiratory Therapy (RRT) exam, which is considered the advanced-level exam. The “2015 and Beyond” campaign aims to encourage all training programs to advance to bachelor’s degrees and require the RRT exam as the credential needed for...