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PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS
Department of Respiratory Therapy respiratory therapist who wishes to advance their de-
gree, graduated one of its largest groups this year. We
The Department of Respiratory Therapy had a are also currently enrolling new students as the pro-
busy year with successfully credentialing 100% of fession of respiratory therapy is transitioning toward
graduates for careers in respiratory therapy. a B.S. entry level for all new and future programs.
In 2018, the National Board for Respiratory Care In May, Beth Brown, a founding faculty member
reported the highest credentialing outcomes for our of our program, retired after 25 years of service to
graduates to date, with all credentialing exams for the MGA and almost 45 years to the profession of respi-
year currently at 100% pass rates. The Commission on ratory therapy. During her tenure, she has contributed
Accreditation for Respiratory Care (CoARC) recently significantly to our success and we wish her all the
notified the program of its continuing accreditation best. As she retires, we look toward our future with a
based on meeting and surpassing its thresholds. new assistant professor of respiratory therapy, Nancy
Guyse, M.S., RRT-NPS, AE-C. Nancy comes to us with
We are also excited to have admitted our first co- a wealth of experience in neonatal/pediatric specialty,
hort for our Bachelor of Science in respiratory thera- as well as COPD education. In the past year, Nancy
py entry-level program and graduated our final A.S. presented professionally at the American Association
class this May. The students in the program are expe- for Respiratory Care (AARC) International Congress
riencing a newly designed curriculum which features Open Forum on her research “Respiratory Therapist
a problem-based learning component, additional Led COPD Education and the Impact on 30-day Re-
clinical and simulation coursework, and more empha- admission Rates.”
sis on research, education, leadership, case manage-
ment, and neonatal-pediatric care. Our first cohort is Jasmine Brown, Director of Clinical Education, re-
set to graduate in May 2020. cently received the CoARC Louis Sinopoli, Ph.D., RRT,
FAARC Faculty Education Research Scholarship to
The department appreciates the support of a vi- support her work in simulation research. It is an hon-
brant advisory committee represented by a number or to be recognized by our professional accrediting
of our clinical partners and regional supporters. We body, CoARC, in this way. Jasmine’s research is show-
have benefitted from the donation of equipment such ing very positive outcomes with the implementation
as several ventilators from our partners, as well as be- of high fidelity simulation in respiratory therapy edu-
ing able to purchase a ventilator and simulation tech- cation and has the potential to influence the profes-
nology. We also appreciate the staunch support of sion. She will travel to the AARC Summer Forum in
our medical director, pulmonologist Dr. R. Jonathan Fort Lauderdale this June to receive the award. She is
Dean. also submitting abstracts for the 2019 AARC Interna-
tional Congress to share her work.
Our Bachelor of Science bridge program, a pro-
gram designed to serve the A.S.- or A.A.S.-prepared
Academic Affairs Annual Report 2019 | Middle Georgia State University 31
