Course Description

Rationale

Neonatal respiratory care is a career pathway for many respiratory therapists due to the volume of neonatal intensive care units and premature infants. Whether neonatal respiratory care is a chosen pathway or not, the respiratory therapist within hospitals is relied upon to take care of the cardiopulmonary needs of these tiny patients with skills and knowledge. This class will prepare the respiratory therapist to successfully pass the neonatal components of the NBRC exam and to manage common neonatal cardiopulmonary diseases in practice.

Measurable Learning Outcomes

Course Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this course, the student will be able to:

1. Describe the anatomic and physiologic development of the neonatal cardiovascular and respiratory systems.
2. Understand both normal and abnormal labor and delivery of the newborn.
3. Evaluate the physical and physiologic assessment of newborn infants and create proper treatment plans.
4. Describe the etiologies, clinical signs, and therapeutic measures for various neonatal diseases.
5. Evaluate the ventilator management of a neonate and based on the underlying disease process create appropriate interventions.
6. Analyze differences in various types of therapy and ventilation strategies used in the management of neonatal patients.
7. Recognize common neonatal respiratory disorders presentations, diagnosis, and develop appropriate treatment strategies.

Program Learning Outcomes

The below are the Respiratory Therapy Program Learning Outcomes (PLO)

1. Comprehend, apply, and evaluate clinical information relevant to their roles as registered respiratory therapists (cognitive domain).
2. Perform the technical skills necessary to fulfill their role as registered respiratory therapists (psychomotor domain).
3. Demonstrate professional behavior consistent with clinical rotation site expectations as a registered respiratory therapist (affective domain).
4. Utilize critical thinking/problem-solving skills to develop the best patient treatment for those suffering from cardiopulmonary disease.
5. Integrate the biblical worldview into all aspects of respiratory therapy.

Upon successful completion of this course, the student will have been introduced to PLO #4, emphasized #1 and #3, and reinforced #5

Course Assignment

Textbook readings and lecture presentations/notes

Course Requirements Checklist

After reading the Course Syllabus and Student Expectations, the student will complete the related checklist found in the Course Overview.

Discussions (5)

Discussions are collaborative learning experiences. Therefore, the student is required to provide a thread in response to the provided promptly. The Discussion is a space for academic exchanges. As a result, you must check for proper and exacting punctuation, spelling, and grammar. In addition, you must reference all outside sources incorrect citation format. It is crucial that all participants maintain a high regard for proper decorum in the Discussion. A grading rubric for Discussion responses is provided.

Paper Assignment

Case Report

For students who are Post-Licensure pathways and clinically take care of neonates, the student is to present an interesting case in the last week of this semester. Ideally, it would be of disease and therapy we have covered over the course, but alternative treatments and/or rare diseases are acceptable as well. For students who do not work with neonates or for Entry to Practice students, please skip to the Journal Article Review below. See requirements within the assignment instructions within Canvas.

Journal Article Review

Students who do not have access to pediatric patients will conduct a journal article review (preferably from Respiratory Care) of a topic covered during the semester (ideally, material published within the last 5 years).

Quizzes (2)

There will be 2 quizzes. A mid-term and final quiz. Each quiz will cover the Learn material for the assigned Module: Week. Each quiz will be open-book/open-notes and contain multiple-choice questions.