NBRC

The National Board for Respiratory Care (NBRC), the voluntary health
certifying board that evaluates the professional competence of
respiratory therapists, recently passed a resolution that may impact
your state's respiratory care practitioners and the status of their
credentials and/or license. We encourage you to read the following
information carefully, share it with respiratory therapists in your
state, and contact us at 888-341-4811 with any questions.  Please note
that this information is also available online at www.nbrc.org
<http://www.nbrc.org/> .
 
 
 
The NBRC Board of Trustees has granted an extension to individuals who
graduated from an advanced-level respiratory therapy education program
with an associate degree (prior to January 1, 2005) to take and pass the
Registry Examination for Advanced Respiratory Therapists (RRT).
 
 
 
The new deadline to earn the RRT credential is February 28, 2009.
 
(The original deadline established in 2005 of December 31, 2007 has
passed.)
 
 
 
In 2003, the American Association for Respiratory Care (AARC), the
Committee on Accreditation for Respiratory Care (CoARC), and the NBRC
recognized the RRT credential as the "standard of excellence" for
respiratory care professionals. At the request of the AARC and CoARC,
NBRC approved a policy on January 1, 2005 that requires graduates of
advanced level programs to complete the CRT and RRT Examinations within
three (3) years of graduation. The policy also required advanced-level
graduates with an associate degree who had already earned the CRT
credential to complete the RRT by December 31, 2007. The three (3)-year
time limit ensures that individuals who consider themselves "registry
eligible" have taken and passed the RRT Examination and demonstrated
their knowledge and competence. 
 
 
 
According to our records, a number of eligible graduates failed to earn
the RRT credential by the original deadline of December 31, 2007.
NBRC's mission has always been to evaluate the competency of respiratory
therapists and to support the profession of respiratory care. It's a
role that we take very seriously. As the provider of the RRT, it is our
responsibility to provide graduates of advanced-level education programs
with the opportunity to earn the RRT credential so they can help to fill
the shortage of qualified respiratory therapists who provide the
excellent care that patients expect. We believe extending the deadline
to earn the RRT credential is an important step in achieving this goal.
 
 
 
This is especially important during a time when there is a shortage of
qualified respiratory therapists to provide the excellent care that
patients expect. Advanced-level graduates who earn the RRT credential
are in high demand nationwide and can help to fill this shortage. 
 
 
 
Attached to this is e-mail is a list of questions about the new deadline
and how it impacts respiratory care therapists in your state.  We've
formatted these FAQs into a flyer that you can post on your Web site or
distribute within your state. Please contact NBRC at 888-341-4811 or
email nbrc-info@nbrc.org with any questions. Eligible candidates can
visit www.nbrc.org <http://www.nbrc.org/>  to submit an application for
the RRT Examination. 
 
Lori M. Tinkler, MBA
Chief Operating Officer and Associate Executive Director
(913) 895-4702
E-mail: ltinkler@nbrc.org
 
National Board for Respiratory Care
18000 W. 105th Street, Olathe, KS  66061