Setting the Standard for International Respiratory Care Education

The American Association for Respiratory Care (AARC) recognizes quality Respiratory Care education programs that meet or exceed these guidelines formulated by the International Council on Respiratory Care and approved by the board of directors of the AARC.

These Guidelines will be used to recognize quality education designed to produce respiratory care practitioners who provide respiratory care to patients all over the world. The recognition Guidelines are modeled after education accreditation standards and are used to determine if an education experience warrants one of the three levels of recognition granted by the International Education Recognition System (IERS) of the AARC.

Statement of Purpose

The American Association for Respiratory Care (AARC) and the International Council for Respiratory Care (ICRC) have collaborated to develop a web-based recognition system customized to the needs of the diverse international respiratory care education community. The intent is to provide guidance and/or recognition to education programs that meet or exceed the predefined quality guidelines. In addition, IERS will use these guidelines and web-based technology to better serve the needs of the international education community to provide educational experiences designed for RC health care professionals in any country in the world. Lists of recognized programs, along with their recognition level and outcome data, will be published on the IERS website for the information of students, employers, educational institutions, agencies, the public and other communities of interest.

This Recognition System is consistent with and serves to advance the Mission Statement of the ICRC adopted in 1991. The Mission states that,

“The ICRC is dedicated to the development of the art, science, clinical practice, research, and educational program development related to Respiratory Care around the world. The ICRC is further dedicated to providing public education in cardiopulmonary health promotion and disease prevention as appropriate in each nation and as requested by the Council members”.

Health Care Professionals Providing Respiratory/Pulmonary Care

In the international practice of respiratory care many different health care professionals with diverse professional credentials provide RC by assessing, treating, monitoring and determining the appropriateness of care in all types of patients suffering from respiratory, cardiac and related conditions. These health care professionals provide respiratory care which may include but are not limited to:

• acquiring clinical data to evaluate patient status

• assessing the cardiopulmonary status of patients

• calibrating, assisting and performing appropriate diagnostic studies such as: arterial blood retrieval, blood gas analysis, pulmonary function testing, exercise stress testing and polysomnography

• Assessing patient physical and lab data to establish appropriate  therapeutic goals for patients with cardiopulmonary dysfunction or related conditions

• Work with other health care team members to develop, modify and implement effective respiratory care plans

• case management of patients with cardiopulmonary and related diseases

• delivering appropriate respiratory care treatments, assessing and monitoring patient responses and adjusting therapy to achieve  therapeutic objectives

• delivering appropriate home care and pulmonary rehabilitation

• promote and deliver patient, family, and community education

• promote cardiopulmonary wellness, disease prevention, and disease management

• delivering in life support techniques and technology as required; and practicing evidence-based medicine; research; and the use of internationally approved clinical practice guidelines.

Recognition Levels

There are three levels of recognition granted to educational experiences intended to improve the education provided to health care professionals who deliver respiratory/pulmonary care around the world.

Disclaimer: Recognition by the AARC does not imply that: CRCE credits will be awarded, courses will transfer to U.S. colleges, or that participants/graduates will be eligible for USA NBRC examinations