Students with Disabilities. Special Needs Policy. Academic Calendar. Registration. Student Health Insurance

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1 Students with Disabilities The RT DL program is firmly committed to providing learning opportunities for students with disabilities, in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Students with disabilities (including identified visual impairment, hearing impairment, physical impairment, communication disorder, and/or specific learning disability) that may affect their experience in the DL program must register with the Disability Services Office. Students are advised to do so upon acceptance into the program or upon diagnosis. Students need to contact the Disability Services Office by calling (513) or by ing Special Needs Policy Students should notify the course director and program coordinator at the beginning of the semester of any circumstances that could affect their participation in a course, including medical issues (pregnancy, pending surgeries, etc.) and military status. Academic Calendar The Program follows the University of Cincinnati Academic Calendar. The Academic Calendar may be found on the following web site: The program recognizes and observes University holidays. The Blackboard site and course materials will remain available on these recognized holidays. NOTE: Each didactic course is taught in a rolling curricular plan, which means that each course is taught once every 2.5 years. Students who elect to skip or withdraw from any didactic semester will not be able to take the skipped course until it is taught again 2.5 years later. Courses taught during the final two semesters are taught every semester. Students will not be permitted to register for the final two semester s courses until each didactic course has been successfully completed. Registration After being accepted by the university, students are issued a student ID number. Registration for classes is accomplished via the Onestop web site, Students also have the opportunity to review and pay their tuition bill and change personal information from this web site. It is very important to register by the stated registration deadline, or late fees may be incurred. Enrollment advisors and the Program staff are available for assistance with class registration. Student Health Insurance Each student is responsible for his/her own health insurance. A comprehensive health insurance plan is available through the University of Cincinnati. Any questions relating to student health insurance should be directed to the UC Student Health Insurance Office at Emergency medical needs that occur during normal student clinical activities will be available to a student through their clinical practicum training site. Any financial obligation for such treatment is the responsibility of the student. Inclement Weather CAHS Weather Related Protocol When inclement weather threatens the safety of the University of Cincinnati community, the Senior Vice President for Administration and Finance may invoke University Rule 3361: and declare an emergency closing. The College of Allied Health Sciences will observe the university emergency closing protocol for all on-campus classes. During a university emergency

2 closing, all college offices will be closed. CAHS CETIS will be available online 8:30am-5:00pm to monitor the account as well as the online ticketing system. If you need assistance during the closure, please send an and/or request a phone call. Students should clarify with their course instructors how the closure will affect assignments and deadlines, and whether class information from the missed session(s) will be posted on Blackboard, and/or if the class will meet virtually during the closure. Given that the Master of Health Administration program is taught entirely online, all classes will continue as indicated in the course syllabi unless instructed otherwise by the instructor. Success in Distance Learning The University of Cincinnati understands students who are new to the distance learning format are often concerned about adapting to unfamiliar methods of information delivery. While the courses do incorporate computer-based techniques that require some competency with information age technologies, they also require the same skills necessary for success in the traditional classroom. Therefore, successful students adapt conventional techniques for academic success to the newer methods of distance learning courses. The RT program course work does not include self-paced correspondence courses; rather, they offer opportunities to assimilate information in a variety of different ways, to build a valuable community of learners, and to establish new professional relationships with peers. Below are some helpful suggestions to assist you with distance learning success. Get Organized You should prepare for the challenge of learning online by organizing all of your materials and references at the beginning of the course. Complete the online Orientation.* Gather all required materials including textbooks, syllabi and presentation outlines and assemble all print materials in one binder. Access the course web site and bookmark it (save it as a favorite ) in your Internet browser for easy reference. Save addresses of your Course Director and Facilitator in your address book. Print the Course Syllabus and list of weekly assignments from the web site and preview upcoming activities and assignments. Use the course calendar to keep track of assignment due dates. * Students who step away from UC RT classes for more than one semester must complete the online Orientation before progressing into the desired course. Doing so ensures currency regarding technical and academic updates. The program will notify the student if s/he needs to satisfy this requirement. Schedule Your Time University of Cincinnati has designed the program to allow busy working professionals to integrate academic pursuits into their existing professional and personal commitments. Participants complete many of the activities and assignments at their own convenience. However, the courses are not self-paced. Course Directors announce deadlines for each task, and participants are expected to meet those deadlines. Therefore, you must create a study schedule that will allow you to digest the course material over time while also adhering to deadlines. Pace yourself to study only one topic or module, with its related readings and assignments, at a time. Communicate

3 Success in distance learning courses depends to a large extent on regular communication with the Course Director, Facilitator, and peers. ücheck your and the course web site every day for updates and announcements. Ask questions promptly when you don t understand an assignment. Contact your Facilitator FIRST when you have a question or need assistance. The Facilitator will contact the Course Director if he or she does not know the answer. ücheck course discussion boards daily for new postings, and regularly add your own input. Try to participate in all chat sessions, optional as well as mandatory. Additional Resources for Academic Success If you re having difficulties with the course materials or assessments, contacting your course director and facilitator should be your first step. An additional resource is the University of Cincinnati s Learning Assessment Center (LAC). LAC provides tips for academic success on their website: The LAC has created a variety of presentations that students may find beneficial including the following: Effective note-taking Effective time management Memory techniques Stress management Test taking strategies. It is recommended that all students review this site carefully. Netiquette Communication using Web-based tools has created the need for a protocol called netiquette that encourages efficient and effective communication while discouraging abuse of , chat sessions, and message boards. Basic Rules for All Web-Based Communication Never type in ALL CAPS (this is perceived as shouting). To emphasize, put the important word or phrase inside of *asterisks* instead. Write succinctly, regardless of whether the medium is an , discussion board posting, or chat room. As in life, be polite and courteous.

4 Basic Rules for Discussion Boards This tool functions asynchronously (or not real time) and has the ability to create threads of communication regarding a specific topic. This is a place for you to ask questions to your fellow classmates and faculty. Your facilitator may also ask you to post your answers to an assignment, or reply to someone else s posting. Keep your subject line SHORT and informative. Thread wherever possible. Try not to select "compose" for every message you would like to post; look to see if a subject area exists in any of the existing topics and post your message as a reply to that message instead. Do not use the discussion board to broadcast complaints, discuss personal issues, or discuss topics not associated with the course. Look for the appropriate discussion forum for your question from the list of available discussion boards. Specific exam information should not be discussed on the discussion boards while an exam is open. Students who do not follow any of these guidelines will be subject to disciplinary actions. If you are submitting something on a discussion board to be graded, it may be a good idea to compose it offline first then copy and paste into the discussion posting. This way (1) you will have a saved record of what you posted in case there is any discrepancy, and (2) It will also help you keep this information organized in your files for future reference. Basic Rules for allows you to communicate privately with your fellow classmates, faculty, and staff. Consider carefully what you write; it's a permanent record and can be easily forwarded to others. Mass ing of all course users is not acceptable. Don't attach large files (over 50K) without getting permission from your recipient first. When sending a Web site address, always type it in the form of " " because some programs will permit the user to click on a Web address to go right there. Without the " prefix these programs will not recognize it as such. Write descriptive subject lines. Many busy people will only open messages with captivating subject lines. Think creatively. When forwarding messages, put your comments at the top of the message. Read over your before you send it. Although is a more informal method of communication than writing a letter, be sure you make your points clear and concise. Use a spell checker if available. Sign your full name to all s to ensure the recipient knows who the was sent from. Include a salutation to identify and acknowledge the intended recipient(s) of your . This is especially important when ing a group. Remember to keep your replies in context. Have you ever gotten a phone message like, "That's a great idea, Jim, let's work on it Monday"? The only problem was that you didn't know which idea the person was talking about. can be like that. Don t assume that the recipient received your , especially if it is time-sensitive. Requesting a read-receipt will ensure that your has been received.

5 Basic Rules for Chat Rooms Chat sessions can be a valuable part of your learning experience. This is one of the main ways that synchronous (or real time ) communication can occur between the course directors, group facilitators and your classmates in relation to your course material. Chat is an easy tool to use, even if you have never been in a chat room before. The Chat Rooms are not to be used to spread gossip, incite others, or disparage someone else in the group. Chat Rooms should be used for academic purposes only; this means chats should revolve around course content. o Students who do not follow these guidelines will be subject to disciplinary actions and removal from the chat session. Specific exam information should not be discussed in chat rooms while an exam is open. Students may use chat sessions to seek assistance with assignments, but they are not permitted to directly ask for answers to specific assignment questions. The Course Director or Facilitator may ask a student to leave a chat session if the student is: o Being disruptive or rude o Pointedly seeking for answers to assignment, discussions or other course related material o Unresponsive to questions from the Course Director or Facilitator If you would like to interject a question, simply type the word Question and then wait for the leader to acknowledge you. o This will reduce the number of repeated questions o This will help the leader maintain order in the chat room Chat sessions are recorded. Students unable to attend chats may review recorded sessions afterward. Students are not limited to chat sessions held by their facilitator. Some review sessions will take place using Adobe Connect. This software is similar in functionality to the Blackboard-based Chats that use Java software. The same basic rules apply for the Adobe Connect sessions as for Chat Rooms. System Requirements To utilize the power of this course management system, your browser must be configured to enable you to interact with the online learning materials. To configure your browser you will need to setup JavaScript, Cookies, and Java. 1. JavaScript is a scripting language that enables an HTML page to be interactive. Your online courses contain a large number of HTML pages that have specific interactive features for a successful learning experience. 2. Cookies contain information stored on a user's computer by a Web site so preferences are remembered on future requests. This information is essential for many of the features that your courses use to personalize your learning area. Cookies are also used to make your course secure and private for your use. 3. Java is a programming language specifically designed for writing programs that can be safely downloaded through the Internet without fear of viruses or other harm to computers or files.

6 Check Your System Requirements 1. Make sure you have the required browser: Internet Explorer 7 or newer OR Mozilla Firefox 3.5 or newer. *Note: if using Windows 7 as your operating system, Internet Explorer 8 is needed. To check your browser version: o Internet Explorer - Go to the Help menu, select "About Internet Explorer". o Mozilla Firefox - Go to the Help menu, select "About Mozilla Firefox " NOTE: If you do not have the correct browser version you may contact the UC Help Desk to assist you in installing an upgrade. Phone: (513) 556-HELP (4357) Hours: Monday - Friday: 7:00 AM to 9:00 PM (EST) Saturday & Sunday: 8:00 AM to 9:00 PM (EST) 2. Verify that your system meets at least the minimum Hardware requirements: Highly Recommended Hardware (PC) (It is suggested that this system be the standard for the serious distant learning student. Anything exceeding this standard is not necessary at this time.) Minimum Hardware (PC) (This is a bare bones system. Anything less than this will be a problem for the student and our staff.) 2.4GHz Intel Core 2 Duo Processor 2 GB RAM Video card with 128 MB memory 100 GB hard drive 16X DVD+/-RW Drive Broadband Access (Cable Modem/DSL) Sound card with speakers Printer, or access to a printer 2.4GHz Pentium IV Processor computer 512 MB RAM (1 GB for Vista or Windows 7) Video card with 64 MB memory 40 GB hard drive 32x CD Rom Drive Broadband Access (Cable Modem/DSL) Sound card with speakers Printer, or access to a printer Highly Recommended Hardware (Mac) (It is suggested that this system be the standard for the serious distant learning student. Anything exceeding this standard is not necessary at this time.) Minimum Hardware (Mac) (This is a bare bones system. Anything less than this will be a problem for the student and our staff.)

7 2.4GHz Intel Core 2 Duo Processor 2 GB RAM Video card with 128 MB memory 100 GB hard drive 16X DVD+/-RW Drive Broadband Access (Cable Modem/DSL) Sound card with speakers Printer, or access to a printer Dual 1.42 GHz PowerPC G4 512 MB RAM Video card with 64 MB memory 60 GB hard drive 32x CD Rom Drive Broadband Access (Cable Modem/DSL) Sound card with speakers Printer, or access to a printer Other Requirements & Recommendations Broadband Internet connection (If broadband is not available in your area, a dialup modem may be used. However, please note that a dialup connection will severely degrade the quality of your experience.) address Wireless Card (If using a laptop, a wireless card is recommended for accessing the Internet outside the home setting.) 3. Verify that your system meets at least the minimum Software requirements. Minimum Software Windows XP MS Office 2003 or greater (includes Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint) Mozilla Firefox 3.5 or higher (Mac or PC), Internet Explorer 7 or higher (PC) WinZip for PC or ZipIt (a shareware product) for Mac Virus Protection Software: McAfee/Norton Flash Player latest version Java latest version Windows Media Player latest version Attention: It is important to note that Microsoft Works, Microsoft WordPad, Wordperfect, Apple iwork, Pages or Appleworks and Sun Microsystems Open Office Writer are NOT sufficient for use in the RT program. While they may be capable of opening and editing Micrsoft Word Documents, they are not compatible with certain Microsoft Word features used in RT program documents. Also, if you ve recently purchased your computer, it may have come with only a TRIAL version of Microsoft Word. Trial versions often do not have full functionality, and when the trial is over, you may lose the ability to edit documents altogether. If you do not have a FULL version of Microsoft Word installed, you will need to purchase and install it. As a UC student, you can get Microsoft Office Enterprise Edition for about 95% off retail price from UC Business on Main. If you do have Microsoft Word, the name on your start menu or under the icon on your desktop should say which primary version of Word you are using (Microsoft Word 2003, Microsoft Word 2007 etc) but you can get more detailed version information from the options or help area inside Word.

8 If you do not already have these plug-ins, download and install them. For assistance please contact the UC IT Help Desk. Plug-In Description Access Adobe Acrobat Reader Macromedia Flash Player Macromedia Shockwave Player Microsoft Media Player 11 View and print millions of documents on the Web with the free Adobe Acrobat Reader. Macromedia's Flash Player lets you experience automation and entertainment in your Web browser. Macromedia's Shockwave Player lets you experience automation and entertainment in your Web browser. Windows Media Player supports Windows Media (WMA,ASF), MP3, WAV, MIDI, AVI, and other formats. om/flashplayer/?pr omoid=dxluj /windowsmedia/player/download/d ownload.aspx QuickTime Java (see info below) QuickTime for Windows and Macs. You will need to have Java software installed in order for certain areas of Blackboard to function properly. load/ n/download/do wnload_the_latest.jsp Perform adjustments to your browser settings to enable Cookies and Java. Windows: You will need to have Java software installed in order for certain areas of Blackboard to function properly. Follow these steps: Get Java. Go to the Sun Java site, and click Download Java Software. Follow the online instructions. After downloading Java, perform the adjustments according to your browser version. Macintosh: You will need to have Java installed in order for certain areas of Blackboard to function properly. Java will automatically install and update with MAC OSX software update tool.

9 Purchasing Software Please Note: UC students may purchase software at a discount via Business on Main. Microsoft Word and Excel will be required. Third party MS Office clones such as Sun Microsystems Open Office are NOT sufficient. Neither are Wordperfect, Appleworks, or Apple iwork. Microsoft Works (the inexpensive software that often comes bundled with new computers) is also insufficient. These software packages are not compatible with several of Microsoft Office documents and tasks you will need to complete in the RT Program. Several Microsoft products are available at a substantial discount from Business on Main, including current Microsoft Operating Systems and Microsoft Office (which includes Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint.) Microsoft Office for Mac is also available. A full listing of the Microsoft products offered, and the current pricing for students, can be viewed at: At this time there is no online ordering system for Distance Learning students, but you can still order Microsoft software from UC Business on Main by doing the following: Visit the UC Business on Main Distance Learning page ( Follow the instructions there to download and print the Microsoft Software License Agreement. Fill out the form completely, sign and date it. Download and print the Order Form provided on the same web site. Fill out the entire appropriate product and billing information, sign and date it. Fax both the Microsoft Software License Agreement and the completed order form to Business on Main at the fax number provided on the site. Additional instructions are included on the site.

10 ADDENDUM A RT Semester Course Offerings The following table outlines the courses offered by the RT Distance Learning Program under the semester system. Students should contact their Academic Advisor about their individual academic plan for program completion. Term Courses Semester Credit Hours * Spring of 2015 Ethics in Respiratory Therapy RESP (next offered in Community Health Problems & Practices RESP Spring 2016) Health Care Documentation & Communication RESP Summer 2015 Integration of Delivery of Respiratory Therapy RESP (next offered in Management in Respiratory Therapy RESP Summer 2016) Caregiving in the Respiratory Therapy Professions RESP Fall 2015 Introduction to Respiratory Therapy Research RESP (offered again in Aging and Respiratory Therapy RESP Fall 2016) Disease Management/Patient Education RESP Offered every Research Methods and Analysis RESP semester Advanced Respiratory Therapy/Leadership & Project Management 4 RESP 4050 Offered every Advanced Respiratory Therapy/Clinical Internship RESP semester Capstone RESP Important Notes 1. Students must successfully complete all didactic courses and be in good academic standing (earned grades of C- or better in all courses and have a cumulative GPA of 2.25 or greater) to be permitted to register for the courses of the final two terms. 2. Students must successfully complete all other courses before registering for the Respiratory Therapy Capstone and Advanced Clinical Internship courses. 3. Students must submit the required Clinical Practice materials and Health Packet by the published deadline in order to matriculate through the curriculum. Failure to meet any published deadline for these requirements may delay your program progression and completion. 50

11 4. Students must complete the OSHA Bloodborne Pathogens, OSHA Hazardous Communications, and HIPAA Privacy Introduction annual training sessions in order to matriculate through the curriculum. These courses are offered online at UC at no charge to the student. Pertinent policies may be found in the following documents that will be provided by the program: Respiratory Therapy DL Student Handbook College of Allied Health Sciences Student Handbook located at: Approximate Timeline for Semesters (confirmed dates can be found on UC s Registrar s website) Fall Semester: last week of August middle of December Spring Semester: 2 nd week of January end of April Summer Semester: beginning of May middle of August

12 ADDENDUM B RT Course Descriptions and Objectives Ethics of Respiratory Therapy RESP 3001 This interdisciplinary course considers ethical theories and principles applicable to the allied health professions with a focus on Respiratory Therapy. Using scholarly inquiry, including case studies, students will analyze ethical dilemmas that may occur in their professional roles as respiratory specialists. Students will address ethical and legal issues across the lifespan in diverse socioeconomic and cultural situations. Community Health Problems and Practices RESP 3004 This course focuses on determinants of the health of individuals and the challenges faced by communities as they work to improve the health of their residents. The student will develop plans to maximize the use of community resources to address both acute and chronic respiratory conditions. Healthcare Documentation and Communication RESP 3002 This course is designed to improve writing competence as a health care leader, clinician, or educator. Focus will be on the construction, evaluation, and organization of written communication in the health care setting with an emphasis on Respiratory Therapy. Topics will include written medical documentation; article and proposal writing, using APA style for citations and references; patient education materials, etc. Students will also review the basics of clear communication, both written and oral. Integration of Delivery of Respiratory Therapy RESP 3010 The course provides students with an overview of how the health care system works in the United States. Specifically, the focus of the course is the role of the respiratory therapist within the health care system. The differences between the public and private health care insurance will be evaluated throughout the course. Students will gain insight into health care from both a clinical and management aspect. The course will provide the student with the tools to function more efficiently as part of an integrated health care team. Caregiving in the Respiratory Therapy Professions RESP 3065 This course will develop expertise in the science and art of caregiving from the perspective of the health care professional. Students will study age-specific care issues; culturally specific caregiving; compassion fatigue; family interaction and family-centered care; and death and dying. Caregiving issues directly related to patients with respiratory disease will be emphasized. Management in Respiratory Therapy RESP 3040 This course will focus on the basics of health care management, including budgeting and financial management; data management; managing in clinical settings; and resource utilization. Respiratory Therapy students will learn how to assess healthcare information systems and database management systems.

13 Aging and Respiratory Therapy RESP 3050 This course provides Respiratory Therapy students with an introduction to the interdisciplinary field of gerontology. Topics include theories of aging, health and illness in later life, diversity and aging, and bio-psycho/social and spiritual aspects of growing old. Respiratory therapy content includes the biology of aging on lung function and working with older patients with multiple impairments. Disease Management/Patient Education RESP 3080 Students in this course will learn to communicate with patients regarding their disease state. By developing a detailed knowledge of respiratory disease and treatment options, future practitioners will be prepared to counsel and advise patients on how to deal with their disease through the use of diet, exercise, medication regimes, etc. Introduction to Respiratory Therapy Research RESP 4060 Respiratory Therapy students in this course will learn to develop skills needed to conduct basic research in health care settings. Topics include development of a research construct. Students will learn to develop and narrow a research topic by demographic and variables. In addition, students will learn how to search for peer reviewed sources and develop literature reviews. Students will learn about populations and sampling. The student will learn about the importance of institutional review boards when conducting research. Research Methods & Analysis RESP 4001 Students will review basic statistical models and inference applied to problems in health care, with an emphasis on Respiratory Therapy. Students will develop an understanding of research protocols and evaluation, critically analyze research data, and develop skills in interpreting and analyzing quantitative and qualitative research in Respiratory Therapy. Topics will include IRBs and clinical trials. Advanced Respiratory Therapy/Leadership & Project Management RESP 4050 This course focuses on strategic, operational, and project management topics in the healthcare/respiratory therapy field, with an emphasis on increasing efficiency and quality of care. Topics include: allocating staff and resources effectively; assessing financial and regulatory implications from a business perspective; developing, negotiating, and managing comprehensive programs; and leading and motivating effective teams. Respiratory Therapy Capstone RESP 5001 This culminating course will enable senior-level Respiratory Therapy students to develop a proposal and complete a project or research paper based upon one of their areas of interest (Disease Management, Leadership and Project Management, or Education and Research). Presentations of completed papers or projects will be delivered by the student to selected Respiratory Therapy managers/specialists at a pre-determined site.

14 Advanced Respiratory Therapy Clinical or Internship RESP 4070 A clinical practicum or internship that will focus on advanced, applied Respiratory Therapy techniques and concepts. The practicum design and placement will be determined by the interest area of the student (Disease Management, Leadership and Project Management, or Education and Research).

15 STUDENT ACKNOWLEDGEMENT FORM ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF THE RESPIRATORY THERAPY STUDENT MANUAL By signing this form, I acknowledge that: I have read and understand the program manual for Respiratory Therapy program. Any questions have been answered to my satisfaction. I agree to abide by the policies and procedures contained in the program manual for Respiratory Therapy program. Please sign and return by scan and to e.edmond@respiratorytherapy.uc.edu Print Name Signature Date

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