Continuing respiratory care education is a fact of life for most respiratory therapists, whether practicing or not. Respiratory CEUS is mandatory for maintaining an active license status. Professionals often confuse whether to choose in-person or online RT CEUS. There is no across-the-board correct answer where continuing education units are concerned. Based on this, there may be an answer that works best for you.
Many respiratory therapists find it easier to complete their CEU requirements through an online self-study mode because of enhanced flexibility, greater affordability, and high-quality coursework.
What Does Online CEU Couse Consist Of?
There are several providers for respiratory therapy CEUs. You must always work with an accredited CEU provider. Nationally recognized test providers ensure their continuing education courses are relevant and updated. Passionate and experienced leaders create these in the field.
You can choose from a broad range of online courses approved by the American Association for Respiratory Care (AARC) or the California Board of Registered Nursing. You are sure to find courses that interest you, whether you are trying to learn something new or are exploring topics in the field of respiratory therapy. The top-tier presenters at approved respiratory care education CRCE make the content engaging and stimulating.
These are a few common topics that most respiratory professionals choose to complete their continuing education requirements:
- COVID-19
- Mechanical Ventilation
- Tracheostomy & Aerodigestive Disorders
- Neonatal Pediatrics
- Sleep Disorders
- Asthma
- Critical Care
- Ethics and Professional Practice
You can choose any course of your choice and complete the required tests. Certain providers like TheCEPlace are accredited in all 50 states and Puerto Rico. You can determine the number of units you require for maintaining an active license status. You are shown links to purchase the books which align with our courses when you sign up with TheCEPlace.
You can take the tests at your own pace whenever you want. The best part is that TheCEPlace allows unlimited retakes if you cannot clear the course test on the first attempt. There is no additional fee for this. You can access your course completion certificate immediately once you clear the test. This can be printed or emailed to anyone that needs it.
Why Should You Consider Online CE Courses?
Respiratory therapists generally have busy schedules. It can be challenging to take the time necessary to complete continuing education units. These are mandatory if you want to maintain an active license. This is where online RT courses come in helpful. They are highly accessible. Online courses bring the convenience of online models and tests.
The best part about working with an approved provider is that you get to complete the mandatory respiratory therapist coursework at your own pace from a convenient location. You don’t need to bother about taking leaves from your practice to attend live workshops and seminars. All you require is a working WiFi connection. You can choose to cram the material in a single day or space it as you wish.
Another reason to consider online CEU is that you can choose from a broader range of topics. There is no limit to the type of courses you choose. Respiratory therapists need in-depth knowledge of cardiopulmonary disorders, chronic lung conditions, respiratory illnesses, and breathing difficulties. You need a hands-on understanding of human anatomy and physiology to help patients.
There are available courses on nondestructive testing, pulmonary diagnostic tests, radiation safety, and the use of radiographic equipment as well. You would think that the self-study mode doesn’t involve rigorous assessment. This could not be farther from the truth. Most online CEUs require a test that needs to be cleared. You should be able to think critically about what you learned.
Online Courses vs. In-Person Courses
There is no denying that professionals follow a complicated and busy schedule. It doesn’t matter which learning format you choose, as long as it helps deepen your understanding of the field. The course you choose should also keep you updated with the latest development in your field. Practitioners that decide to advance their learning with the help of rigorous case studies and courses enjoy thriving practices. This helps in moving an entire profession forward.
Online services providing CEU courses make it easier for professionals to complete their mandatory unit requirements. In-person courses may allow you to have hands-on experience, but you must be honest with yourself. Do you have the time to get away from work? Is there any time left once you are done meeting your personal and professional obligations?
As mentioned, there is no golden rule when choosing between in-person and online CEU test services. These are a few factors you can consider while deciding for yourself:
- Do you require flexibility in time and resources invested?
- Do you want an affordable course?
- Do you want access to the learning material at any time of the day?
- Do you want to learn new skills that benefit the patients you are currently working with?
- Do you enjoy the topic and want a deep understanding of the subject without any external motivation?
If the answer to the above questions was primarily “yes,” you should consider online RT classes. These classes will give you the flexibility, affordability, exposure, and ease of learning you desire. These factors are generally not available with the offline mode of studying.
Regardless of the type of learning method you choose, it is imperative that you only work with an AARC-approved service provider or the California Board of Registered Nursing for the applicable states. They constantly make improvements to the course and are accepted by state boards. These are a few benefits of choosing an approved and accredited course provider:
- Automatic grading and certificate generation
- Updated license requirements by state
- Progress tracking
- Forever access to course material
Benefits of Choosing Online CEU Courses
These are a few advantages of choosing the online method for completing your respiratory care continuing education:
Convenient and Affordable
Online courses are more accessible as compared to offline modes. You can complete them from the comfort of your couch or when you have an extra minute at the workplace. They are also less expensive as compared to attending seminars and offline classes. For starters, you can save on the cost of travel.
This is a significant benefit for respiratory therapists who don’t want to invest much time or money in attaining their respiratory CEUs. You need to be careful about cheap options. After all, you get what you pay for. Make sure the continuing education provider you choose is accredited and approved.
Access to High-Quality Online Courses
Online course-takers don’t experience geographical limitations. You can access quality courses based on several interesting subjects. Experienced and passionate industry leaders prepare these courses. You can study anything you are interested in while completing your respiratory care education CRCE. You can truly enhance your business and clinical skills to align with your professional goals as a respiratory therapist.
Complete an Assessment
You don’t need to worry about assessments. Online courses usually have an assessment test at the end. The majority of in-person respiratory continuing education courses are based on attendance. You won’t have a concrete assessment of what you have learned. You may benefit more from completing an online CE course if you are interested in gauging your understanding of a particular topic and subject. This can increase your confidence in what you learned.
Access to Detailed Materials
Online courses may give you access to in-depth materials for a deeper understanding. Most courses come complete with links to the related book material to help students prepare for class while expanding their learning once the course is over. You can get access to readings, and other resources to help you attain a better understanding of the subject.
Track Your Learning
The best thing about completing your continuing education units through an online mode is that you can easily track your learning and course completion against industry and state requirements. You always know how many courses and in which categories to complete to retain your license.
Less Time Intensive
Respiratory therapists are busy professionals. You cannot be expected to drop everything when a patient has difficulty breathing and head out for a class. The same holds for weekend classes. You shouldn’t compromise on the time spent with your loved ones just because you must attend classes or seminars. Online learning ensures that you invest in your future and education without compromising the present.
These respiratory care courses are designed to provide the required knowledge in the least required amount of time. You can complete your continuing respiratory care education whenever you have an extra minute at work. The continuing education courses are available online for your convenience.
Studies Prove Online Learners Show Positive Results
The Department of Education released a recent report after analyzing various case studies. They compared face-to-face instruction with e-learning. The report stated that students in online course structures usually had better outcomes than those instructed in a classroom. In particular, older learners and professionals preferred digital education and did better in incorporating study time into their busy schedules.
This is excellent news for respiratory therapists and registered nursing professionals that want to pursue continuing education. You can get all the flexibility you need to fit continuing respiratory care education into your schedule. Online education provides a lot of things that regular education doesn’t. You don’t want to be held back while completing a course just because someone in the class is a slow learner.
Teachers and lecturers need to ensure that their instruction mode is understandable by all. In many cases, they dumb down the course structure to make it relevant for slow learners. You can achieve your true potential by completing the course online at your own pace. You can skip over parts that you have already mastered over. After only a few hours of studying, several professionals are ready to take the course test.
Instruction during traditional classes centers on lectures from the instructor. There may or may not be an intensive discussion session following the lecture. The same holds with live seminars. Online learning has a more interactive nature. For instance, when studying new medical records technology, you may learn about putting patient information into a new database. Such hands-on learning is usually adequate for the majority of people.
Flexibility is another obvious benefit of continuing online education. You can complete the course from wherever you want at a time and pace suitable to you. However, you need to ensure that you only choose an approved provider. In particular, the provider should offer accredited respiratory care education CRCE courses. The American Association should support the provider for Respiratory Care. Of course, the other approved provider is the California Board of Registered Nursing for certain states.
Should I Choose Online CEUs or In-Person Learning?
Everyone has individual preferences when it comes to learning. You should identify your goals and purpose for attaining continuing education. You should also determine how you want to progress in your career. Whether you have the flexibility to attend classes? You should always place your personal advancement before you consider whether to participate in offline classes or not.
It helps if you know the trainer if you choose to get offline classes for your continuing respiratory care education. Is the lecturer accredited to the California board or your state board? Will the RT CEUs be acceptable by your state health board? Online courses may be more helpful if you are already working in the field. You can complete the tests in your own time and get the certificate.
Many people prefer offline classes because they don’t have to waste time on the commute and other aspects of offline learning.
Nothing stops you from attending a lecture or seminar while completing your course through a strictly online module. You get the flexibility to learn at your own pace. This is a valuable opportunity for professionals that don’t have a lot of time on their hands to complete their continuing education credits.
There are several benefits to completing your course online. However, the choice is yours. Whether you choose an online provider or an offline mode of study, make sure they are AARC approved by your state health board for providing respiratory care education units.
Take Your Career to the Next Level with TheCEPlace Online Courses
TheCEPlace is an AARC-approved CEU provider for respiratory therapists and registered nurses. We are approved in all 50 states and Puerto Rico. We also have approved courses for RTs in selected states from the California Board of Registered Nursing. You can access high-quality learning material and other resources when you create an account with us. We provide instant access to course completion certificates on successfully clearing tests.
You don’t need to worry even if you didn’t pass the test. We understand the demands of your profession. You can retake the test as many times as you want at no additional charge. Get ready to advance your career today. Give us a call at 833-388-2600, or use our registration form to sign up.