National Board for Respiratory Care
Encyclopedia
The National Board for Respiratory Care (NBRC) Inc. is a non-profit organization formed in 1986 with the purpose of awarding and maintaining credentialing for Respiratory therapists in the United States
.
The NBRC is the only entity currently responsible for developing the licensure examinations for Registered Respiratory Therapist
s (RRT
s) and Certified Respiratory Therapist
s (CRT
s). The NBRC also offers additional specialization credentialing for Respiratory Therapists.
The CRT and RRT designations are the standard credential in respiratory therapy for licensure requirements in the portions of the United States
that have enacted a Respiratory Care Act
. States that license respiratory therapists sometimes require the practitioner to maintain their NBRC credentialing to maintain their license to practice.
The NBRC is headquartered in Olathe, Kansas
. It has been in the Kansas City metropolitan area
since 1974. Both the NBRC and Applied Measurement Professionals
, Inc. (AMP), are located at 18000 W. 105th St., Olathe, Kansas 66061-7543.
s and Certified Pulmonary Function Technologists require oversight and supervision by their level 2 counterparts.
and Registered Pulmonary Function Technologist
being the two advanced credentialings maintanied by the NBRC.
Sleep Disorders Specialist — The sleep disorder specialist (RRT-SDS or CRT-SDS) is a credential recognized by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine
for the role of Scoring in sleep studies.
Neonatal & Pediatric Specialist — The neonatal and pediatric specialist (RRT-NPS or CRT-NPS) is a respiratory therapist that may work in advanced care in pediatrics and neonatology centers and units.
Adult Critical Care Specialist — The adult critical care specialist is an RRT (RRT-ACCS) or CRT (CRT-ACCS) that is a pulmonary and hemodymanic specialist in intensive medicine in adult practice.
. AMP was incorporated in the state of Kansas
in 1982 as a wholly owned subsidiary of the National Board for Respiratory Care (NBRC) Inc.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
The NBRC is the only entity currently responsible for developing the licensure examinations for Registered Respiratory Therapist
Registered Respiratory Therapist
A Registered Respiratory Therapist is a cardiopulmonary therapist and specialist who is required to exercise considerable independent clinical judgment in the respiratory care of patients...
s (RRT
RRT
RRT or Rrt may refer to:* Registered Respiratory Therapist* Radio Reconnaissance Platoon* Rapidly-exploring random tree* Renal replacement therapy* Railroad Tycoon...
s) and Certified Respiratory Therapist
Certified Respiratory Therapist
A Certified Respiratory Therapist , formerly Certified Respiratory Therapy Technician , is a therapist who has graduated from a respiratory therapy program at a university or college and has passed a national certification exam...
s (CRT
CRT
-Medicine:* Capillary refill time, the rate at with blood refills empty capillaries* Cognitive Retention Therapy, a dementia treatment* Cardiac resynchronization therapy, a treatment for heart failure** CRT-D, an implanted cardiac resynchronization device...
s). The NBRC also offers additional specialization credentialing for Respiratory Therapists.
The CRT and RRT designations are the standard credential in respiratory therapy for licensure requirements in the portions of the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
that have enacted a Respiratory Care Act
Respiratory Care Act
A Respiratory Care Act is a common term for a law enacted allowing for the practice of Respiratory Care in a given state, province, region or nation...
. States that license respiratory therapists sometimes require the practitioner to maintain their NBRC credentialing to maintain their license to practice.
The NBRC is headquartered in Olathe, Kansas
Olathe, Kansas
Olathe is a city in and the county seat of Johnson County, Kansas, United States. Located in northeastern Kansas, it is also the fifth most populous city in the state, with a population of 125,872 at the 2010 census. As a suburb of Kansas City, Missouri, Olathe is the fourth-largest city in the...
. It has been in the Kansas City metropolitan area
Kansas City Metropolitan Area
The Kansas City Metropolitan Area is a fifteen-county metropolitan area that is anchored by Kansas City, Missouri and is bisected by the border between the states of Missouri and Kansas. As of the 2010 Census, the metropolitan area has a population of 2,035,334. The metropolitan area is the...
since 1974. Both the NBRC and Applied Measurement Professionals
Applied Measurement Professionals
Applied Measurement Professionals, Inc is a for-profit private stock corporation located in Olathe, Kansas, which is in the Kansas City metropolitan area. Incorporated in 1982 as a wholly owned subsidiary of the non-profit National Board for Respiratory Care as NBRC Management Services, Inc...
, Inc. (AMP), are located at 18000 W. 105th St., Olathe, Kansas 66061-7543.
Former names of the NBRC
- Inhalation Therapy Association (1943)
- American Association of Inhalation Therapists (AAIT). (1954)
- American Association for Inhalation Therapy (AAIT). (1966)
- The Board of Schools of Inhalation Therapy Technicians. (1970)
- Joint Review Committee for Respiratory Therapy Education (JRCRTE).
- National Board for Respiratory Therapy (NBRT). (1974)
Level 1 (Entry Level)
Certification is the entry level and is separated as such by the NBRC. Certified Respiratory TherapistCertified Respiratory Therapist
A Certified Respiratory Therapist , formerly Certified Respiratory Therapy Technician , is a therapist who has graduated from a respiratory therapy program at a university or college and has passed a national certification exam...
s and Certified Pulmonary Function Technologists require oversight and supervision by their level 2 counterparts.
Level 2 (Advanced Practice)
The term the NBRC uses to designate an advanced practitioner is the addition to an advanced practitioner registry. Registered Respiratory TherapistRegistered Respiratory Therapist
A Registered Respiratory Therapist is a cardiopulmonary therapist and specialist who is required to exercise considerable independent clinical judgment in the respiratory care of patients...
and Registered Pulmonary Function Technologist
Registered Pulmonary Function Technologist
A Registered Pulmonary Function Technologist is a technician who is a Registered Respiratory Therapist that has successfully passed the national registry exam.-See Also:*Respiratory therapy*Certified Respiratory Therapist...
being the two advanced credentialings maintanied by the NBRC.
Specialties
The NBRC has sub-specialties for the Respiratory Therapist designations. Both the CRT and the RRT are eligible to sit for additional credentialing but the CRT still requires the same supervision by the RRT in clinical applications.Sleep Disorders Specialist — The sleep disorder specialist (RRT-SDS or CRT-SDS) is a credential recognized by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine
American Academy of Sleep Medicine
The American Academy of Sleep Medicine is a United States professional society for the medical subspecialty of sleep medicine. It was established in 1975. The AASM is the only professional society that is dedicated exclusively to the medical subspecialty of sleep medicine...
for the role of Scoring in sleep studies.
Neonatal & Pediatric Specialist — The neonatal and pediatric specialist (RRT-NPS or CRT-NPS) is a respiratory therapist that may work in advanced care in pediatrics and neonatology centers and units.
Adult Critical Care Specialist — The adult critical care specialist is an RRT (RRT-ACCS) or CRT (CRT-ACCS) that is a pulmonary and hemodymanic specialist in intensive medicine in adult practice.
Testing
The NBRC owns its own testing corporation, AMP. AMP is a private stock corporation located in the Kansas City metropolitan areaKansas City Metropolitan Area
The Kansas City Metropolitan Area is a fifteen-county metropolitan area that is anchored by Kansas City, Missouri and is bisected by the border between the states of Missouri and Kansas. As of the 2010 Census, the metropolitan area has a population of 2,035,334. The metropolitan area is the...
. AMP was incorporated in the state of Kansas
Kansas
Kansas is a US state located in the Midwestern United States. It is named after the Kansas River which flows through it, which in turn was named after the Kansa Native American tribe, which inhabited the area. The tribe's name is often said to mean "people of the wind" or "people of the south...
in 1982 as a wholly owned subsidiary of the National Board for Respiratory Care (NBRC) Inc.
Respiratory Therapist
- NBRC-ELENBRC-ELENBRC-ELE is an examination for the certification credential of respiratory therapists in the United States...
— The Entry Level Examination is the initial test that awards the Certified Respiratory TherapistCertified Respiratory TherapistA Certified Respiratory Therapist , formerly Certified Respiratory Therapy Technician , is a therapist who has graduated from a respiratory therapy program at a university or college and has passed a national certification exam...
credential. - NBRC-WRENBRC-WREThe NBRC-WRE is an examination for the advanced credentialing of previously certified respiratory therapists in the United States....
— The Written Registry Examination is an advanced test used alongside the CSE to grant credential for the Registered Respiratory TherapistRegistered Respiratory TherapistA Registered Respiratory Therapist is a cardiopulmonary therapist and specialist who is required to exercise considerable independent clinical judgment in the respiratory care of patients...
. - NBRC-CSENBRC-CSENBRC-CSE is an examination for the advanced credentialing of respiratory therapists in the United States....
— The Clinical Simulation Examination is a test in which the test-taker accepts the role as an autonomous respiratory therapist handling all sorts of intervention and therapy.
Specialization of the Respiratory Therapist
- NBRC-SSE — Sleep Specialist Examination, an examination for Sleep Disorder Specialization.
- NBRC-ACCSE — Adult Critical Care Specialist Examination
- NBRC-NPSE — Neonatal and Pediatric Specialist Examination
Pulmonary Function Technologist
- NBRC-CPFTE — Certfication examination for Pulmonary Function Technology
- NBRC-RPFTE — Registry examination.
Related organizations
- Institute for Credentialing ExcellenceInstitute for Credentialing ExcellenceInstitute for Credentialing Excellence is one of the two main organizations that accredit personnel certifications or certificates. In November 2009 the ICE formally changed its name from the National Organization for Competency Assurance ....
(ICE) - National Commission for Certifying Agencies (the NBRC maintains accreditation of its programs through this organization and ICE)
- American Association of Respiratory Care (AARC)
- Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Professionals
- Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory CareCommission on Accreditation for Respiratory CareCommission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care is a non-profit accreditation organization dedicated to Respiratory Care. CoARC accredits degree-granting programs in respiratory care that have undergone a rigorous process of voluntary peer review and have met or exceeded the minimum...
- Lambda Beta SocietyLambda Beta SocietyLambda Beta Society is a National Honor Society sponsored and maintained by the National Board for Respiratory Care . It is an honor society specifically recognizing undergraduate achievement in Respiratory Care related colleges. Lambda Beta Society was formed in 1986 and has over 100 chapters in...
- American Thoracic SocietyAmerican Thoracic SocietyAmerican Thoracic Society , established in 1905, is an independently incorporated, international, educational and scientific society, serving its 18,000 members worldwide who are dedicated in respiratory and critical care medicine...
- American Society of AnesthesiologistsAmerican Society of AnesthesiologistsThe American Society of Anesthesiologists is an association of physicians, primarily anesthesiologists, that share a common goal of raising the standard of the medical specialty of anesthesiology and the improvement of patient care by fostering and encouraging education through research and...
- American College of Chest PhysiciansAmerican College of Chest PhysiciansThe American College of Chest Physicians is a medical organization in the United States consisting of physicians and non-physician specialists in the field of chest medicine, which includes pulmonology, thoracic surgery, and critical care medicine....