Radiography Physical and Technical Standards

These are the physical standards expected of a respiratory therapist student.

1. The ability to speak and write in a clear manner.
2. The ability to read and comprehend textbooks and understand instructions.
3. Vision sufficient to assess patient status, perform arterial punctures, operate medical equipment, and read a computer screen.
4. Sense of touch sufficient to assess patient status and to perform arterial punctures. Sense of touch adequate to palpate and percuss the patient chest.
5. Manual dexterity sufficient to assess patient status, perform arterial punctures, operate medical equipment, and use a computer keyboard.
6. Hearing sufficient to assess patient status, hear pages and alarms, and use the telephone. Hearing adequate to hear breath sounds, equipment alarms and paging systems.
7. The ability to walk and stand for up for eight consecutive hours on clinical training days.
8. The ability to exert enough pressure to move medical equipment traditionally used by respiratory therapists in the acute care setting. This includes but is not limited to: ventilators, croupettes, and oxygen cylinders.
9. The ability to lift or move patients from infants to adult
10. The ability to bend or squat and reach in any direction.
11. Ability to push or pull equipment up to 170 lb.
12. Ability to lift equipment/supplies up to 25 lb.
13. Ability to assemble complex equipment and perform fine motor skills.
14. Interpersonal skills necessary to work with peers, instructors, supervisors, multidisciplinary staff and patients at the clinical site.
15. Ability to cope with physically and mentally stressful situations.