First cohort of Respiratory Therapy Program is underway

Brianna Mendoza's interest in a healthcare career began after witnessing a medical emergency. Brianna, who was 14 at the time, was there when her older sister had an asthma attack. 

“It was scary,” she said. “I was like, ‘What the heck is going on?’”

 But within minutes paramedics came to the scene and began providing care for her sister, stabilizing the situation. Brianna knew everything with her sister would be ok, in no small part because of the medical professionals who answered the call.

 “Seeing the paramedics and EMTs come in so confident and just get right to work, I thought it was really cool,” she said. “Someday, I want to be that person for someone. If someone ever needs me, I want to be confident and help them on their worst days.”

 That interest led her to Laramie County Community College’s Respiratory Therapy Program on the Cheyenne campus. Brianna, from Greeley, Colorado, is part of the program’s first cohort, marking the beginning of a new era in the Health Sciences & Wellness Pathway at LCCC.

Respiratory therapists (RTs) play a critical role in health care, especially highlighted during the pandemic. RTs work across various settings and are essential throughout a patient’s life, significantly improving the quality of life within communities.

“The first thing you do in life is breathe, and the last thing you do in life is breathe; a respiratory therapist is there for every breath in between,” said Lori Arnold, LCCC’s Respiratory Therapy Program director. “There is an RT behind the operation of every ventilator, a life support system that breathes for someone who can’t breathe. RTs are an integral part of the health care team.”

Students in the Respiratory Therapy Program will learn to diagnose, evaluate and treat patients with breathing problems and lung disorders, as well as manage life-saving equipment like ventilators. Launched in Fall 2024 with 13 students, the program is designed to address the growing need for respiratory therapists in Wyoming, specifically in the southeast region and neighboring states like Nebraska and Colorado.

Hailing from Northern California, Jinelle Fromme, another student in the program’s first cohort, is a long way from home. Like Brianna, Jinelle was motivated to look at respiratory therapy by her life experiences.

“Growing up, I had a lot of breathing issues, and so did my family, which made me want to go into health care,” she said. “When I was a science camp counselor, a little boy had an asthma attack, and none of the adults knew what to do. Because I struggled with asthma, I was able to advocate for him and get him the help he needed, and it gave me a good feeling to be that person who saved someone’s day.”

When it came to choosing a college with health care in mind, a high school teacher highlighted LCCC for Jinelle. A family trip from California to Kansas coincidentally routed Jinelle within a short distance of LCCC, so she decided to take a quick trip to Cheyenne. When she arrived, she was able to meet people from the Health Sciences & Wellness Pathway, tour campus and get an idea of what getting an education at LCCC could be like.

“I fell in love with the campus, the people and the teachers,” Jinelle said. “Just looking at all the programs and the opportunities was really eye-opening, and I loved it.”

Brianna became a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) and an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) in high school, but wanted to pursue respiratory care in college. LCCC not only had the programs Brianna was interested in and offered the individualized help she wanted in the classroom; it seemed like LCCC offered the full campus life experience.

“I didn't want a big university, just because I learn better with small class sizes,” Brianna said. “I found LCCC and loved the many different programs they had in the medical field. I also liked that they offer dorms as a community college, which I thought was really cool and interesting. I saw all the clubs and events, and I just liked how welcoming they were. That's why I chose LCCC.” 

The need for professionals like Brianna and Jinelle will only grow in coming years, especially as many RTs reach retirement age, Lori said. 

“It can take many months to fill a full-time respiratory therapy position in the state,” Lori said. “By having an accredited program in southeast Wyoming, this will help healthcare facilities fill those vacancies even faster.”

After years of work, Lori said it feels amazing to see the program underway.

“When I started this journey over two years ago, I never dreamed I would have this opportunity to educate the next generation of respiratory therapists,” she said.

Students will complete more than 900 hours of hands-on clinical experience with LCCC’s program partners, based throughout Wyoming, Northern Colorado and Nebraska. The experience, Lori said, not only allows students to learn in real-world settings but also gives LCCC’s clinical partners the opportunity to evaluate the students' abilities. The hope is that many of these sites will consider hiring LCCC graduates after they complete the program.

LCCC’s Respiratory Therapy Program holds Provisional Accreditation from the Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care (CoARC), allowing it to admit students and be recognized as an accredited program by the National Board for Respiratory Care (NBRC). Graduates of the program are eligible to sit for the national certification and registry exams, which can lead to earning the credentials of Certified Respiratory Therapist (CRT) and Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT), as well as obtaining state licensure as a Respiratory Therapist.

Crucial funding for the Respiratory Therapy Program came from the Wyoming Works Program, along with financial support from Cheyenne Regional Medical Center.

The program is off to a great start, Lori said, benefitting from the extensive experience of Lori and Clinical Coordinator Krista Young, who together bring over six decades of expertise in respiratory therapy.

Natasha Smith, another student in the first cohort, said she developed a passion for caring for others as a CNA and now hopes to specialize in pediatric respiratory care. Her parents had breathing problems and her daughter, born premature, required oxygen support, and Natasha wants to help families in the way healthcare professionals have helped her.

Today, LCCC is providing Natasha, Brianna, Jinelle and all the students in the Health Sciences & Wellness Pathway opportunities to find a path to a career that’s rewarding both economically and on a human level.

“I wanted to be part of the community that takes care of people,” Natasha said.

Go to lccc.wy.edu/pathways/healthSciencesWellness/respiratoryTherapyProgram or email HSWFREELARAMIE for more information about the Respiratory Therapy Program in LCCC’s Health Sciences & Wellness Pathway.