Kansas City, March 10, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- As part of its 2022 Choose to Give initiative, The National Board for Respiratory Care (NBRC) will give more than $2 million in scholarship funds to accredited respiratory care education programs. Each of 400-plus programs accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care (CoARC) will receive $5,000 to use toward scholarships for current and future practitioners.
The NBRC’s Choose to Give campaign supports the long-term recruitment, retention and advancement of respiratory therapists. Through this give-back initiative, the NBRC Board of Trustees is designating a portion of annual credential maintenance fees to fund scholarships, grants and awards in 2022.
“We recognize the impact of the growing shortage of respiratory therapists. We hope the scholarship money will provide new educational opportunities for aspiring respiratory therapists and ensure a better, brighter future for the profession,” said Lori M. Tinkler, MBA, Chief Executive Officer of the NBRC. The NBRC will disperse funds later this year, along with a memorandum of how to use the monies to support and advance the profession of respiratory care and its practitioners.
As the country’s population grows increasingly older, hospitals and physician practices face a critical need for specialized, high-quality respiratory care. The numbers for both current and aspiring respiratory therapists are decreasing, causing serious concern that the supply of respiratory therapists cannot meet the high demand.
According to U.S. News & World Report, respiratory therapy ranks No. 6 among the best healthcare jobs, with excellent prospects for career growth. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects 23 percent employment growth for respiratory therapists between 2020 and 2030, with an estimated 31,100 additional jobs becoming available.
To address the shortage of respiratory therapists and advance specialization, the NBRC is leading a multi-year, national campaign to raise awareness of the value of the profession; to improve recruitment and retention; and to identify, shape and inspire new leadership in respiratory care. Learn more about the campaign at morerts.com.
About the NBRC: Established in 1960 and headquartered in the Kansas City area since 1974, the NBRC is the credentialing board for U.S. respiratory care practitioners. The NBRC’s mission is to promote excellence in respiratory care by awarding credentials based on high-competency standards.
The 49 states regulating the respiratory care profession recognize the NBRC examinations as the minimum standard for state licensure. The National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA) accredits all of the NBRC’s examinations.
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