BCC Now Admitting Students into Respiratory Care Program

Print Story | Email Story
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Berkshire Community College (BCC) is now accepting applications for the fall semester for its Respiratory Care program. 
 
The program is part of a workforce development pipeline at Berkshire Health Systems (BHS), otherwise known as the "talent pipeline," which is designed to create a direct career path from education and training to full-time employment at BHS.  
 
The largest employer in the Berkshires, BHS covers the cost of all training in its pipeline programs and also offers trainees full-time pay with benefits while they are completing their training. 
 
"In as little as two years, students can earn an associate degree in respiratory therapy at BCC, then complete their training at BHS, where respiratory therapists are in demand," said Lori Moon, BCC Dean of Nursing. "It's a fantastic partnership that benefits both BCC students and the growing healthcare workforce in the Berkshires." 
 
Respiratory care practitioners help treat patients with a wide range of cardiopulmonary illnesses, including asthma or heart failure. Respiratory care includes diagnostic testing and administering oxygen, various other gases and aerosol drugs. 
 
BCC's two-year Respiratory Care program, a sequence of lecture, laboratory and clinical courses, prepares students to become Certified Respiratory Therapists (CRTs) and Registered Respiratory Therapists (RRTs). The program combines coursework and hands-on training, emphasizing the rigorous technical and academic competencies required of a respiratory therapist. Students who complete the program are eligible to take the National Board for Respiratory Care examination. 
 
Graduates of the program are employed in diverse areas of healthcare, holding positions such as neonatal/pediatric specialists, adult critical care specialists, pulmonary rehabilitation specialists, critical care transport therapists, home-care therapists, clinical educators and many more. The projected average salary of respiratory therapists working in the United States is more than $73,000 per year. In Massachusetts, respiratory therapists earn a median wage of $73,000 to $87,000. 
 
The Respiratory Care program at BCC is accredited by The Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care (CoARC).? For more information, visit www.berkshirecc.edu/respiratory-care

Tags: BCC,   BHS,   BMC,   

If you would like to contribute information on this article, contact us at info@iberkshires.com.

Pittsfield Board Suspends Bei Tempi's Liquor License for Underage Service

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff

PITTSFIELD, Mass.— The Licensing Board on Monday voted to suspend Bei Tempi's liquor license for five days, determining that it was "more likely than not" that the bar served at least one underage patron alcohol. 

The penalty will begin on July 6. 

"I just think the conventional wisdom would dictate that two minors don't go into a bar on multiple occasions to get juice," board member Jon Lifvergren said, referring to the contents of a glass in video surveillance. 

"It's conceivable, it's possible, but conventional wisdom- just, every fiber of my being is just saying, what's the likelihood of that? That they've been there, from what I understand, on multiple occasions, to have some juice?" 

Earlier this year, Police Capt. Matthew Hill received a call from an upset parent about her 19-year-old daughter patronizing Iztac Mexican Restaurant at night and being served.  Those photos resulted in a two-week liquor license suspension for Iztac, which is now closed, and the same mother submitted an almost identical complaint about Bei Tempi, accompanied by photos.  

At the last hearing, the board watched security footage from the night, around 11 p.m., which does not display the establishment's door or bar, and heard from the patron's mother.  

Attorney Ken Ferris on Monday argued that there isn't enough information to substantiate the claim, specifically that video footage only showed a reddish liquid in a glass held by one of the girls and that they didn't appear to be stumbling. 

He said they were there to dance and not to drink. 

Board member Kathy Amuso said the police wouldn't have brought the incident forward if they didn't feel underage people were drinking. 

View Full Story

More Pittsfield Stories