Saskatchewan’s first respiratory therapy program launches in Regina

Saskatchewan will soon be breathing a little easier.

The province’s first respiratory therapist training program has welcomed its first cohort of 25 students at Saskatchewan Polytechnic’s Regina campus, thanks in part to $8 million in funding from the Government of Saskatchewan.

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Ken Cheveldayoff, the province’s minister of advanced education, said the launch of the new program is a significant step forward for Saskatchewan.

“For the first time, students can pursue this specialized training without leaving the province, creating a direct pipeline into a very critical profession,” Cheveldayoff said in a statement.

Respiratory therapists help to assess, evaluate and treat breathing and cardiopulmonary issues and disorders, while also helping to care for patients.

“Respiratory therapists play a major role in delivering high-quality specialized care for patients across Saskatchewan,” Health Minister Jeremy Cockrill said in a statement.

“By training more respiratory therapists here at home, we are strengthening our health workforce and ensuring patients can receive the right care in the right place, at the right time for years to come.”

The provincial government said all 25 seats offered to the first cohort of students have been filled, adding that the students will complete clinical placements in Saskatchewan health-care settings during their 2.5 years of training.

“With this important investment from the Government of Saskatchewan, we have renovated our Regina campus to create two new respiratory therapy laboratories giving students access to state-of-the-art, dynamic learning environments,” Larry Rosia, president and CEO of Saskatchewan Polytechnic, said in a statement.

“We have purchased new, specialized equipment, ensuring students develop industry-specific knowledge and train with the same modern technology they will use in the workplace from day one. As the only institution in Saskatchewan offering respiratory therapy training, we are preparing graduates to meet the province’s growing health care needs.”

The government said the respiratory therapist training program is the fourth new health training program to be launched in Saskatchewan through the provincial government’s health-care and health human resources action plans.