Respiratory Therapists

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Duties

A respiratory therapist's typical tasks include:

• Examine people with respiratory or heart issues.
• Create patient treatment plans with doctors.
• Perform diagnostic tests like lung capacity tests.
• Chest physiotherapy and aerosol drugs are just a few options you have when treating your patients.
• Keep track of patients' progress.
• Instruct patients in using medications and medical equipment like ventilators.

Respiratory therapists use various tests to assess patients. Patients inhale and exhale into a machine that measures oxygen volume and flow. Respiratory therapists can also measure blood oxygen and carbon dioxide levels using a blood gas analyzer.

Chest physiotherapy helps patients breathe easier by clearing mucus from their lungs. To help people with lung diseases like cystic fibrosis cough up mucus, the therapist vibrates their rib cages.

Respiratory therapists can connect patients who can't breathe on their own to oxygen-delivery ventilators. A tube is threaded into the patient's trachea and connected to a ventilator. They set up and monitor the equipment to ensure the patient gets enough oxygen at the right time. 

Respiratory therapists who work with the sick and their families teach the use of ventilators and other life-support systems at home. During these visits, they'll inspect and clean equipment, check for environmental hazards, and explain medications to the patient. In an emergency, therapists may visit the patient.

Some respiratory therapists work in related fields like sleep apnea diagnosis and smoking cessation counseling.

Education

Others prefer candidates with bachelor's degrees in respiratory therapy. Colleges, universities, technical schools, and the military all offer education. Certification by the Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care may be required.

Most respiratory therapy schools also teach microbiology, pharmacology, and chemistry. Courses in CPR, therapeutic and diagnostic methods, equipment, and patient evaluation are also available (CPR). Courses include clinical components that allow students to treat patients under supervision.

To prepare for the entrance exams for these programs, high school students should take courses in health, biology, math, chemistry, and physics.

Licenses and certifications

Except for Alaska, all states require national certification for respiratory therapists. A state's certification test or an accredited professional organization's test is required to become licensed. Contact the state's health department for information on local standards.

The National Board for Respiratory Care certifies respiratory therapists (NBRC). The Board of Certification in Respiratory Therapy offers CRT and RRT credentials (RRT).

Important traits

Compassion. Respiratory therapists should be able to provide emotional support and empathy to patients.

Dedicated to precision. Assuring that their patients get the right treatments and drugs at the right time is crucial for respiratory therapists. They must also keep track of and record patient data.

Interaction with others. A respiratory therapist is part of a team that treats patients. The person in charge of a patient's care must be able to obey the doctor.

Patience. These patients may be in the care of a respiratory therapist for a long time.

Problem-solving skills A respiratory therapist must be able to solve problems. They must evaluate the patient's symptoms, consult with other medical professionals, and prescribe treatment.

Math and science skills to work in medicine, you must have a thorough understanding of the human body.

Pay

The median annual wage for respiratory therapists was $80,450 in May 2024. The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $61,900, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $108,820.

Job Projections

Employment of respiratory therapists is projected to grow 13 percent from 2023 to 2033, much faster than the average for all occupations.