Career And School Info For Respiratory Therapists

Schools by State for This Career

What Kind of Person Has This Career?

(Numbers are % of people choosing the item.)

Important Natural Abilities	% Choosing
Oral Expression	81%
Oral Comprehension	78%
Anticipating Problems	78%

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Work Values	% Choosing
Relationships	83%
Organizational Support	78%
Recognition	61%

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Areas of Personal Interest	% Choosing
Working And Communicating With People	95%
Mental Problem-Solving	67%
Hands-On Physical Work	56%

Work Style Characteristics	% Choosing
Concern For Others	93%
Integrity	89%
Dependability	88%

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Which Skills and Knowledge are Needed for this Job?

(Numbers are % of people choosing the item.)

Important Personal Skills	% Choosing
Active Listening	82%
Instructing	80%
Reading Comprehension	77%

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Important Professional Knowledge	% Choosing
Customer And Personal Service	91%
Medicine And Dentistry	89%
Education And Training	73%

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Which Activities and Situations Are Involved in Doing The Job?

(Numbers are % of people choosing the item.)

Common Work Conditions	% Choosing
Face-To-Face Discussions	100%
Exposed To Disease Or Infections	98%
Contact With Others	98%

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Common Job Activities	% Choosing
Assisting And Caring For Others	94%
Getting Information	90%
Inspecting Equipment, Structures, Or Material	87%

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Information Sources

BrainTrack's information on colleges and careers is drawn from many sources, including government databases, BrainTrack's own research, and results from original data analysis algorithms.

Respiratory Therapist Job Description

Being able to freely take a deep breath is something that most people take for granted until they can't due to health conditions. Respiratory therapists (also called respiratory technicians or respiratory care practitioners) work with patients who have breathing disorders or other conditions that affect their heart and lungs. Working in hospitals and emergency rooms or for home health care agencies, respiratory therapists provide direct care to patients young and old who, because of underdeveloped growth, disease or damage, cannot get the oxygen they need from breathing.

Although respiratory therapists usually handle more complex tasks than respiratory technicians, their roles frequently overlap. The responsibilities of both roles usually include:

• interviewing patients and performing examinations
• conducting diagnostic testing
• documenting patient information and progress
• reporting results to doctors
• responding to emergency / critical care situations
• visiting patients in their homes to provide and maintain equipment
• treating patients with drugs, physiotherapy, and use of medical devices and equipment
• educating patients in self-care and the use of equipment

Unlike respiratory technicians, respiratory therapists work with doctors and other healthcare professionals to establish patient care plans. They are responsible for complicated therapeutic decisions such as providing care for patients on life-support or those in intensive care.

Degrees and Schools

A minimum of an associate's degree is required to be a respiratory therapist. Most associate's degree and bachelor's degree programs offered through universities, colleges, medical schools and vocational schools prepare students for careers in advanced respiratory therapy, while a few focus more on entry-level roles.

In order for graduates to be eligible for licensure in most states, programs must be accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) or Committee on Accreditation for Respiratory Care (CoARC).

Classes

Respiratory therapy students divide their time between coursework and supervised clinical experience. Courses typically include:

• anatomy and physiology
• pathophysiology and microbiology
• chemistry and pharmacology
• physics and mathematics
• diagnostic and therapeutic tests and procedures
• medical devices and equipment
• assessing patients and documenting progress
• cardiopulmonary resuscitation and rehabilitation
• use of clinical practice guidelines
• caring for patients at home
• promoting respiratory health and preventing disease
• medical records and insurance

Online Classes and Programs

There are several associate's degree and bachelor's degree programs in respiratory therapy available online. These programs provide convenience and flexibility, but usually do not include the supervised clinical practice that is required to be properly prepared as a respiratory therapist. Important note: only programs accredited by the CAAHEP or CoARC qualify graduates for certification and licensure.

Employment Requirements

An associate's degree in respiratory therapy is the minimum educational requirement for respiratory therapists. In addition, employers require that they be cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) certified at all times.

In order to practice in all states except Alaska and Hawaii, respiratory therapists must be licensed. To obtain a license, national certification as a Certified Respiratory Therapist (CRT) through the National Board for Respiratory Care (NBRC) is usually required. To qualify for supervisory or intensive-care positions, CRTs can obtain certification as a Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT) by completing advanced programs and passing two examinations.

How to Evaluate Schools

Asking the following kinds of questions is important when evaluating respiratory therapy degree programs:

• Accreditation - Has the program been accredited by the CAAHEP or CoARC? If the program is offered online, has it also been accredited by the Accreditation Commission of the Distance Education and Training Council (DETC) or other distance learning oversight organization?
• Curricula and focus - Does the program prepare students for only entry-level roles, or also advanced respiratory therapy?
• Tuition and financial aid - What financial aid options such as grants, scholarships, work / study and student loans are available? How much support does the school offer to help students take advantage of these opportunities?
• Class structure and practical experience - What is the student-teacher ratio in most classes? Does the school have a well-established program for supervised clinical experience working directly with patients?
• Graduate success - What percentage of graduates became CRTs? Does the school provide comprehensive job placement assistance?

Example Job Titles

(Titles per survey respondents and career experts.)

• Certified Respiratory Therapist (CRT)
• Certified Respiratory Therapist Technician
• Clinical Coordinator of Respiratory Therapy
• Director of Cardiopulmonary Services
• Inhalation Therapist
• Oxygen Therapist
• Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT)
• Respiratory Care Practitioner (RCP)
• Respiratory Therapist (RT)
• Respiratory Therapy Director
• Sleep Lab Technician
• Staff Respiratory Therapist

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