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Respiratory Therapist

Also called: CRT (Certified Respiratory Therapist), Diagnostics RRT (Diagnostics Registered Respiratory Therapist), Licensed CRT (Licensed Certified Respiratory Therapist), Respiratory Care Practitioner (RCP)

Assess, treat, and care for patients with breathing disorders. Assume primary responsibility for all respiratory care modalities, including the supervision of respiratory therapy technicians.

No four-year degree needed Bright outlook Healthcare

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Median pay

$82,280/yr

Typical range

$63,660 – $118,050

Outlook

Bright outlook

What does a Respiratory Therapist do?

Assess, treat, and care for patients with breathing disorders. Assume primary responsibility for all respiratory care modalities, including the supervision of respiratory therapy technicians. Initiate and conduct therapeutic procedures; maintain patient records; and select, assemble, check, and operate equipment.

Set up and operate devices, such as mechanical ventilators, therapeutic gas administration apparatus, environmental control systems, or aerosol generators, following specified parameters of treatment.
Monitor patient's physiological responses to therapy, such as vital signs, arterial blood gases, or blood chemistry changes, and consult with physician if adverse reactions occur.
Read prescription, measure arterial blood gases, and review patient information to assess patient condition.

How to become a Respiratory Therapist

Training: An associate's degree or other 2-year degree. Employees in these careers need one or two years of training. Both on-the-job experience and informal training with experienced workers may be needed. An apprenticeship program may be a good choice for these careers.

Skills you'll use

Keeping track of how well people and/or groups are doing in order to make improvementsListening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questionsNoticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve itUnderstanding people's reactionsLooking for ways to help people

Is it a fit for you?

Adaptability
Perseverance
Empathy
Stress Tolerance
Self-Control

Tools and technology

eClinicalWorks EHR softwareMEDITECH softwareMicrosoft PowerPointMicrosoft Excel

Questions people ask

How much does a Respiratory Therapist make?

About $82,280 a year at the U.S. median. Most earn between $63,660 and $118,050. Pay depends on the state, the employer and experience.

How long does it take to become a Respiratory Therapist?

Employees in these careers need one or two years of training. Both on-the-job experience and informal training with experienced workers may be needed. An apprenticeship program may be a good choice for these careers.

Do you need a college degree to be a Respiratory Therapist?

No four-year degree is needed. An associate's degree or other 2-year degree.

Is Respiratory Therapist a good career to get into?

O*NET lists it as a Bright Outlook career: it's expected to grow quickly or have lots of openings in the next few years.

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National wage figures via O*NET Web Services. This application incorporates information from O*NET Web Services by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. Figures are national estimates and vary by state, employer and experience. Career details from O*NET Web Services by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.

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