Who is respiratory therapist

Individuals interested in becoming a respiratory therapist, should be detail oriented and well organized. High school students can prepare for the role by taking advantage of science, math, and health courses.

Some programs may have entrance requirements that include documented volunteer or work experience in an environment with respiratory care, so it may be beneficial to work or volunteer in a hospital or vent center in high school. After completing a respiratory therapy degree program, you must take the certification exam to become a certified respiratory therapist or a registered respiratory therapist. Every state except Alaska requires that respiratory therapists also obtain a state license.

Additional certification is available to work with certain populations, such as pediatrics. Respiratory therapists are required to renew their credentials every five years, which includes continuing education or retesting. Job opportunities are expected to be very good for respiratory therapists. The Bureau of Labor Statistics expects employment of respiratory therapists to grow much faster than average.

Respiratory therapists are in demand to care for the large aging population. Older people are more likely to experience lung and heart conditions that may benefit from respiratory therapy.

With additional training and experience, some therapists may advance to staff therapist or administrative positions. Others start their own respiratory care companies or move into equipment marketing and sales.

In almost every case, a primary care physician, pediatrician, or emergency room doctor will let you know if you need an RT. Some populations are more likely to need respiratory therapy. Adults over 65 and adults who smoke are the people that need RTs most.

Premature babies often receive care from RTs as well. It typically takes between two and four years to become an RT. RTs need to complete an accredited associate degree program and pass a national exam to become a certified respiratory therapist, or CRT.

RTs also need a license to practice. The second year of the program is clinical practice. This happens hands-on in a hospital or therapy facility. Recently, the AARC has moved toward only allowing four-year programs to be accredited. A good RT needs to be intelligent and intuitive. RTs often have the difficult task of providing life support for individuals who may not survive.

A good RT will feel patience and compassion for families of those individuals. RTs are asked to work long, irregular hours, so they need to have a high energy level. They also need a good work ethic to provide for the needs of their patients.

RTs should have a passion for learning, because technology in this field is always getting better. Your doctor may have already spoken to you about respiratory therapy. People with chronic lung disease or those who have been in the hospital for a while sometimes need respiratory therapy. Speak to your doctor if you feel you would benefit from this type of therapy. An incentive spirometer is a device that can help you strengthen your lungs. Learn how it works, who it helps, and where to get one.

Belly or abdominal breathing offers a number of benefits for health and well-being. The goal is to drain the fluid and make it easier for you to…. Popcorn lung is caused by exposure to toxic chemicals found in microwaveable popcorn factories and e-cigarettes. Symptoms include flu-like illness…. Respiratory therapists are in high-demand, too, with industry growth projected to be at least 23 percent over the next decade according to the U.

Bureau of Labor Statistics. Future respiratory therapists can earn an Associate of Science in Respiratory Care degree and entry-level certification as a Certified Respiratory Therapist CRT to begin a career in the field. Interested in learning more about the life of a respiratory therapist? Read on, as our career guide covers everything you need to know about this rewarding career path. A respiratory therapist is trained and skilled to assess, diagnose, and treat patients who have difficulty breathing.

They work with people of all ages, from infants to the elderly, in conjunction with physicians and nurses to come up with treatment plans aimed at best helping restore as much natural breathing function as possible.

From initial interviewing and examining, to teaching patients how to administer treatments on their own, respiratory therapists are a critical component in helping people living with cardio-pulmonary disease and disorders. A day in the life of a respiratory therapist can involve meeting and assessing new patients, as well as administering treatment to and following up with existing patients.

RTs should be detail-oriented, patient, compassionate, and possess stellar interpersonal skills as they interact with vulnerable patients who often need as much genuine comfort as they do medical treatment.

Respiratory therapists have a wide range of duties throughout their days. A typical day or shift can consist of:. The average annual respiratory therapist salary in the U. There is opportunity for work in a multitude of medical settings in addition to hospitals, including outpatient and long-term nursing care facilities. RTs can work long days, and often spend more hours on their feet than some other professions, but hours and work weeks can be flexible.

Regardless of where a job is, RTs will perform similar duties for patients. That said, certain settings may demand slightly different focuses on care.

For example, RTs working in a nursing home will work with the elderly, whereas in a neonatal intensive care unit, the care for newborn and premature babies could look very different.