Respiratory Therapists

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.

Median wage

$80,450

$61,900–$108,820

Projected growth

+12.0%

Faster than average

Annual openings

1,680

per year

Employed (US)

136,420

Job Zone 3

Typical preparation

Medium preparation

Stackable credential programs

148 mapped

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Core skills

Active ListeningCritical ThinkingMonitoringSpeakingActive LearningSocial PerceptivenessService OrientationReading Comprehension

Knowledge areas

Customer and Personal ServiceMedicine and DentistryEnglish LanguageEducation and TrainingPsychology

Technology & tools

Calendar and scheduling softwareData base user interface and query softwareMedical softwareSpreadsheet softwareOffice suite software

Representative tasks

Provide emergency care, such as artificial respiration, external cardiac massage, or assistance withMonitor patient's physiological responses to therapy, such as vital signs, arterial blood gases, or Set up and operate devices, such as mechanical ventilators, therapeutic gas administration apparatusAttend high-risk and caesarian section infant deliveries to provide neonatal respiratory care as needed.

Competency framework

Skill expectations by proficiency level.

emerging

Respiratory therapy equipment (ventilators, aerosol generators, oxygen delivery devices) — identify and set up under direct supervision in an inpatient clinical setting.Patient prescriptions and basic medical records — read and review with guidance to gather initial information about a patient's respiratory condition.Arterial blood gas collection procedures — perform foundational steps under close supervision in an acute care unit.Blood analysis results — relay accurately to the supervising physician or charge nurse using standard communication protocols.Patient vital signs and physiological responses — record and report changes to a supervising clinician during routine therapy sessions.Basic emergency response protocols (artificial respiration, CPR support) — recognize activation cues and assist credentialed staff during simulated or supervised emergency scenarios.Patient therapy charts — document pertinent identification data and treatment information under direction following departmental charting standards.Respiratory therapy equipment cleaning and inspection checklists — complete step-by-step under supervision to support equipment safety in a clinical environment.Healthcare team communications — participate in structured handoff and bedside rounds by listening actively and relaying observations in clear, concise language.Scheduling and electronic health record software — navigate basic functions to locate patient assignments and log therapy data under supervisory guidance.

developing

Mechanical ventilators and therapeutic gas administration apparatus — set up, calibrate, and adjust within prescribed parameters for stable patients across general medical-surgical and step-down units.Arterial blood gases and blood chemistry results — measure, interpret within normal reference ranges, and consult the physician independently when values indicate adverse patient response.Patient physiological monitoring data — analyze trends in vital signs and respiratory indicators and adapt therapy delivery to maintain patient safety with routine oversight.Emergency care interventions (external cardiac massage, assisted ventilation) — execute established protocols during actual emergent events under a team-based hospital response structure.Patient condition assessments — integrate prescription review, arterial blood gas values, and clinical history to form a working clinical picture without step-by-step direction.Respiratory therapy equipment maintenance schedules — perform inspection, cleaning, and functional testing independently and initiate repair orders when equipment performance deviates from specifications.Multidisciplinary care teams — coordinate effectively with physicians and nurses during procedures and care-plan discussions, contributing respiratory-focused clinical observations.Therapy documentation — maintain complete and accurate patient records in medical software platforms, applying departmental standards with minimal correction needed.Active learning strategies — apply updated clinical guidelines and continuing education content to daily practice in familiar patient-care contexts.Time management tools (scheduling software, task lists) — organize a multi-patient caseload across a shift to ensure timely therapy delivery in a busy inpatient department.

proficient

Complex ventilator management — autonomously optimize mode, pressure, volume, and weaning parameters for critically ill patients across ICU and emergency department environments.Comprehensive patient assessments — integrate prescription data, arterial blood gas analysis, chest imaging context, and clinical observations to formulate and execute individualized respiratory care plans.Non-routine physiological events — apply inductive and deductive reasoning to identify atypical patient responses and implement evidence-based interventions without physician prompting.Advanced emergency interventions — lead or fully participate in resuscitation efforts, including coordinating CPR, airway management, and cardiac support within a rapid-response team.Environmental control and specialty aerosol therapy systems — operate and troubleshoot across diverse clinical settings including neonatal, pediatric, and adult populations.Clinical judgment and decision-making — independently evaluate risk-benefit tradeoffs when standard protocols do not clearly apply, escalating appropriately and documenting clinical rationale.Interdisciplinary collaboration — take a primary role in care-coordination discussions, translating respiratory data into actionable clinical recommendations for physicians, nurses, and allied health colleagues.Equipment safety programs — oversee the full lifecycle of respiratory devices, identifying systemic maintenance issues and recommending procurement or process changes to department leadership.Complex problem solving — diagnose multifactorial causes of treatment failure (patient, equipment, and protocol factors) and implement corrective plans with measurable outcomes.Patient and family education — design and deliver clear, empathetic explanations of respiratory conditions and home therapy devices, adapting communication style to health literacy level.

advanced

Departmental respiratory care standards and clinical protocols — develop, revise, and implement evidence-based guidelines that govern practice across an entire respiratory therapy department.Respiratory therapy staff — mentor, supervise, and evaluate emerging and developing therapists, designing individualized learning strategies to accelerate competency growth.Organizational quality-improvement initiatives — lead data-driven projects targeting ventilator-associated events, readmission rates, or therapy utilization, presenting findings to hospital leadership.Interdisciplinary care models — champion respiratory therapy integration into ICU liberation bundles, rapid-response teams, and care-transition programs at the institutional level.Advanced clinical education programs — design and deliver orientation curricula, simulation training, and continuing-education sessions that elevate team-wide clinical performance.Healthcare technology selection — evaluate and advocate for acquisition of respiratory equipment and medical software platforms, applying technical expertise and cost-benefit analysis for executive decision-makers.Regulatory and accreditation compliance — ensure departmental practices meet Joint Commission, state licensure, and professional credentialing requirements, leading audit readiness activities.Strategic workforce planning — assess staffing models, recruitment pipelines, and retention strategies to sustain a competent respiratory therapy workforce aligned with organizational growth.Cross-functional leadership — represent respiratory therapy perspectives on hospital committees, policy bodies, and community health partnerships, influencing care delivery beyond the department.Research and knowledge translation — evaluate emerging evidence in respiratory medicine, synthesize findings into practice recommendations, and disseminate insights through professional channels or institutional publications.

Also known as

14 alternate job titles map to this occupation.

Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation Respiratory TherapistInhalation TherapistRespiratory TherapistCertified Respiratory Therapist (CRT)Respiratory Care Practitioner (RCP)Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT)Staff Respiratory TherapistOxygen TherapistTravel Registered Respiratory Therapist (Travel RRT)Travel Respiratory TherapistNICU Respiratory Therapist (Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Respiratory Therapist)Respiratory Therapist (RT)Hospital Respiratory TherapistStaff Therapist

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