Occupation · SOC 29-1126
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
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 with cardiopulmonary resuscitation.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.Set up and operate devices, such as mechanical ventilators, therapeutic gas administration apparatus, environmental control systems, or aerosol generators, following specified parameters of treatment.Maintain charts that contain patients' pertinent identification and therapy information.Work as part of a team of physicians, nurses, or other healthcare professionals to manage patient care by assisting with medical procedures or related duties.Read prescription, measure arterial blood gases, and review patient information to assess patient condition.Relay blood analysis results to a physician.Inspect, clean, test, and maintain respiratory therapy equipment to ensure equipment is functioning safely and efficiently, ordering repairs when necessary.Explain treatment procedures to patients to gain cooperation and allay fears.Make emergency visits to resolve equipment problems.Determine requirements for treatment, such as type, method and duration of therapy, precautions to be taken, or medication and dosages, compatible with physicians' orders.Enforce safety rules and ensure careful adherence to physicians' orders.Educate patients and their families about their conditions and teach appropriate disease management techniques, such as breathing exercises or the use of medications or respiratory equipment.Perform bronchopulmonary drainage and assist or instruct patients in performance of breathing exercises.Conduct tests, such as electrocardiograms (EKGs), stress testing, or lung capacity tests, to evaluate patients' cardiopulmonary functions.Perform pulmonary function and adjust equipment to obtain optimum results in therapy.Demonstrate respiratory care procedures to trainees or other healthcare personnel.Use a variety of testing techniques to assist doctors in cardiac or pulmonary research or to diagnose disorders.Transport patients to the hospital or within the hospital.Teach, train, supervise, or use the assistance of students, respiratory therapy technicians, or assistants.Perform endotracheal intubation to maintain open airways for patients who are unable to breathe on their own.Monitor cardiac patients, using electrocardiography devices, such as a holter monitor.
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
71 alternate job titles map to this occupation.
NICU Respiratory Therapist (Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Respiratory Therapist)Respiratory Therapist (Navy L32A)Hospital Respiratory TherapistAerospace Medical Service Apprentice, Flight and Operational Medical Technician (Air Force 4N031F)Dental Assistant (Air Force 4Y0X1)Aerospace Medical Service Journeyman, Aeromedical Education Technician (Air Force 4N051G)Respiratory Care Practitioner Journeyman (Air Force 4H051)Aerospace Medical Service Craftsman, Neurodiagnostic Medical Technician (Air Force 4N071B)Respiratory Care Practitioner Helper (Air Force 4H011)Aerospace Medical Service Apprentice, Independent Duty Medical Technician (Air Force 4N031C)Aerospace Medical Service Helper, Neurodiagnostic Medical Technician (Air Force 4N011B)Aerospace Medical Service Helper, National Registry Paramedic (Air Force 4N011H)Aerospace Medical Service Helper, Flight and Operational Medical Technician (Air Force 4N011F)Respiratory Care Practitioner Apprentice (Air Force 4H031)Dental Assistant Helper (Air Force 4Y011)Health Services Management Superintendent (Air Force 4A091)Health Services Management Craftsman, Health Information Technology (Air Force 4A071S)Aerospace Medical Service Craftsman, Flight and Operational Medical Technician (Air Force 4N071F)Aerospace Medical Service Helper (Air Force 4N011)Dental Assistant Journeyman (Air Force 4Y051)Aerospace Medical Service Craftsman, National Registry Paramedic (Air Force 4N071H)Health Services Management Helper (Air Force 4A011)Aerospace Medical Service Journeyman, Neurodiagnostic Medical Technician (Air Force 4N051B)Aerospace Medical Service Helper, Independent Duty Medical Technician (Air Force 4N011C)Aerospace Medical Service Apprentice, Aeromedical Education Technician (Air Force 4N031G)Aerospace Medical Service Craftsman, Aeromedical Education Technician (Air Force 4N071G)Health Services Management Journeyman (Air Force 4A051)Respiratory Care Practitioner (Air Force 4H0X1)Medical Administration Specialty (Coast Guard MED)Respiratory Care Practitioner Craftsman (Air Force 4H071)Respiratory Specialist (Army 68V)Aerospace Medical Service Journeyman, Independent Duty Medical Technician (Air Force 4N051C)Travel Respiratory TherapistDental Assistant Journeyman, Dental Hygienist (Air Force 4Y051H)Aerospace Medical Service Apprentice, Allergy/Immunization Technician (Air Force 4N031D)Hospital Corpsman (Navy HM)Health Services Management (Air Force 4A0X1)Aerospace Medical Service Helper, Allergy/Immunization Technician (Air Force 4N011D)Dental Assistant Craftsman, Dental Hygienist (Air Force 4Y071H)Aerospace Medical Service Superintendent (Air Force 4N091)