Will “Certified Respiratory Therapist (CRT)” be Replaced By Robots? 🤔

Job Description

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.

Job Details

• The SOC (Standard Occupational Classification) code is 29-1126.00
• The Mean Annual Wage in the U.S. is $ 60,640.00
• The Mean Hourly Wage is $ 29.00
• Currently, there are 126,770 people on this job

☝️ Information based on the reference occupation “Respiratory Therapists”.

Also Known As…

• Respiratory Therapists
• Staff Therapist
• Staff Respiratory Therapist
• Respiratory Therapy Director
• Respiratory Therapist (RT)
• Respiratory Care Practitioner (RCP)
• Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT)
• Clinical Coordinator of Respiratory Therapy
• Certified Respiratory Therapist (CRT)
• Cardiopulmonary Technician and EEG Tech (Cardiopulmonary Technician and Electroencephalogram Technician)
• Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation Respiratory Therapist
• Oxygen Therapist
• Inhalation Therapist

Tasks for “Certified Respiratory Therapist (CRT)”

• Explain treatment procedures to patients to gain cooperation and allay fears.
• 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.
• 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.
• Transport patients to the hospital or within the hospital.
• Provide emergency care, such as artificial respiration, external cardiac massage, or assistance with cardiopulmonary resuscitation.
• Determine requirements for treatment, such as type, method and duration of therapy, precautions to be taken, or medication and dosages, compatible with physicians' orders.
• 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.
• Inspect, clean, test, and maintain respiratory therapy equipment to ensure equipment is functioning safely and efficiently, ordering repairs when necessary.
• Perform bronchopulmonary drainage and assist or instruct patients in performance of breathing exercises.
• 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.
• Relay blood analysis results to a physician.
• Use a variety of testing techniques to assist doctors in cardiac or pulmonary research or to diagnose disorders.
• Make emergency visits to resolve equipment problems.
• Set up and operate devices such as mechanical ventilators, therapeutic gas administration apparatus, environmental control systems, or aerosol generators, following specified parameters of treatment.
• Conduct tests, such as electrocardiograms (EKGs), stress testing, or lung capacity tests, to evaluate patients' cardiopulmonary functions.
• Enforce safety rules and ensure careful adherence to physicians' orders.
• Read prescription, measure arterial blood gases, and review patient information to assess patient condition.
• Monitor cardiac patients, using electrocardiography devices, such as a holter monitor.
• Demonstrate respiratory care procedures to trainees or other healthcare personnel.
• Maintain charts that contain patients' pertinent identification and therapy information.
• Perform pulmonary function and adjust equipment to obtain optimum results in therapy.

Related Technology & Tools

• Cell savers
• Ambu bags
• Evacuated blood collection tubes
• Mechanical stethoscopes
• Personal computers
• Oxygen regulators
• High-frequency ventilators
• Surgical suits
• Sputum traps
• Oxygen monitors
• Percussors
• Electronic blood pressure equipment
• Oxygen masks
• Negative pressure ventilators
• Notebook computers
• Oxygen hoods
• Medical aerosol tents
• Medical suction equipment
• Capillary catheters
• Volume ventilators
• Christmas tree adapters
• Saturation of oxygen SaO2 monitors
• Medical oxygen masks
• Therapeutic treadmill exercisers
• Nasal airways
• Apnea monitors
• Indirect calorimeters
• Blood gas machines
• Bronchoscopes
• Air compressors
• Oxygen tanks
• Tourniquets
• Tracheotomy masks
• Wright's spirometers
• Cannulas
• Manometers
• Blood collection syringes
• Manual blood pressure equipment
• Pulmonary function testing PFT equipment
• Aerosol masks
• Bilevel positive airway pressure BiPAP ventilators
• Infant incubators
• Humidifiers
• Oxygen concentrators
• Hemodynamic monitors
• Small particle aerosol generators
• Oxygen flowmeters
• Bedside spirometers
• Incentive spirometers
• Endotracheal ET tubes
• Electrocardiography EKG units
• Continuous positive airway pressure CPAP ventilators
• Nebulizers
• Intra-aortic balloon pumps IABP
• Internal positive pressure breathing IPPB machines
• Pulse oximeters
• Personal digital assistants PDA
• Oral airways
• Tracheostomy tubes
• Portable flat computers
• Oxygen tents
• Blood gas kits

• MEDITECH software
• HMS
• Microsoft Word
• Microsoft Office
• Electronic medical record EMR software
• Microsoft Outlook
• Microsoft PowerPoint
• Database software
• Microsoft Excel
• Calendar and scheduling software