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)”

• Perform endotracheal intubation to maintain open airways for patients who are unable to breathe on their own.
• Make emergency visits to resolve equipment problems.
• Inspect, clean, test, and maintain respiratory therapy equipment to ensure equipment is functioning safely and efficiently, ordering repairs when necessary.
• Perform pulmonary function and adjust equipment to obtain optimum results in therapy.
• Conduct tests, such as electrocardiograms (EKGs), stress testing, or lung capacity tests, to evaluate patients' cardiopulmonary functions.
• Provide emergency care, such as artificial respiration, external cardiac massage, or assistance with cardiopulmonary resuscitation.
• Relay blood analysis results to a physician.
• 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.
• Determine requirements for treatment, such as type, method and duration of therapy, precautions to be taken, or medication and dosages, compatible with physicians' orders.
• 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.
• Explain treatment procedures to patients to gain cooperation and allay fears.
• Enforce safety rules and ensure careful adherence to physicians' orders.
• Transport patients to the hospital or within the hospital.
• 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.
• Use a variety of testing techniques to assist doctors in cardiac or pulmonary research or to diagnose disorders.
• Teach, train, supervise, or use the assistance of students, respiratory therapy technicians, or assistants.
• Monitor cardiac patients, using electrocardiography devices, such as a holter monitor.
• 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.
• Read prescription, measure arterial blood gases, and review patient information to assess patient condition.
• Demonstrate respiratory care procedures to trainees or other healthcare personnel.
• Perform bronchopulmonary drainage and assist or instruct patients in performance of breathing exercises.

Related Technology & Tools

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

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