Will “Inhalation Therapist” 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

Tasks for “Inhalation Therapist”

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

Related Technology & Tools

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

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