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”

• Perform pulmonary function and adjust equipment to obtain optimum results in therapy.
• 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.
• Provide emergency care, such as artificial respiration, external cardiac massage, or assistance with cardiopulmonary resuscitation.
• Make emergency visits to resolve equipment problems.
• Teach, train, supervise, or use the assistance of students, respiratory therapy technicians, or assistants.
• Transport patients to the hospital or within the hospital.
• 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.
• Perform bronchopulmonary drainage and assist or instruct patients in performance of breathing exercises.
• 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.
• Monitor cardiac patients, using electrocardiography devices, such as a holter monitor.
• Conduct tests, such as electrocardiograms (EKGs), stress testing, or lung capacity tests, to evaluate patients' cardiopulmonary functions.
• Relay blood analysis results to a physician.
• 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.
• Maintain charts that contain patients' pertinent identification and therapy information.
• Enforce safety rules and ensure careful adherence to physicians' orders.
• 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.
• Determine requirements for treatment, such as type, method and duration of therapy, precautions to be taken, or medication and dosages, compatible with physicians' orders.
• Use a variety of testing techniques to assist doctors in cardiac or pulmonary research or to diagnose disorders.

Related Technology & Tools

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

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