Will “Respiratory Therapist (RT)” 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 “Respiratory Therapist (RT)”

• Transport patients to the hospital or within the hospital.
• 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.
• Enforce safety rules and ensure careful adherence to physicians' orders.
• Set up and operate devices such as mechanical ventilators, therapeutic gas administration apparatus, environmental control systems, or aerosol generators, following specified parameters of treatment.
• Explain treatment procedures to patients to gain cooperation and allay fears.
• 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.
• Perform bronchopulmonary drainage and assist or instruct patients in performance of breathing exercises.
• Demonstrate respiratory care procedures to trainees or other healthcare personnel.
• Conduct tests, such as electrocardiograms (EKGs), stress testing, or lung capacity tests, to evaluate patients' cardiopulmonary functions.
• Maintain charts that contain patients' pertinent identification and therapy information.
• 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.
• Read prescription, measure arterial blood gases, and review patient information to assess patient condition.
• Relay blood analysis results to a physician.
• Monitor cardiac patients, using electrocardiography devices, such as a holter monitor.
• Perform endotracheal intubation to maintain open airways for patients who are unable to breathe on their own.
• 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.
• 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.

Related Technology & Tools

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

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