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)”

• 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.
• 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.
• Determine requirements for treatment, such as type, method and duration of therapy, precautions to be taken, or medication and dosages, compatible with physicians' orders.
• Teach, train, supervise, or use the assistance of students, respiratory therapy technicians, or assistants.
• Inspect, clean, test, and maintain respiratory therapy equipment to ensure equipment is functioning safely and efficiently, ordering repairs when necessary.
• 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.
• Explain treatment procedures to patients to gain cooperation and allay fears.
• Monitor cardiac patients, using electrocardiography devices, such as a holter monitor.
• Provide emergency care, such as artificial respiration, external cardiac massage, or assistance with cardiopulmonary resuscitation.
• 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.
• Enforce safety rules and ensure careful adherence to physicians' orders.
• Read prescription, measure arterial blood gases, and review patient information to assess patient condition.
• Perform pulmonary function and adjust equipment to obtain optimum results in therapy.
• Make emergency visits to resolve equipment problems.
• 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.
• Perform bronchopulmonary drainage and assist or instruct patients in performance of breathing exercises.
• Maintain charts that contain patients' pertinent identification and therapy information.
• 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.

Related Technology & Tools

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

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