Will “Respiratory Therapy Director” 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 Therapy Director”

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

Related Technology & Tools

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

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