Will “Certified Respiratory Therapist (CRT)” 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
• Cardiopulmonary Technician and EEG Tech (Cardiopulmonary Technician and Electroencephalogram Technician)
• Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation Respiratory Therapist
• Oxygen Therapist
• Inhalation Therapist
• Certified Respiratory Therapist (CRT)

Tasks for “Certified Respiratory Therapist (CRT)”

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

Related Technology & Tools

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

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