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)”

• Perform bronchopulmonary drainage and assist or instruct patients in performance of breathing exercises.
• Demonstrate respiratory care procedures to trainees or other healthcare personnel.
• Monitor cardiac patients, using electrocardiography devices, such as a holter monitor.
• Transport patients to the hospital or within the hospital.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• Maintain charts that contain patients' pertinent identification and therapy information.
• Determine requirements for treatment, such as type, method and duration of therapy, precautions to be taken, or medication and dosages, compatible with physicians' orders.
• 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.
• Teach, train, supervise, or use the assistance of students, respiratory therapy technicians, or assistants.
• Enforce safety rules and ensure careful adherence to physicians' orders.
• Perform endotracheal intubation to maintain open airways for patients who are unable to breathe on their own.
• Relay blood analysis results to a physician.
• Inspect, clean, test, and maintain respiratory therapy equipment to ensure equipment is functioning safely and efficiently, ordering repairs when necessary.
• Use a variety of testing techniques to assist doctors in cardiac or pulmonary research or to diagnose disorders.
• 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.
• Provide emergency care, such as artificial respiration, external cardiac massage, or assistance with cardiopulmonary resuscitation.

Related Technology & Tools

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

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