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)”

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

Related Technology & Tools

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

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