Will “Respiratory Care Practitioner (RCP)” 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)
• 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
• Respiratory Care Practitioner (RCP)
• Oxygen Therapist
• Inhalation Therapist

Tasks for “Respiratory Care Practitioner (RCP)”

• Set up and operate devices such as mechanical ventilators, therapeutic gas administration apparatus, environmental control systems, or aerosol generators, following specified parameters of treatment.
• Make emergency visits to resolve equipment problems.
• Provide emergency care, such as artificial respiration, external cardiac massage, or assistance with cardiopulmonary resuscitation.
• Enforce safety rules and ensure careful adherence to physicians' orders.
• 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.
• 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.
• Teach, train, supervise, or use the assistance of students, respiratory therapy technicians, or assistants.
• Monitor cardiac patients, using electrocardiography devices, such as a holter monitor.
• 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.
• Perform pulmonary function and adjust equipment to obtain optimum results in therapy.
• 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.
• 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.
• Read prescription, measure arterial blood gases, and review patient information to assess patient condition.
• Maintain charts that contain patients' pertinent identification and therapy information.
• Demonstrate respiratory care procedures to trainees or other healthcare personnel.
• 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 bronchopulmonary drainage and assist or instruct patients in performance of breathing exercises.
• Explain treatment procedures to patients to gain cooperation and allay fears.

Related Technology & Tools

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

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