Will “Respiratory Therapist (RT)” 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 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
• Respiratory Therapist (RT)
• Oxygen Therapist
• Inhalation Therapist

Tasks for “Respiratory Therapist (RT)”

• Read prescription, measure arterial blood gases, and review patient information to assess patient condition.
• Maintain charts that contain patients' pertinent identification and therapy information.
• Perform pulmonary function and adjust equipment to obtain optimum results in therapy.
• Monitor cardiac patients, using electrocardiography devices, such as a holter monitor.
• Teach, train, supervise, or use the assistance of students, respiratory therapy technicians, or assistants.
• 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.
• Explain treatment procedures to patients to gain cooperation and allay fears.
• Use a variety of testing techniques to assist doctors in cardiac or pulmonary research or to diagnose disorders.
• Make emergency visits to resolve equipment problems.
• Inspect, clean, test, and maintain respiratory therapy equipment to ensure equipment is functioning safely and efficiently, ordering repairs when necessary.
• Demonstrate respiratory care procedures to trainees or other healthcare personnel.
• 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.
• Conduct tests, such as electrocardiograms (EKGs), stress testing, or lung capacity tests, to evaluate patients' cardiopulmonary functions.
• Enforce safety rules and ensure careful adherence to physicians' orders.
• 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.
• Relay blood analysis results to a physician.
• Perform bronchopulmonary drainage and assist or instruct patients in performance of breathing exercises.
• Set up and operate devices such as mechanical ventilators, therapeutic gas administration apparatus, environmental control systems, or aerosol generators, following specified parameters of treatment.
• 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.

Related Technology & Tools

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

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