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

Tasks for “Respiratory Therapy Director”

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

Related Technology & Tools

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

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