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”

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

Related Technology & Tools

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

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