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Respiratory Therapy Careers
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Breathe fresh life into your career by considering a position as a respiratory therapist or respiratory therapy technician. Working with a physician, as a respiratory therapist, you will provide therapy and respiratory care procedures for ailing patients.
A respiratory therapy technician helps patients with breathing disorders. The respiratory therapy technicians work directly under the supervision of a doctor or the primary respiratory therapist, but the technicians themselves are responsible for diagnostic procedures and treatment therapies.
While they are two clearly defined terms, in reality both respiratory therapy technicians and the respiratory therapist have overlapping jobs, and they will have had the same education, training, and certification. The main difference is that the respiratory therapist has more responsibility, will perform slightly more complex procedures, and will consult more often with doctors. But essentially the terms are interchangeable.
Respiratory therapists and technicians are directly involved with evaluating a patient's medical condition, and treating their symptoms. They conduct diagnostic tests to measure the amount of oxygen in the blood, and the lung capacity of the patient. Once a course of treatment has been determined by a physician, they administer medications, which may be aerosols or oxygen mixtures. They may also apply physical therapy to the chest, or use a ventilator to provide oxygen to the lungs.
Respiratory therapists or technicians may also have responsibilities in the operating room, monitoring the lung function of patients during surgery. They may work as part of a rapid response team treating critically injured patients as they are being transported to the hospital prior to admittance. They may also specialize in specific disease treatments, including sleep apnea or cystic fibrosis.
BLS reports that the average annual income for respiratory therapists was $43,140 in May 2004. With a growing demand for respiratory care, a career in respiratory therapy can hold a solid future.
Next: Learn more about the types of training programs offered for respiratory therapists