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Respiratory Therapy Schools and Training Programs
Breathe fresh life into your career by considering a position as a respiratory therapist or respiratory therapy technician. These medical professionals help people who have breathing problems, and play a vital role in the health-care industry.
Respiratory Therapist Jobs and Career Paths
Respiratory therapists and respiratory technicians have overlapping roles -- both work with a physician to provide therapy and respiratory care procedures to ailing patients. However, the respiratory therapist has more responsibility, will perform slightly more complex procedures, and will consult more often with doctors.
Respiratory therapists and technicians 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.
Working Conditions for Respiratory Therapists and Technicians
Respiratory therapy professionals generally have a traditional 40-hour week, but for those who work in a hospital, those hours often include nights and weekends rather than the normal 9-to-5. Providing care for patients at home may come with less stress, but may also require a longer commute.
Employment and Advancement for Respiratory Therapists
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (bls.gov, 2011) there were 105,700 respiratory therapists working in the U.S. in 2010, and that number is expected to increase by 28 percent by 2020 – much faster than the average for all occupations. The aging population and advances in treatment of patients who also require breathing assistance are major factors in the increasing demand for respiratory therapists.
Respiratory therapy technicians, on the other hand, will see little to no employment growth between 2008 and 2018, from a base figure of 16,500. In part because of this, competition for jobs will be intense.
Due to a growing elderly population, increases are expected in respiratory conditions, such as emphysema and pneumonia. To address these conditions, job openings are projected in hospitals and nursing homes, according to bls.gov (2011).
Respiratory Therapist Salary
The average annual salary for a respiratory therapist in 2010 was $54,280 (bls.gov, 2011). The highest average salary was earned by respiratory therapists working in home health care services.
Additional Resources for Professionals Enrolling in a Respiratory Therapist School
A Job Description for Respiratory Therapists
Salary Information for Respiratory Therapists
Campus and Online Respiratory Therapy Schools
- Chula Vista
- Respiratory Therapy
Explore a new career with Pima Medical Institute.
- San Diego
- Respiratory Therapy (BS)
- Respiratory Therapy (AS)
- San Diego
- San Bernardino
- North Hollywood
- Respiratory Therapy - (AS)
- Physical Therapist Assistant - (AS)
At Concorde, you’ll find that a “learn by doing” approach to healthcare training will get you the skills you need to succeed-- and get you into the workforce quickly.
- Alhambra
- Respiratory Therapy Associate of Science
California University of Pennsylvania
- Post-Masters Cert: Exercise Science and Health Promotion: Rehabilitation Science
- MS: Exercise Science and Health Promotion: Rehabilitation Sciences
Study online with California University of Pennsylvania.
- Fort Lauderdale
- AS in Health Science - Physical Therapy Assistant (Military Only)
Kaplan University is focused on recognizing the achievements of military and veteran students and offers the flexibility of an online education.
Southern California Health Institute
- North Hollywood
- Physical Therapy Aide/Sports Rehab Program
- Chiropractic Assistant/Manual Therapist Program
- Anaheim
- Colton
- Certified Nursing Assistant
- Scranton
- Physical Therapy Aide
American College of Healthcare
- Riverside
- Massage/Physical Therapy Aide
- San Diego
- Vista
- Diploma: Patient Care Assistant/Technician
- Diploma: Healthcare and Rehab Therapy Technician
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