Respiratory Therapists : Job Description, Education & Career Outlook

Also referred to as respiratory care practitioners, respiratory therapists hold the responsibility for all respiratory care therapeutic treatment. These technicians perform their work under the supervision of and as directed by the physician. Not only therapeutic treatment, but respiratory therapy technicians also perform diagnostic procedure, depending on the requirement. The healthcare industry offers diverse career possibilities for aspiring candidates. And becoming a respiratory therapist is one of the most fulfilling career options. Depending on the patient's individual requirement, the therapists consult the physician and other healthcare staff to develop appropriate plans for patient's treatment. Employment opportunities for respiratory therapy technicians are very strong and job opportunities are available in hospitals and other settings.

Job Description
Respiratory therapists treat patients of varied age groups. Right from premature infants with ill developed lungs to aged people with diseased lungs, respiratory therapy technicians treat them all. Besides providing temporary relief to patients suffering from chronic asthma, therapists also treat patients who suffer from heart attack, stroke, shock etc.

While attending to patients, respiratory therapists interview the patients and conduct physical examinations and diagnosis tests. A part of the job of therapists is to determine the concentration of oxygen in the patients' blood as well as the patient's breathing capacity. When a patient can not breathe or has difficulty in breathing, the therapist connect them with ventilators for delivering oxygen into the patients lungs. To perform the task efficiently, respiratory therapy technicians are well trained to set the rate and volume of oxygen through the equipment. Technicians need to take note and adjust what amount of oxygen is entering the patients' blood.

For patients' treatment, respiratory therapists use multiple medications including oxygen mixtures, aerosol and chest physiotherapy among others. Technicians set the oxygen concentration delivered into the patient's blood as directed by the physician. In case the patient has any difficulty with the ventilator and the concentration of oxygen, it is the responsibility of the respiratory therapists resets the equipment as directed by the physician. The therapist is responsible both for looking after the patient as well as the equipment functioning.

Educational Requirement & Training
To make the most of their career, candidates need to be formally trained. Several universities, professional schools and colleges offer degree programs and courses in respiratory therapy. To acquire entry level jobs, candidates need to obtain an associate degree. For advanced respiratory therapy, a bachelor's degree is needed. Students can choose degree program according to the requirement. Before getting enrolled in a degree program, it is always advisable to check whether the program is accredited. The Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs has presently accredited 59 entry level and 319 advanced respiratory therapy programs in the United States. Respiratory therapy degree programs include training in subjects including physiology, microbiology, pharmacology, human anatomy, physics, chemistry etc.

Career Prospects
According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, the employment growth rate for respiratory therapist jobs is expected to grow at a faster rate than the average of all occupations through to the year 2012. Career prospects are very good respiratory therapy jobs. Though majority of respiratory therapists are employed in hospitals, a good number of these therapists are also employed in home healthcare services, physician's clinic, health practitioners etc.

Annual Salary
Salary of a respiratory therapist varies depending on the work location, work experience and where they join. The median annual salary of a therapist is $40,220. Respiratory therapists can earn a higher salary of 54,030 annually or more with growing experience and skills.