Chapter 29: Respiratory Care Practitioners

Where will the vast majority of job opening for Respiratory Therapists be?

In hospitals but numbers will grow in other settings

What is the only state that does not require a license for respiratory therapists?

Alaska

What is the minimum educational requirement for a respiratory therapist?

An associate’s degree is the minimum

What can getting a bachelor’s or master’s degree help a respiratory therapist with?

Advancement in management or education

How are job opportunities looking for respiratory therapists vs. Respiratory Therapy Technicians?

Respiratory therapists are having good job opportunities and growth but Respiratory Therapy techs are experiencing a decrease in employment and have a lack of new job opportunities with keen competition.

What are Respiratory Therapists also known as?

Respiratory Care Practitioners

What do Respiratory Therapists do?

Evaluate, treat, and care for patients with breathing or other cardiopulmonary disorders.

What do Respiratory therapists assume primary responsibility of?

Respiratory care therapeutic treatments and diagnostic procedures. Also supervision of respiratory therapy technicians

What do respiratory therapists provide which requires considerable independent judgment?

Complex Therapy

How do respiratory therapists measure volume and flow of oxygen during inhalation and exhalation?

They have the patient breathe into a spirometer.

What do Respiratory Therapists test?

Breathing capacity and the concentration of oxygen and other gases in the blood

What does blood pH indicate?

Acidity or alkalinity

What do respiratory therapists use in order to remove mucus from the lungs of their patients?

Chest Physiotherapy

What are aerosol medications?

Liquid medications suspended in a gas that forms a mist that is inhaled.

Ventilators are used for patients who cannot breathe on their own. What do ventilators do?

Deliver pressurized oxygen into the lungs.

What do respiratory therapists teach patients to do in regards to aerosol medications?

They teach patients how to properly inhale the aerosol to ensure its effectiveness.

How do respiratory therapists increase the patient’s concentration of oxygen?

Putting an oxygen mask or nasal cannula on the patient and setting the oxygen flow at the level prescribed by the physician.

Who must a respiratory therapist work under the direction of?

A physician

What is polysomnography?

The diagnosis of breathing disorders during sleep, such as sleep apnea.

What might respiratory therapists have to do in hospitals?

Perform tasks that fall outside their traditional role. They are becoming involved in pulmonary rehabilitation, smoking-cessation counseling, disease prevention, case management, and polysomnography.

What is pulmonary rehabilitation?

A program of education and exercise—offered to a group of individuals with lung disease to improve lung function and muscle strength so that patients can participate in physical activity without shortness of breath.

Who do respiratory therapists also treat? On what types of teams?

Critical-care patients, either as part of surface and air transport teams or as part of rapid response teams in hospitals

How many respiratory therapists work in hospitals?

81%

How many hours a week do respiratory therapists and respiratory therapy technicians work?

35-40 hours

What are respiratory therapists and technicians exposed to?

They are exposed to disease and it can be prevented by following proper hygiene protocols

What are respiratory therapists trained to work with?

Gases stored under pressure.

What are some traits a respiratory therapist or respiratory therapist technicians should have?

Physical stamina, ability to stand and walk for long periods of time, strength, and the ability to work under stress.

What are the main departments respiratory therapists work in in hospitals?

Respiratory care, anesthesiology, or pulmonary medicine

Where is training offered for respiratory therapists?

The postsecondary level by colleges and universities, medical schools, vocational-technical institutes, and the armed forces.

What do the majority of states require for Respiratory therapists to remain licensed/license renewal?

Completion of continuing education hours

What is required by most employers for respiratory therapists?

A CPR certification

What does NBRC stand for?

National Board of Respiratory Care

Who is offered the CRT credential by the NBRC?

Those who graduate from entry-level or advanced programs accredited by the CAAHEP or CoARC and who also pass the CRT exam.

What are the two accrediting organization for respiratory therapists?

CAAHEP and CoARC

What other credential is offered to CRTS who have graduated from advanced programs and pass two separate exams?

RRT or Registered Respiratory Therapist. This credential is usually required for supervisory positions and intensive-care specialties.

What are the four specialty credentials respiratory therapists can apply for after earning the CRT or RRT credential?

• Adult critical care

• Neonatal/pediatric respiratory care

• Sleep disorders testing and therapeutic intervention

• Pulmonary function technology

For respiratory therapists, who has the best job opportunities?

Those with a bachelor’s degree and certification and those with cardiopulmonary care skills or with experience working with infants

What is the minimum educational requirement for a respiratory therapy technician?

A one-year certification program

Why are job opportunities on the decline for respiratory therapy technicians

Due to changes in credentialing in the field of respiratory therapy and because their work is being increasingly done by respiratory therapists

What do respiratory therapy technicians do?

• Follow well-defined respiratory care procedures under the direction of a supervisor

• Help evaluate, treat, and care for patients with breathing or cardiopulmonary disorders

• Administer oxygen and breathing treatments

• Prepare and test equipment before procedures, analyze samples, and maintain patient records

What might happen if a student has completed one year of a two year respiratory therapy accredited program?

They may be designated as a respiratory therapist technician