A respiratory therapist is a medical professional that applies scientific principles in order to prevent, detect and provide treatment to acute and chronic dysfunctions of the cardiopulmonary system. These medical professionals are specialists in promotion of the cardiopulmonary system and its functions and health. The knowledge that respiratory therapists possess lies in the scientific principles of cardiopulmonary psychology, biomedical engineering and pathophysiology. A respiratory therapist job description is as follows;
The biomedical engineering and technology enables them to have more effective assess and education to treat patients who suffer from cardiopulmonary disorders. Regardless to their abilities and education, all respiratory therapists must practice under medical attention. The respiratory care is explicitly focused on how to:
- Prevent
- give assets
- provide treatment,
- provide better management
- control
- give diagnostic evaluation
- education
- Provide better care treatment for patients with abnormalities of the cardiopulmonary system.
They can also administer anesthesia or conscious sedation for surgery. They are in charge of patients who are in intensive care or emergency departments, providing a proper treatment and managing hospital to hospital transport to patients along with the paramedic’s services are few of their main duties along with the life support management for patients who are critically ill. Most respiratory therapists work as educators in the asthma clinics, pediatric clinics as well as they help patients who have sleep-disorders.
Respiratory Therapist’s Clinical Practice – Operating Room & Intensive Care
Their job is to educate, diagnose and provide proper treatment for people who suffer from lung and heart problems. Respiratory therapists are specialized in both; pulmonary and cardiac care. They must collaborate with pulmonology and anesthesia specialists in every aspect of the clinical care for patients. They provide a fundamental role in medicine and nursing.
Home health care services
Home health care means that respiratory therapists are specialized in managing home oxygen needs to patients by providing their services quickly and fully equipped for all kinds of conditions including sleep apnea.
Public education
Respiratory therapists may be found often working as asthma educators along with teachers or coaches to teach patients and their families how to spot an emergency. They are certified as asthma specialists and they work side by side with physicians in diagnosing sleep-related illnesses.
Salaries
In 2024, the median annual wage for respiratory therapists in the U.S. was $80,450, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). This translates to an hourly wage of $38.68. The BLS also reported that the lowest 10 percent of respiratory therapists earned less than $61,900, while the highest 10 percent earned more than $108,820 (Cited from Google AI – Information from Beureau of Labor Statistics (BLS))
