What is a Respiratory Therapy Technician?
Position Description Provide respiratory care under the direction of respiratory therapists and physicians.
Life As a Respiratory Therapy Technician: What Do They Do?
- Assess patients' response to treatments and modify treatments according to protocol if necessary.
- Follow and enforce safety rules applying to equipment.
- Work with patients in areas such as the emergency rooms, neonatal or pediatric intensive care, or surgical intensive care, treating conditions such as emphysema, chronic bronchitis, asthma, cystic fibrosis, or pneumonia.
- Collect and analyze arterial blood gas samples.
- Prepare or test devices, such as mechanical ventilators, therapeutic gas administration apparatus, environmental control systems, aerosol generators, or electrocardiogram (EKG) machines.
- Interview or examine patients to collect clinical data.
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Skills Needed to be a Respiratory Therapy Technician
Respiratory Therapy Technicians state the following job skills are important in their day-to-day work.
Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Monitoring: Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Service Orientation: Actively looking for ways to help people.
Reading Comprehension: Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
Social Perceptiveness: Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Types of Respiratory Therapy Technician
- Registered Pulmonary Function Technologist (RPFT)
- Respiratory Support Technician
- Respiratory Therapy Technologist
- Certified Respiratory Therapist (CRT)
- Respiratory Therapist Assistant
Job Opportunities for Respiratory Therapy Technicians
In 2016, there was an estimated number of 10,800 jobs in the United States for Respiratory Therapy Technician. There is little to no growth in job opportunities for Respiratory Therapy Technician.
The states with the most job growth for Respiratory Therapy Technician are Maryland, Texas, and Nebraska. Watch out if you plan on working in Maine, Illinois, or Indiana. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.
Respiratory Therapy Technician Average Salary
Respiratory Therapy Technicians make between $31,240 and $73,530 a year.
Respiratory Therapy Technicians who work in Nevada, New Jersey, or Massachusetts, make the highest salaries.
How much do Respiratory Therapy Technicians make in each U.S. state?
| State | Annual Mean Salary |
|---|---|
| Alabama | $41,740 |
| Arizona | $58,900 |
| Arkansas | $47,050 |
| California | $48,150 |
| Colorado | $42,070 |
| Connecticut | $54,680 |
| Florida | $49,670 |
| Georgia | $48,160 |
| Hawaii | $58,770 |
| Illinois | $56,340 |
| Indiana | $49,780 |
| Iowa | $44,690 |
| Kansas | $45,390 |
| Kentucky | $42,850 |
| Louisiana | $49,010 |
| Maryland | $61,220 |
| Massachusetts | $60,060 |
| Michigan | $38,420 |
| Mississippi | $45,730 |
| Missouri | $53,470 |
| Nebraska | $46,820 |
| Nevada | $78,380 |
| New Hampshire | $51,850 |
| New Jersey | $64,260 |
| New York | $56,780 |
| Ohio | $46,980 |
| Oregon | $55,270 |
| Pennsylvania | $47,430 |
| South Carolina | $49,520 |
| Tennessee | $40,560 |
| Texas | $51,930 |
| Utah | $49,680 |
| Virginia | $52,830 |
| Washington | $58,190 |
| West Virginia | $51,700 |
| Wisconsin | $37,290 |
Tools & Technologies Used by Respiratory Therapy Technicians
Although they’re not necessarily needed for all jobs, the following technologies are used by many Respiratory Therapy Technicians:
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Word
- Microsoft Outlook
- Patient electronic medical record EMR software
How to Become a Respiratory Therapy Technician
Are there Respiratory Therapy Technicians education requirements?
How many years of work experience do I need?
Where Respiratory Therapy Technicians Work
Respiratory Therapy Technicians work in the following industries:
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Career changers with experience as a Respiratory Therapy Technician sometimes find work in one of the following fields:
References:
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