Respiratory therapists care for individuals affected by respiratory diseases, like asthma and COPD, and other causes of breathing difficulties. They take blood samples, perform pulmonary functioning tests, develop respiratory care plans and provide life support services for patients. These professionals are compassionate, detail-oriented and excellent problem solvers.
According to the Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, asthma affects more than 25 million people in the U.S., and roughly 14.8 million U.S. adults have been diagnosed with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) 1 .
If this sounds like you and something you’re interested in, this guide has everything you need to know about how to become a respiratory therapist. Keep reading for respiratory therapist job duties, skills, education, California licensing, Respiratory Therapist education programs and more. If you’re already a respiratory therapist and want to discover ways to further your career, you may want to explore a BRST.
One factor driving projected job growth has to do with the aging population. As people age, respiratory conditions, like COPD and pneumonia, become more common. Respiratory therapists will be needed to treat individuals with these conditions.
If you’re intrigued by science and feel called to serve in a healthcare setting, you might consider becoming a respiratory therapist. Currently, California has the highest employment level of respiratory therapists, the BLS reports 3 .
A respiratory therapist treats patients who have difficulty breathing. Respiratory therapists may care for individuals who have respiratory diseases, such as asthma, cystic fibrosis, bronchitis, emphysema, lung cancer, or pneumonia. Their patients have a wide age range, from infants with lung development issues to seniors with breathing disorders. Additionally, respiratory therapists provide emergency care for individuals dealing with heart attacks or shock.
Common job duties of respiratory therapists include:
Most respiratory therapists work in hospitals, nursing care facilities and physician offices 7 . They work closely with nurses, physicians, surgeons and medical assistants to evaluate and treat patients throughout the day.
Respiratory therapists often take blood samples to analyze patients’ levels of oxygen and carbon dioxide. Administering chest physiotherapy is another common activity. This is done by vibrating a patient’s rib cage, tapping their chest and having the patient cough. Chest physiotherapy gets rid of excess mucus, making it easier for patients to breathe. Respiratory therapists may also connect patients to ventilators, monitor ventilator equipment and clean life support systems as needed.
Respiratory therapists need a combination of hard and soft skills to work closely with patients and medical staff. Necessary hard skills are typically gained through an associate degree program with anatomy, physiology and math courses.
Soft skills focus more on a respiratory therapist’s bedside manner and ability to work with others. Important soft skills or qualities noted by the BLS include 8 :
SJVC is committed to hands-on training in the skills you need as a respiratory therapist. Learn more about our program and exciting opportunities.
Becoming a respiratory therapist in California involves obtaining your license from the Respiratory Care Board of California. To apply for licensure, you have to meet education, credential examination and ethics course requirements outlined by the Board 9 . To find out what are the requirements to be a respiratory therapist in California, review each of the steps below:
All applicants must complete a respiratory care education program accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP), earning at least an associate’s degree. You can find a list of approved programs in California on the Respiratory Care Board of California’s website 10 .
The Board may waive your respiratory therapy education requirement in certain instances, such as: if you’ve completed significant work experience, have a good-standing license in a different state, or have equivalent military experience and training.
After you’ve completed your education program, you must earn your Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT) credential through the National Board for Respiratory Care (NBRC). To earn your RRT credential, you have to pass the Therapist Multiple-Choice (TMC) Examination and Clinical Simulation Examination (CSE) 11 . You must pass the TMC examination before you can take the CSE.
The TMC Examination has two cut scores. The low cut score warrants a Certified Respiratory Therapist (CRT) certification through the NBRC. The high cut score enables you to take the CSE. Once you’ve successfully passed the TMC examination and CSE, you’ll earn your RRT credential.
The Respiratory Care Board of California requires all applicants to complete one Board-approved Law and Professional Ethics Course before becoming licensed. The Board has approved two online courses developed by the California Society for Respiratory Care (CSRC) and the American Association for Respiratory Care (AARC) 12,13 . Each course is 3-hours long and touches on respiratory therapists’ obligation to patients, responsibility to report illegal activities, and licensure status and acts that compromise it.
You can apply for a respiratory therapist license in California up to 90 days before meeting the respiratory therapy education requirements. Licensure application information can be found on the Respiratory Care Board of California’s website 14 . Before sending your application to the Board, make sure you’ve read the application instructions thoroughly and completed the application in its entirety.
Respiratory therapists typically need at least an associate’s degree in respiratory therapy. Choosing the right Respiratory Therapy program for you involves researching and prioritizing. What respiratory therapist school factors are most important to you? We developed the below list to help you decide, because a lot of things make a school a good fit.
As you complete your respiratory therapy education, you’ll learn the skills necessary to become a clinically-competent respiratory therapist. Three key respiratory therapy classes typically include anatomy and physiology, pharmacology, and clinical practice. An anatomy and physiology course teaches you about fundamental systems in the human body. In pharmacology, you’ll learn essential pharma terms and effects of medications on the body. In a clinical practice class, you’ll apply the knowledge you learned by treating respiratory patients.
Other topics covered in your respiratory therapy classes may include:
It takes about two years to become a respiratory therapist. Within this two-year timeline, you’ll complete an associate degree program in respiratory care and the other requirements for licensure. It can take more than two years to become a respiratory therapist if you decide to pursue a bachelor’s degree, which takes an average of four years to complete, or obtain licensure through work experience.
