What Do Respiratory Therapy Technician Do?
Career Description Provide respiratory care under the direction of respiratory therapists and physicians.
Life As a Respiratory Therapy Technician
- Prepare or test devices, such as mechanical ventilators, therapeutic gas administration apparatus, environmental control systems, aerosol generators, or electrocardiogram (EKG) machines.
- Read and evaluate physicians' orders and patients' chart information to determine patients' condition and treatment protocols.
- Explain treatment procedures to patients.
- Keep records of patients' therapy, completing all necessary forms.
- Provide respiratory care involving the application of well-defined therapeutic techniques under the supervision of a respiratory therapist and a physician.
- Interview or examine patients to collect clinical data.
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What a Respiratory Therapy Technician Should Know
When polled, Respiratory Therapy Technicians say the following skills are most frequently used in their jobs:
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.
Other Respiratory Therapy Technician Job Titles
- Respiratory Care Technician
- Respiratory Care Assistant (RCA)
- Oxygen Equipment Technician
- Respiratory Support Technician
- Medical Technician
What Kind of Respiratory Therapy Technician Job Opportunities Are There?
In the United States, there were 10,800 jobs for Respiratory Therapy Technician in 2016. 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.
Salary for a Respiratory Therapy Technician
The salary for Respiratory Therapy Technicians ranges between about $31,240 and $73,530 a year.
Respiratory Therapy Technicians who work in Nevada, New Jersey, or Massachusetts, make the highest salaries.
Below is a list of the median annual salaries for Respiratory Therapy Technicians in different U.S. states.
| 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 |
What Tools do Respiratory Therapy Technicians Use?
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 do I Become a Respiratory Therapy Technician?
What education is needed to be a Respiratory Therapy Technician?
How Long Does it Take to Become a Respiratory Therapy Technician?
Who Employs Respiratory Therapy Technicians?
Below are examples of industries where Respiratory Therapy Technicians work:
Related Careers
Those who work as a Respiratory Therapy Technician sometimes switch careers to one of these choices:
References:
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