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Respiratory Therapy Technician
Respiratory therapy technicians work under the supervision of the respiratory therapist and a physician. They are responsible for the majority of the bedside patient care. Their responsibilities are similar to a respiratory therapist, but they are not the decision maker in determining and performing treatments.
| Some of the responsibilities include: |
| • | Reviewing clinical data, history and respiratory therapy orders |
| • | Keeping medical records of patients' therapies |
| • | Performing bedside procedures, X-rays and laboratory tests |
| • | Assembling, operating and maintaining equipment |
| • | Cleaning and sterilizing equipment |
| • | Conducting prescribed therapeutic procedures, such as administering oxygen and other gases and delivering breathing treatments |
Job Outlook
The demand for respiratory therapy technicians is not as strong as for respiratory therapists, but the outlook is still good.
Educational Requirements
Technician training programs that are approved by the American Medical Association are one year in length. After completion of the program and one year of experience in respiratory therapy, individuals may apply to the National Board for the Respiratory Therapy Technicians (CRT) credential.
Courses include: biological and physical sciences, anatomy, physiology, medical terminology, chemistry, mathematics, physics, microbiology, therapeutic procedures, respiratory therapy clinical medicine and clinical expressions.
Educational Programs - Chicago Area
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