Respiratory Therapist Duties, Skills & Responsibilities

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When hiring Respiratory Therapists, it’s important to properly describe the job opening with the duties, skills and responsibilities of the role. We’ve compiled a guide to Respiratory Therapist Duties, Skills & Responsibilities using data from actual job postings on Indeed.

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Popular Respiratory Therapist Duties and Skills

Here are some commonly found skills and other specifications in job postings for Respiratory Therapists.

RRT

Definition : A respiratory therapist certification awarded by the NBRC (National Board for Respiratory Care, Inc.) upon passing the TMC (Therapist Multiple-Choice) exam with a high score.
Years of experience most commonly required: 1-2
How common is it? This skill is found in 78% of Respiratory Therapist job postings on Indeed.

BLS Certification

Definition : A certification for healthcare provider-level CPR training awarded by either the American Heart Association or the American Red Cross. Formerly known as BCLS (Basic Cardiac Life Support).
Years of experience most commonly required: 1-2
How common is it? This skill is found in 69.5% of Respiratory Therapist job postings on Indeed.

CRT

Definition : A respiratory therapist certification awarded by the NBRC (National Board for Respiratory Care, Inc.) upon passing the TMC (Therapist Multiple-Choice) exam with a low score.
Years of experience most commonly required: 1-2
How common is it? This skill is found in 36% of Respiratory Therapist job postings on Indeed.

NRP Certification

Definition : Certification awarded to individuals who have undergone NRP (Neonatal Resuscitation Provider) training.
Years of experience most commonly required: 1-2
How common is it? This skill is found in 29.1% of Respiratory Therapist job postings on Indeed.

PALS Certification

Definition : A certification awarded by the American Heart Association upon completing training in PALS (Pediatric Advanced Life Support).
Years of experience most commonly required: 1-2
How common is it? This skill is found in 28.3% of Respiratory Therapist job postings on Indeed.

RCP License

Definition : A license to work as a Respiratory Care Practitioner and specialize in therapeutic pulmonary medicine. Licensing requirements vary by state.
Years of experience most commonly required: 1-2
How common is it? This skill is found in 15.3% of Respiratory Therapist job postings on Indeed.

Acute care

Definition : Experience with acute care, a form of short term intensive care for individuals suffering from severe injuries or illnesses.
Years of experience most commonly required: 1-2
How common is it? This skill is found in 13.9% of Respiratory Therapist job postings on Indeed.

Critical care experience

Definition : Experience in a hospital’s critical care unit.
Years of experience most commonly required: 1-2
How common is it? This skill is found in 13.6% of Respiratory Therapist job postings on Indeed.

Respiratory therapy

Definition : Knowledge of or experience with respiratory therapy.
Years of experience most commonly required: 1-2
How common is it? This skill is found in 12.5% of Respiratory Therapist job postings on Indeed.

CPR Certification

Definition : A certification awarded by an organization or association such as the American Heart Association or the Red Cross, upon completing a three hour CPR (Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation) class.
Years of experience most commonly required: 1-2
How common is it? This skill is found in 9.8% of Respiratory Therapist job postings on Indeed.

Hospital experience

Definition : Skill or experience working in a hospital in an administrative or clinical capacity.
Years of experience most commonly required: 1-2
How common is it? This skill is found in 3.9% of Respiratory Therapist job postings on Indeed.

ICU experience

Definition : Experience working in an intensive care unit.
Years of experience most commonly required: 2-3
How common is it? This skill is found in 2.4% of Respiratory Therapist job postings on Indeed.

Ventilator

Definition : Skill or experience using a ventilator machine.
Years of experience most commonly required: 2-3
How common is it? This skill is found in 1.9% of Respiratory Therapist job postings on Indeed.

Medication administration

Definition : Skill or experience giving medication to patients, observing patient response, and completing any needed documentation.
Years of experience most commonly required: 1
How common is it? This skill is found in 1.1% of Respiratory Therapist job postings on Indeed.

Pediatrics

Definition : Skill in or experience with providing medical care to infants, children, or adolescents.
Years of experience most commonly required: 1-2
How common is it? This skill is found in 1% of Respiratory Therapist job postings on Indeed.

Medical terminology

Definition : Knowledge of or experience with medical terminology.
Years of experience most commonly required: 1-2
How common is it? This skill is found in 0.9% of Respiratory Therapist job postings on Indeed.

Anatomy knowledge

Definition : Knowledge of or experience with human or animal anatomy.
Years of experience most commonly required: 0-1
How common is it? This skill is found in 0.7% of Respiratory Therapist job postings on Indeed.

Physiology knowledge

Definition : Experience with or knowledge of physiology, the study of how living systems work.
Years of experience most commonly required: 1-2
How common is it? This skill is found in 0.5% of Respiratory Therapist job postings on Indeed.

Patient assessment

Definition : Knowledge of or experience evaluating patients based on medical and personal histories.
Years of experience most commonly required: 1-2
How common is it? This skill is found in 0.2% of Respiratory Therapist job postings on Indeed.