Everything You Need to Know About RT As a Profession

Becoming a registered respiratory therapist (RT) is an excellent career option for you if you like the idea of breathing new life (quite literally) into your everyday job and impacting other people’s lives by joining the healthcare forces. Registered respiratory therapists work arduously towards helping people with respiratory illnesses, lung diseases, and other breathing disorders.

This field under the purview of respiratory care is growing quickly with promises of a rewarding career path without having to spend years in an expensive medical school.

Growth of the RT Profession and a Promising Job Outlook

Respiratory therapists essentially help patients with breathing troubles. They provide both emergency and general respiratory care, which entails assessing the patient, treating them, and tracking progress. Respiratory training courses involve performing diagnostic tests and evaluations as well. Most professionals work in skilled nursing facilities and hospitals following their course completion.

The expected median annual salary of an RT in the general industry is $61,830. The Bureau of Labor Statistics expects job opportunities to be good in this field. In fact, employment of respiratory therapists is expected to grow at a much faster rate as compared to the average. The high demand can mostly be attributed to a large aging population in the United States. Older people are at a higher risk of suffering heart and lung conditions and may benefit from respiratory care.

In certain parts of the country, there is a higher demand for trained employees in the field of respiratory care as compared to others. This is because of state age demographics and the overall size of population. As per the 2013 BLS report, these were the states with the highest employers of respiratory therapists:

• California: 14,160 RT
• Texas: 10,160 RT
• Florida: 7,470 RT
• New York: 5,980 RT
• Ohio: 5,880 RT

Certain medical care settings have a higher need for respiratory protection professionals. As per the BLS report, these were:

• General medical and surgical hospitals: 89,460 jobs
• Specialty hospitals: 6,270 jobs
• Skilled nursing care facilities: 3,860 jobs
• Physician offices: 3,110 jobs
• Consumer goods rental: 2,970 jobs

Employment from 2021 to 2031 for professionals employed in the field of respiratory care are projected to grow at 14% – a rate much faster than the average of other healthcare occupations. In fact, more than 9,400 openings every year are expected in the coming decade for respiratory therapists. Many of these openings are manifesting themselves from the need of replacing workers that have transferred to different occupations, retired, or exited the labor force for not maintaining continuing education credits.

Almost 75% respiratory therapists are employed in hospital settings, though they also find employment in cardiopulmonary rehabilitation centers, cardiopulmonary diagnostic labs, home health agencies, and nursing homes. As per the American Lung Association, respiratory care professionals usually work 35 – 40 hours a week depending on where they work.

You may need to work weekends, nights, and holidays, especially if you are involved in direct patient care in nursing homes and hospitals. You should expect long shifts and spending most of the day on your feet. There is a high potential of advancing to administration positions or becoming a staff therapist if you complete the relevant respiratory protection program, such as OSHA respiratory protection training.

You can also start your own respiratory care company with the right experience or move into equipment sales and marketing.

Why Pursue a Career as a Respiratory Therapist?

The typical day of a respiratory therapist sheds light on the importance of this job role within the healthcare field. Respiratory therapists are an integral part of the healthcare team, especially in the emergency and critical care units. While they work under the direct guidance of doctors for managing a wide array of medical conditions, they are also required to come up with ways for patient care.

Respiratory therapists may need to treat patients from premature infants with underdeveloped lung functionality to the elderly suffering from COPD. You will be responsible for providing temporary relief to patients suffering from long-term illnesses. You will also be required to have detailed knowledge of respirators and ways to implement or administer other medical techniques.

This is what makes a career in the field of respiratory therapy a particularly rewarding one. You will be able to help patients experiencing stroke, shock, heart attack, drowning, or any other form of respiratory distress. The field offers the perfect blend of patient interaction and technology. You may be perfect for a career in respiratory therapy if you are driven, dedicated, and compassionate.

There are a multitude of critical tasks executed by respiratory therapists for patients that need help with their breathing disorders. These are a few basic tasks that RTs are required to perform:

• Conduct and monitor prescribed diagnostic and therapeutic procedures
• Maintain natural and artificial airways
• Perform pulmonary function testing
• Perform physiologic monitoring, such as hemodynamic monitoring
• Document basic information and maintain patient medical records
• Communicate updates, assessments, and other components to the members of the healthcare team
• Assemble, maintain, and calibrate mandatory respiratory care equipment, such as respirator
• Identify and remedy any malfunctions in respiratory care equipment
• Communicate with patients and their families
• Educate patients on lung health and disease prevention
• Educate patients on respiratory selection, use of inhalers, and other devices
• Perform testing to help with diagnosis, research, and treatment

A typical shift of a respiratory therapist will involve the following:

• Examine and interview patients
• Consult with doctors for determining treatment plans
• Perform diagnostic tests to measure lung capacity and other things
• Treat patients using chest physiotherapy, aerosol medications, and other methods
• Obtain and analyze sputum and blood specimens
• Place patients on ventilators to help them breathe
• Monitor and record the patient’s progress
• Educate patients on using equipment and taking medications

If you are interested in learning the different skills associated with becoming a respiratory therapist, you should access the different online resources to learn more. Program development for RTs involve different course offerings, including airborne contaminants, hazardous materials, and advanced techniques for managing breathing disorder, among others.

Students should know that they would begin their career by interning for different facilities on a voluntary basis before the final exam. You would need this to get your certification and license. It just depends on the state you want to practice in.

Where Do Respiratory Therapists Work?

Respiratory therapists have an opportunity to work in a multitude of settings, such as hospitals, outpatient departments, and long-term nursing care facilities. Few respiratory therapists even travel for home health visits and to patient’s homes. While RTs may need to remain on their feet for a large part of their shift, they do have flexibility in terms of hours and work weeks. Many occupations are just not this way.

Regardless of the place you choose, you will have similar job roles and duties. These are a few differing responsibilities based on the place of work:

• Hospitals: This is by far the most common choice for respiratory therapists. You may form part of the code/rapid response team to assist with cardiopulmonary resuscitation, endotracheal intubation, and airway care. In addition, you may be needed to perform pulmonary function testing for determining the right course of treatment, remove mucus from lungs, or perform chest physiotherapy, among others.
• Pulmonary rehab clinic: Outpatient respiratory therapy office receives patients that want breathing therapy, check-ups, and treatment. You would be responsible for a wide range of duties at a pulmonary rehab clinic, such as educating, counseling, and rehabilitating patients to help them breathe better.
• In-home care: Respiratory therapists providing at-home care are useful for patients that are unable to get to a physical location. They train patients and their families to use machines and other breathing assistance equipment.
• Sleep disorder centers: You would be asked to diagnose and prepare treatment plans for patients with sleep disorders. You will also be included in in-lab sleep studies and asked to work with patients suffering from obstructive sleep apnea and other pulmonary disorders.

Types of Respiratory Training Courses You May Need

To become a respiratory therapist, you would need an associate’s degree in respiratory therapy. The degree should be from an accredited respiratory program. You would also need to get licensed as a Registered Respiratory Therapist and complete continuing education credits as mandated by your particular state.

Respiratory therapists are required to clear a national certification exam and complete any additional requirements to obtain a license. You should have a strong grasp on physiology and anatomy along with great interpersonal skills. Generally, employers want respiratory care professionals that have specialty certification, such as:

• Registered Pulmonary Function Technologist (RPFT)
• Neonatal/Pediatric Respiratory Care Specialist (NPS)
• Sleep Disorders Testing and Therapeutic Intervention Respiratory Care Specialist (SDS)
• Certified Pulmonary Function Technologist (CPFT)
• Adult Critical Care Specialty (ACCS)

These are a few other required certifications for RT:

• NRP: Neonatal Resuscitation Program
• PALS: Pediatric Advanced Life Support
• ACLS: Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support
• BLS/CPR: Basic Life Support CPR course for CPR victims of all ages

Few hospitals require their respiratory therapists to be members of the American Association for Respiratory Care (AARC) or similar state counterpart.

Is it Necessary to have a University Degree?

You can choose to get a bachelor’s degree in respiratory therapy or a two-year associate degree. Furthermore, a few employers prefer professionals with a bachelor’s degree. There may be entrance requirements in certain programs. You may need to get volunteer work experience before formal learning starts. It’s better that you volunteer in a hospital or a local medical center while still in high school to develop the necessary skills required to be a respiratory therapist.

Typical qualifications to get a respiratory therapist job include:

• Current Registered Respiratory Therapist license
• Associate’s or Bachelor’s Degree in Respiratory Care from an accredited respiratory care program
• Working knowledge of medical supplies and respiratory equipment

Respiratory therapists are required to have a special set of skills that allows them to focus on the needs of their patients while multitasking. These are a few such skills that can help you reach success:

• Comforting bedside manner
• Attention to detail
• Compassion
• Communication skills
• Teamwork
• Time management
• Quick decision-making ability
• Good judgment
• Detail oriented
• Science and math skills

You will need to clear a certificate exam for becoming a certified respiratory therapist. Except Alaska, all states have license regulations to become a respiratory therapist. You will also need to renew your license every two or three years depending on the state you practice in. Continuing education credits is required for this by most state boards.

Need for Continuing Education for RTs

The need for continuing education for healthcare practitioners and respiratory therapists is well established. An increasing volume of medical information and the changing nature of the respiratory therapy field demands professionals to continue their education. Hospitals and other healthcare facilities prefer respiratory therapists that have satisfied their continued education credits because of the rapid growth of technology involved.

Educational activities can be in the form of self-directed studies, formal lectures, seminars, video presentations, and teleconferences. Recent studies indicate that the self-study approach to attaining continued education credits can be more effective as compared to seminars, conferences, or other methods where professionals need to take off days from work.

While evaluation methods for CEUs focus on attendees’ ratings, they should be revised for emphasizing beneficial changes in practice. All respiratory therapy technicians and respiratory therapists looking to renew their licenses are required by law to complete a necessary set of coursework.

This can seem frustrating to working professionals. You worked hard to earn your license and certification. You nailed the job interview. Now, you need to study more. It may seem like a frustrating thing, but it’s actually not all that bad. Here’s why:

• Better patient care: Continuing education plays an integral role in improving patient outcomes. You will get to know the latest happenings in patient care, patient engagement, and positive health. This way you can be better equipped to assist the patients under your care.
• Professional growth: Healthcare professionals that keep up with the latest advancements in their respective medical fields have a higher chance of getting the employment they desire. More education means higher opportunities.
• Personal growth: Education has been rightly dubbed as the premise of progress at the individual, family, and societal levels. You can grow personally by learning more and increasing your knowledge.
• Stay updated: Continuing education has become a priority in healthcare and medical settings because of its ever-evolving nature. You need to become aware of new technologies and developments. Healthcare professionals of today have more knowledge as compared to their counterparts in the 1970s. The industry has witnessed a progression sparked by unrelenting research.

You can remain more current and relevant in your field by pursuing continuing education courses from accredited and leading course providers.

Where Can Aspiring RTs Learn About Online Continuing Education?

You will need reliable and updated online resources to learn more about becoming a respiratory therapist. You can choose to complete your degree part-time if you are a busy working professional looking for a career switch. You should review TheCEPlace website for more information on continuing education requirements for respiratory therapy professionals.

TheCEPlace is a Trusted Destination for Online RT Training Courses

TheCEPlace makes it easy to obtain continuing education credits while you juggle your work and personal responsibilities. Our aim is to help respiratory therapists across the US and Puerto Rico satisfy continuing education requirements in an easy, accessible, and affordable manner. For the latest and comprehensive online RT continuing education courses, you can trust TheCEPlace. Reach out to us today and take the first step towards career enhancement as a respiratory therapist.

Respiratory therapists are in high demand with the employment market for this specialty area projected to grow by nearly 25% by 2030. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates about 10,100 new job openings on average for RTs each year. Based on this, this also means that there is an increasing pressure on existing respiratory therapists to stay current with the latest advancements and techniques in the industry.

Respiratory therapy CEUs can help you stay up to date with changes in existing practices and learn about recent developments. TheCEPlace allows travel respiratory therapists or those on vacation to complete their continuing education requirements through self-study. You can obtain your CE credits by studying from home, at your workplace, in your car, by the pool, in a café, or even while vacationing.

Study from anywhere on your own time and complete your annual CE requirements with courses and exams from TheCEPlace.

Obtaining Respiratory Therapy CE Units Through Self-Study

Respiratory therapists are required to complete a minimum number of continuing education units in a given period (usually two years) to keep their license current. These requirements depend on the respective state board. Most professionals delay completing the mandatory continuing respiratory care education until it is time for license renewal. This can be a problem for you, especially if you are a travel respiratory therapist or have a planned vacation coming up.

Self-study materials are intended for learners to seek flexibility in the scheduling and location of their course. These usually consist of self-paced activities for a preset number of continuing education units. Depending on the course provider, these activities can be in the form of videotapes, online modules, podcasts or journals, manuals, online seminars, conferences, or a combination of these.

Most states accept a certain number of continuing education credits through self-study mode. Stemming from this, you should make sure that you check with your relevant medical board. For instance, the California board for respiratory care professionals has made it mandatory for all therapists to complete 30 hours of continuing education (CE) for license renewal. The minimum number of hours for the first renewal is 15 and these can be completed online through self-study modules.

Travel Respiratory Therapists can Benefit from Online CEUs

Travel respiratory therapists travel from city to city while performing their job responsibilities. They experience new hospital environments and provide patients with essential respiratory therapy skills. Even though travel respiratory therapists perform the same job duties as permanent therapists, maintaining their license and completing CE requirements can be tricky for them.

The primary goal of respiratory therapists is to help individuals suffering from cardiopulmonary disorders, premature infants, and lung cancer patients. This makes it even more important for them to stay current with the latest industry advancements. Travel respiratory therapists can benefit from the flexibility offered by online continuing education providers, especially if it’s a self-study module that can be accessed from anywhere.

Key Advantages of Remote Learning for RTs

Remote learning doesn’t just help travel respiratory therapists. Online courses can also be of use to regular or permanent professionals that are looking to take a vacation but need to complete their continuing education credits or those that have a busy schedule and don’t want to take time off work.

These are a few benefits of online continuing respiratory care education:

1. Maintain Flexible Study Schedules

A frequent complaint of most medical professionals is that they have a hard time striking a work-life balance. You probably work 8 or more hours a day, which leaves very little time for yourself and the family. It’s necessary to factor in commuting times and sleep. Completing your continuing education credits is probably the last thing on your mind when you are already juggling your professional duties, personal responsibilities, and well-being.

By using an online course provider, you can easily obtain your CE credits while relaxing on a beach somewhere. When you don’t need to attend online seminars, you can work through the course content wearing anything you want – including your pajamas. Remote working and learning offer a greater sense of comfort and an enhanced work-life balance that helps to reduce stress. It can also save you a pile of gas money which is noteworthy in these high energy cost times.

2. Learn on the Go and Travel

You don’t need to limit your creativity or plans to fit the course schedule. You can easily complete the continuing education hours from anywhere. This is particularly beneficial for professionals working as travel respiratory therapists. With remote learning, you can always complete your units while on the go.

3. Learn Anywhere at Any Time

Remote learning means that respiratory therapists can complete their continuing education units from anywhere and not just when they are at home. You can choose to get your CEUs when you are on the plane traveling to a different country, at a coffee shop by the beach, or in a tent at your favorite mountain trek.

There are a few course providers that allow the module to be downloaded and accessed from almost anywhere in the world. You may not even need a working internet connection. Flexible learning schedule can be a godsend to respiratory therapists that lead busy professional lives or have small children. The freedom to learn from anywhere is invaluable.

4. Learn at Your Own Pace

Self-study choices under remote learning offers opportunities for self-paced learning. Your instructors may provide you with the entire course module when you sign up. You can go through these modules on your own and take a test at the end to complete the course. In fact, you may find it easier to move more quickly through the topics and assignments that you can understand, while spending more time on the topics that you find challenging.

5. Better Comprehension of Content

Many researchers have observed that learners don’t necessarily understand the content in a traditional teacher-student classroom setting. Moreover, when left with the module and allowed to read through it on their own, they attain a better understanding of the course content. You may find that you understand the respiratory therapy course structure better when obtaining your CEUs through self-study.

6. Revisit Difficult Topics

Generally, remote learning doesn’t have a time schedule. You only need to get your continuing education credits in time for your license renewal. Most course providers offer a flexible schedule where the course is available for an extended period. This allows for revisiting hard-to-understand topics. You may find it helpful to spend more time on such topics.

It’s essential to understand that respiratory therapy courses are designed to ensure that professionals remain updated with the latest changes and advancements in technology and techniques. Hence, it’s pivotal that RTs take the time to attain a deep understanding of the course. After all, lives depend on the job you perform.

Choosing the Right RT CE Course Provider

There are several online providers of CEUs for respiratory therapy. In fact, you can shortlist the reputable ones by going through the AARC’s continuing education portal. Most online courses on offer for respiratory therapy CEUs is based on a traditional model. They will require you to attend a seminar or live teaching sessions. This can be a problem if you are traveling.

You should instead find a course provider that offers remote learning or self-study respiratory CEUs. You should make sure the course provider and modules are AARC approved. These are a few other factors to consider:

Remote Access

It only makes sense that you should have unlimited access to your course module from anywhere in the world. You should not be limited by the course provider. The books or study material should be available online in an easy to download format. Registered nursing and respiratory therapists require course material that has to be as up to date and factual as possible. In physical books and other resources, there is always a risk that the course material is outdated.

Relevant Learning Materials

The American Association for Respiratory Care requires respiratory therapists to have relevant knowledge of the recent updates in the industry. You should always ask for a demonstration or sample of the course to get a feel of it. You should also look for a course provider that offers topics of interest to you. After all, you are investing your time and energy into reading the course material.

Quality Multimedia Element

You may want to find a course provider that offers engaging and interactive content. Many people don’t want to go through lengthy paragraphs of boring text. It is easier to understand new topics when there is informative and interactive content present. There is no one fixed course module approved by the AARC or the board. You can improve your learning experience by finding a course provider offering an easy to understand and engaging course.

Learning Outcomes

You need to identify your expectations from the online learning course. Do you want the easiest way of obtaining your continuing education units at the expense of learning new things or would you rather grow your knowledge and further your career? It’s best to find an online CE provider that strikes a balance between the two.

It’s vital that you don’t get enamored by frivolous elements in the course. There are a few CE providers that gamify the content with scoreboards, mascots, and badges. Pertaining to this, this won’t necessarily tell you how engaging or structured the content really is.

Sign Up For Your Extended Learning Courses Today!

TheCEPlace offers AARC approved continuing education courses for respiratory therapists that are working at a permanent position or traveling between different medical facilities and home-care patients. Our courses are designed to be simple while providing maximum knowledge to learners. You can attain the knowledge necessary for you to stay current with your field and further your career without having to invest a lot of time, energy, or money.

You can complete your medical board’s RT CEUs requirements by accessing self-study courses and tests any time of the day from any mobile device or computer. You don’t even need internet access at all times since the modules are available in a downloadable format. All tests are taken online through the website. TheCEPlace is one of the few RT CE course providers to offer unlimited attempts to learners at no additional charge.

You can take the test several times till you are satisfied with your results. We will send the course completion certificate to your registered email address as soon as you clear the test. It’s critical to save this certificate since you may be asked for it during the license renewal process.

These are a few other reasons to choose TheCEPlace for your on-the-go education:

Connect New Content to Old

Our course modules are designed by industry experts with a deep understanding of the learning material. You can be confident that you would be able to connect any new updates and advancements made in the different respiratory care techniques and technology with what you are already used to. More expansive topics, such as Clinical Assessment in Respiratory Care or Med-Surg Respiratory Patients are broken down into two parts for easier understanding.

Self-Explanatory Course Module

The course is self-explanatory and doesn’t require a classroom learning model. You can go through the reading material at your own pace from anywhere in the world. Our team understands that the most important thing in learning is to connect the new with the old. When introducing a new concept or skill that is not in rampant use across the country, we will use examples and interactive materials to help you gain a better understanding.

Self-Assessment

You need to complete a test at the end of every course. This test is a vital element in the continuing education course. The best part about TheCEPlace is that you can take the test as many times as you need to get a passing score. And, there is no fixed schedule to taking the test. Whenever you are ready, you can login to your account and request for the test. There is no additional charge to taking the test again if you don’t clear it the first time.

At TheCEPlace, we understand your requirements because we come from the same background. We know how difficult it is to juggle multiple roles in your life as a respiratory therapist. You may want to use your vacation days to get away from the regular humdrum of your life. You can always let your employer know that you need a few days off to work on your continuing education hours. You can count on TheCEPlace to make sure the CE course can be completed from anywhere in the world.

Choose the Leader in CEUs for RTs

TheCEPlace is a leading course provider for respiratory therapy continuing education units. You can successfully complete your CE requirements from anywhere in the world by signing up with TheCEPlace. Our RT courses are approved and accepted in all 50 states and Puerto Rico. We have helped numerous learners satisfy their CE requirements and apply for license renewal without stress, frustration, or confusion.

All RT modules on offer at TheCEPlace are developed by medical professionals, researchers, and academicians after extensive research to ensure learners get the most updated and relevant information for furthering their career. We have your back when it comes to continuing education hours. Get started on completing your state mandated requirements. New online RT courses. Call us today at 833-388-2600 or fill out this online form.