From Careercruising.com
Respiratory Therapist

JOB DESCRIPTION
Respiratory therapists treat patients with chronic asthma, emphysema, or other lung diseases, and provide temporary relief and emergency care to victims of heart attacks, stroke, drowning, or shock. Their patients range from premature infants whose lungs are not fully developed to elderly people whose lungs are diseased.

Respiratory therapists work alongside physicians, helping them diagnose and treat patients. To assess patients’ breathing abilities, therapists ask them to breathe into equipment that measures the size of their lungs and the amount of air in them. These readings, along with variables such as the sex, age, height, and weight of the patients, can help therapists diagnose whether or not patients have breathing disorders.

Therapists may also take blood samples from patients to analyze the amount of oxygen and carbon dioxide in their blood. To do this, they take an arterial blood sample from the patient, place it in a blood gas analyzer, and relay the results to a doctor.

Respiratory therapists use a variety of methods to treat patients. To deliver oxygen to patients who cannot breathe on their own, they can either use oxygen masks or insert small tubes into the patients’ noses. They also connect patients to ventilators that send pressurized air into their lungs. To connect a patient to a ventilator, a tube is inserted down the patient’s windpipe so that oxygen can be sent directly into the lungs.
Respiratory therapists also use chest physiotherapy and aerosol medications to treat patients.

Other responsibilities include monitoring equipment, observing patients, assessing patients’ conditions, and recommending changes in treatment. Respiratory therapists record all relevant information in medical charts, and brief physicians on patients' progress. In addition, they educate patients on how to deal with their respiratory problems at home.

Making sure that respiratory patients understand their illnesses and know how to deal with them on a day-to-day basis is important. It is also necessary to relieve any fears that patients might have. Respiratory therapists may also instruct family and friends of patients on how to deal with emergencies or use breathing equipment at home.
NOC Code: 3214.1

WORKING CONDITIONS
Respiratory therapists generally work between 35 and 40 hours a week. Most work in the respiratory care or pulmonary medicine departments of hospitals. Because hospitals are always open, therapists often have to work late nights, evenings, and weekends.

They spend long hours on their feet monitoring patients and rushing around the hospital. As well, there's a great deal of bending and lifting of equipment and supplies. This can tire muscles by the end of a long day.

When emergencies occur, the job can be stressful. If someone is brought into the emergency room with breathing difficulties, the therapist and other emergency personnel must work together to quickly stabilize breathing.

As with most health care professionals, there is a risk of catching infectious diseases. However, the satisfaction of helping others usually surpasses these stresses and hazards.

EARNINGS
Earnings for respiratory therapists are affected by a number of factors, including experience, education, employer, and geographic location. Therapists who work at large hospitals in major cities often earn higher wages than those who work at smaller facilities in less populated areas.

People in this profession are usually paid either an annual salary or an hourly wage. Annual salaries can range anywhere from about $38,000 to $70,000 a year. The average salary for respiratory therapists is approximately $50,000 to $55,000 a year.

Hourly rates can range widely, but typically fall between $22 and $30 an hour. Some senior-level respiratory therapists can earn as much as $35 an hour.

In addition to a salary, respiratory therapists usually receive benefits such as paid vacations, dental coverage, and insurance and pension plans.

Most people in this field have full-time positions, though many part-time opportunities exist.

EDUCATION
Education & Training
As with most health-care professions, formal training is required to enter this field. The first step is to earn a high school diploma. While in high school you should take upper level courses in math, chemistry, biology, English, and physics.

Next, you must complete a diploma or bachelor’s degree program in respiratory therapy. Diploma programs are offered by colleges and institutes of technology, and take 3 years to complete. Four year bachelor’s degree programs are offered by some universities. In addition to classroom instruction, you will have the opportunity to gain practical experience in a clinical setting.

Once you have completed your training, you will be eligible to write the national registration examination which is administered by the Canadian Board for Respiratory Care. When you pass the exam, you will be a Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT). See the Other Resources section for links to more information about the RRT credential.
Other Suggested Qualifications
Respiratory therapists require patience and compassion. It’s also important to be in good physical shape. In addition, therapists must continually upgrade their skills as new methods and technologies are constantly in development.

Depending on the province you live in, you may have to fulfill provincial licensing requirements. As well, annual renewal of your provincial certification is required to continue working. (See the Other Resources section for links to the provincial regulatory bodies.)
Suggested High School Subjects

CAREER PATH