A respiratory therapist is a specialist who’s tasked with providing respiratory care in a variety of ways (typically through standardized treatment procedures) to patients suffering from disorders related to their breathing. Additionally, a respiratory therapist is responsible for the constant monitoring and evaluation of patients under their care, due to the sensitive nature of the conditions that they’re typically treating. The job isn’t a physician’s job, and instead an actual physician supervises the operations of a respiratory therapist regularly.
A Bachelor’s degree or an associate one is required to become a respiratory therapist, and the market for the job can be quite harsh in some aspects as well – for example, the large amount of competition can make it quite difficult for newcomers to find employment, even if they’ve got sufficient educational qualifications but lack practice experience. The job does offer some good career development prospects though, which is part of why it’s seen as attractive.
Respiratory therapists earn between $53,000 – $61,000 a year and have moderately good prospects for developing their careers further. One of the attractive things about the job is the flexibility of its working hours as well as the access to numerous benefits and bonuses. Additionally, respiratory therapists tend to enjoy a good level of employment as well, and the market is generally favorable to those who practice the job. One of the downsides of a respiratory therapist’s job is the somewhat unstable supply of clients at most times.