Will “Respiratory Therapy Director” be Replaced By Robots? 🤔

Job Description

Assess, treat, and care for patients with breathing disorders. Assume primary responsibility for all respiratory care modalities, including the supervision of respiratory therapy technicians. Initiate and conduct therapeutic procedures; maintain patient records; and select, assemble, check, and operate equipment.

Job Details

• The SOC (Standard Occupational Classification) code is 29-1126.00
• The Mean Annual Wage in the U.S. is $ 60,640.00
• The Mean Hourly Wage is $ 29.00
• Currently, there are 126,770 people on this job

☝️ Information based on the reference occupation “Respiratory Therapists”.

Also Known As…

• Respiratory Therapists
• Staff Therapist
• Staff Respiratory Therapist
• Respiratory Therapist (RT)
• Respiratory Care Practitioner (RCP)
• Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT)
• Clinical Coordinator of Respiratory Therapy
• Certified Respiratory Therapist (CRT)
• Cardiopulmonary Technician and EEG Tech (Cardiopulmonary Technician and Electroencephalogram Technician)
• Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation Respiratory Therapist
• Respiratory Therapy Director
• Oxygen Therapist
• Inhalation Therapist

Tasks for “Respiratory Therapy Director”

• Set up and operate devices such as mechanical ventilators, therapeutic gas administration apparatus, environmental control systems, or aerosol generators, following specified parameters of treatment.
• Work as part of a team of physicians, nurses, or other healthcare professionals to manage patient care by assisting with medical procedures or related duties.
• Inspect, clean, test, and maintain respiratory therapy equipment to ensure equipment is functioning safely and efficiently, ordering repairs when necessary.
• Explain treatment procedures to patients to gain cooperation and allay fears.
• Educate patients and their families about their conditions and teach appropriate disease management techniques, such as breathing exercises or the use of medications or respiratory equipment.
• Read prescription, measure arterial blood gases, and review patient information to assess patient condition.
• Make emergency visits to resolve equipment problems.
• Maintain charts that contain patients' pertinent identification and therapy information.
• Conduct tests, such as electrocardiograms (EKGs), stress testing, or lung capacity tests, to evaluate patients' cardiopulmonary functions.
• Perform pulmonary function and adjust equipment to obtain optimum results in therapy.
• Relay blood analysis results to a physician.
• Demonstrate respiratory care procedures to trainees or other healthcare personnel.
• Perform bronchopulmonary drainage and assist or instruct patients in performance of breathing exercises.
• Use a variety of testing techniques to assist doctors in cardiac or pulmonary research or to diagnose disorders.
• Monitor patient's physiological responses to therapy, such as vital signs, arterial blood gases, or blood chemistry changes, and consult with physician if adverse reactions occur.
• Provide emergency care, such as artificial respiration, external cardiac massage, or assistance with cardiopulmonary resuscitation.
• Enforce safety rules and ensure careful adherence to physicians' orders.
• Monitor cardiac patients, using electrocardiography devices, such as a holter monitor.
• Determine requirements for treatment, such as type, method and duration of therapy, precautions to be taken, or medication and dosages, compatible with physicians' orders.
• Perform endotracheal intubation to maintain open airways for patients who are unable to breathe on their own.
• Teach, train, supervise, or use the assistance of students, respiratory therapy technicians, or assistants.
• Transport patients to the hospital or within the hospital.

Related Technology & Tools

• Tracheotomy masks
• Notebook computers
• Surgical suits
• Intra-aortic balloon pumps IABP
• Saturation of oxygen SaO2 monitors
• Oxygen concentrators
• Mechanical stethoscopes
• Wright's spirometers
• Humidifiers
• Nasal airways
• Tracheostomy tubes
• Evacuated blood collection tubes
• Manometers
• Pulse oximeters
• Infant incubators
• Air compressors
• Personal computers
• Oxygen masks
• Oral airways
• Oxygen flowmeters
• Hemodynamic monitors
• Blood gas kits
• Therapeutic treadmill exercisers
• Incentive spirometers
• Apnea monitors
• Volume ventilators
• Nebulizers
• Capillary catheters
• Oxygen monitors
• Oxygen hoods
• Small particle aerosol generators
• Oxygen regulators
• Indirect calorimeters
• Bilevel positive airway pressure BiPAP ventilators
• Blood gas machines
• Aerosol masks
• Sputum traps
• Medical suction equipment
• Personal digital assistants PDA
• Cannulas
• Manual blood pressure equipment
• Tourniquets
• Ambu bags
• Cell savers
• Medical aerosol tents
• Medical oxygen masks
• Christmas tree adapters
• Pulmonary function testing PFT equipment
• Electronic blood pressure equipment
• Oxygen tents
• Electrocardiography EKG units
• Endotracheal ET tubes
• Continuous positive airway pressure CPAP ventilators
• High-frequency ventilators
• Bedside spirometers
• Portable flat computers
• Percussors
• Oxygen tanks
• Negative pressure ventilators
• Bronchoscopes
• Blood collection syringes
• Internal positive pressure breathing IPPB machines

• Microsoft Word
• Microsoft Excel
• HMS
• Microsoft Outlook
• Electronic medical record EMR software
• Microsoft PowerPoint
• MEDITECH software
• Database software
• Microsoft Office
• Calendar and scheduling software