A Career As A Respiratory Therapist

Another booming field in health care careers is respiratory therapy. Respiratory therapists treat, and care for patients with breathing or other cardiopulmonary disorders. . Respiratory therapists, practicing under physician direction, assume primary responsibility for all respiratory care therapeutic treatments A few years ago I was introduced to a respiratory therapist. It was a hospital setting and I was recovering form heart bypass surgery. In extreme pain the respiratory therapist structured breathing exercises, several times a day to increase oxygen supply in the bloodstream and to prevent pneumonia. He quickly discovered he was not liked. Now that time has passed I am grateful for his efforts in restoring my health back to normal. That is the way most patients will feel after being treated by a respiratory therapists and respiratory therapy technicians.

Prospective respiratory therapists and respiratory therapy technicians will not have to look for work long as this health career field is full of opportunities. Although hospitals will employ the majority of therapists, a growing number can expect to work outside of hospitals in home health care services, offices of physicians or other health practitioners.

As is the case with most health care related careers, high school student should include a curriculum loaded with anatomy, biology, mathematics, chemistry, and physics. An associate degree has become the general requirement and formal training is necessary for entry into this field. Training is offered at the post secondary level by colleges and universities, medical schools, vocational-technical institutes, and the Armed Forces.
Job opportunities are expected to continue to be very good, especially for respiratory therapists with cardiopulmonary care skills working with the elderly and with infants.
As with all health careers hours are extremely flexible and compensation proportionate to experience and education. Hospital are a round the clock operation and so is the need for respiratory therapists. We have most are more than willing to talk to anyone with a career goal of becoming a respiratory therapist and can offer insight and guidance into a rewarding health care career of working as a respiratory therapist