Respiratory Therapist

What does a Respiratory Therapist do?

The Respiratory Therapist is a specialized healthcare professional trained in working with seriously ill patients. They help care for the heart and lungs, also known as cardio-pulmonary medicine. The Respiratory Therapist performs or reviews lab analyses and makes sure these are accurate. They also stay current on new developments and conduct training and orientation programs for nurses and staff. As required, they may perform the duties of a Respiratory Therapy Technician. These duties can include attaching and monitoring breathing equipment that is on a patient, providing medications, and participating in a care plan according to physicians’ orders.

Minimum education and experience

Associate Degree in Respiratory Care and New York State license as a Registered Respiratory Therapist plus two to three years experience, or equivalent.

Knowledge, skills, and abilities

Knowledge of how to use all respiratory therapy equipment.

Days/hours

For inpatients: hours include days, evenings, overnight, weekends, and holidays. For ambulatory: hours include Monday – Friday and no holidays.

Position locations

Inpatient position include work throughout the entire hospital, such as Cardiology, Medical Surgery, Critical Care, Emergency Medicine, and the Children’s Tower. The Inpatient Respiratory Therapist also supports children and adult transport teams that may need to travel within and outside of New York State. Individuals would not be required to do transport but could apply to participate on this team.

Ambulatory positions include assignments to a particular area within an ambulatory clinic.

Work environment

Patient interaction in a clinical setting.

Pay range

$32.50 – $42.25 Hourly

The referenced pay range represents the minimum and maximum compensation for this job. Individual annual salaries/hourly rates will be set within the job’s compensation range, and will be determined by considering factors including, but not limited to, market data, education, experience, qualifications, expertise of the individual, and internal equity considerations.

Possible career pathway

An example of a pathway within this job family at the University of Rochester:

Respiratory Therapist > Respiratory Therapist II > Respiratory Therapist III > Respiratory Therapist IV

Become a Respiratory Therapist

• Genesee Community College
• SUNY Upstate Medical