Healthcare institutions are always in demand of medical professionals that can provide assistance and quality care to patients. We all know that the most in demand professions today are the nurses, doctors and surgical technicians. But, respiratory therapist is now growing fast in the field of medicine and can be a great career for young aspirants. So, for those who wanted to have a career as a respiratory therapist this article can help you understand what is a respiratory therapist?
Respiratory therapists or also known as inhalation therapists, deals with patients with respiratory problems from the infants up to the elderly. These respiratory therapists work in hospitals or other health institutions with the supervision of doctors. Respiratory therapists provide care, assistance, medical attention and emotional support to the patients and their families. They are responsible in operating equipments and inspecting it to make sure that it works well and has no malfunctions or defects.
The oxygen is one of those machines that they work with. Doctors usually give the respiratory therapists the prescriptions on medicines and dosages that are needed to be given to the patient. It is significant for every respiratory therapist to be aware of the different dangers that can happen in every treatment. They should keep on observing the patient while on treatment any report any unusual symptoms to the physician. It is also a part of the respiratory therapist’s job to provide information to the other members of the healthcare team like co-workers, physicians and nurses. It is also their responsibility to gather data and information regarding the patient. Respiratory therapist also works in emergency situations. They also perform test like blood gas analysis that identifies the level of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the body and pH determination that can identify if the blood is acidic or alkaline.
Being a respiratory therapist, a person needs to have a respiratory therapist’s education. Having an education is the first step in reaching a person’s dream of becoming a respiratory therapist. There are a lot of respiratory therapist schools out there offering this education. One must choose an accredited university, college or vocational school. These schools offer both an associate and baccalaureate degree. If one is looking for a job, employers usually look for those with an associate degree. Having a certificate takes two years to complete. Schools offer subjects like science, anatomy and physiology in order to understand how the body functions especially the respiratory system. They also include subjects on how to use the equipments and how to do the procedure. Students are also exposed in the clinical area to have their internships.
Respiratory therapist’s salary depends on certain factors like the location of the work and the years of experience. If a person is working in a small town then the wage may range from $21 and below an hour. This may be due to the cost of living and other factors. Low salaries are usually in the rural areas. The highest paid respiratory therapist is usually in the urban areas. The respiratory therapist may range from $32 and above an hour.
