Occupation Summary

Respiratory Therapists

O*NET 29-1126.00

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.

Annual Wages:
$73,928.00
Employment Rate:
Employment is expected to increase by 32.72%.
Education Level:
Associate's Degree (or other 2-year degree). According to O*Net, the majority of people employed in this occupation have this level of education.
Endorsement:
Public Service, Science Technology Engineering and Math (STEM)

  1. Set up and operate devices, such as mechanical ventilators, therapeutic gas administration apparatus, environmental control systems, or aerosol generators, following specified parameters of treatment.
  2. Provide emergency care, such as artificial respiration, external cardiac massage, or assistance with cardiopulmonary resuscitation.
  3. Determine requirements for treatment, such as type, method and duration of therapy, precautions to be taken, or medication and dosages, compatible with physicians' orders.
  4. 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.
  5. Read prescription, measure arterial blood gases, and review patient information to assess patient condition.
  6. Enforce safety rules and ensure careful adherence to physicians' orders.
  7. Maintain charts that contain patients' pertinent identification and therapy information.
  8. Inspect, clean, test, and maintain respiratory therapy equipment to ensure equipment is functioning safely and efficiently, ordering repairs when necessary.
  9. 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.
  10. Explain treatment procedures to patients to gain cooperation and allay fears.
  11. Relay blood analysis results to a physician.
  12. Perform pulmonary function and adjust equipment to obtain optimum results in therapy.
  13. Perform bronchopulmonary drainage and assist or instruct patients in performance of breathing exercises.
  14. Demonstrate respiratory care procedures to trainees or other healthcare personnel.
  15. Teach, train, supervise, or use the assistance of students, respiratory therapy technicians, or assistants.
  16. Use a variety of testing techniques to assist doctors in cardiac or pulmonary research or to diagnose disorders.
  17. Make emergency visits to resolve equipment problems.
  18. Conduct tests, such as electrocardiograms (EKGs), stress testing, or lung capacity tests, to evaluate patients' cardiopulmonary functions.
  19. 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.
  20. Transport patients to the hospital or within the hospital.
  21. Perform endotracheal intubation to maintain open airways for patients who are unable to breathe on their own.
  22. Monitor cardiac patients, using electrocardiography devices, such as a holter monitor.


National Industry Employment Patterns


Industry % of Respiratory Therapists employed Annual Growth Rate
General medical and surgical hospitals 76 2.02
Specialty (except psychiatric and substance abuse) hospitals 5.8 4.31
Nursing care facilities (skilled nursing facilities) 4 1.23
Offices of physicians 2.1 1.96


Labor Market Information


2022 Statewide average hourly wage $35.54
2022 National average hourly wage $35.73
2020 National employment 135,100
2020 Texas employment 11,719
Texas projected employment by 2030 15,553
Texas projected annual employment and Turnover openings through 2030 1,019




TEXAS COUNTY MAP BY WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT AREA
* Due to confidentiality rules, not all regions may have the data displayed. The sum of all the regions may not be equal to the state total.


Top 10 Relevant Knowledge Areas Relevant Importance Levels
Customer and Personal Service
Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
86.60%
Medicine and Dentistry
Knowledge of the information and techniques needed to diagnose and treat human injuries, diseases, and deformities. This includes symptoms, treatment alternatives, drug properties and interactions, and preventive health-care measures.
85.80%
English Language
Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
78.00%
Education and Training
Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
74.20%
Psychology
Knowledge of human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders.
68.40%
Biology
Knowledge of plant and animal organisms, their tissues, cells, functions, interdependencies, and interactions with each other and the environment.
65.00%
Computers and Electronics
Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
64.60%
Chemistry
Knowledge of the chemical composition, structure, and properties of substances and of the chemical processes and transformations that they undergo. This includes uses of chemicals and their interactions, danger signs, production techniques, and disposal methods.
62.00%
Mathematics
Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
61.40%
Therapy and Counseling
Knowledge of principles, methods, and procedures for diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of physical and mental dysfunctions, and for career counseling and guidance.
58.40%


Top 10 Relevant Skill Areas Relevant Importance Levels
Active Listening
Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
77.60%
Critical Thinking
Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
77.60%
Monitoring
Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
77.60%
Speaking
Talking to others to convey information effectively.
75.00%
Active Learning
Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
72.40%
Reading Comprehension
Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
72.40%
Social Perceptiveness
Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
72.40%
Service Orientation
Actively looking for ways to help people.
72.40%
Complex Problem Solving
Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
67.60%
Coordination
Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
67.60%


Top 10 Relevant Abilities Relevant Importance Levels
Oral Expression
The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
80.00%
Problem Sensitivity
The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing that there is a problem.
80.00%
Inductive Reasoning
The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
80.00%
Information Ordering
The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
77.60%
Deductive Reasoning
The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
77.60%
Oral Comprehension
The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
77.60%
Written Comprehension
The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
75.00%
Near Vision
The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
75.00%
Speech Clarity
The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
70.00%
Written Expression
The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
70.00%


  • Documenting/Recording Information
    -- Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.
  • Assisting and Caring for Others
    -- Providing personal assistance, medical attention, emotional support, or other personal care to others such as coworkers, customers, or patients.
  • Getting Information
    -- Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
  • Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials
    -- Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials to identify the cause of errors or other problems or defects.
  • Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge
    -- Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.
Other Activities


  • Relationships
    - Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to provide service to others and work with co-workers in a friendly non-competitive environment. Corresponding needs are Co-workers, Moral Values and Social Service.
  • Support
    - Occupations that satisfy this work value offer supportive management that stands behind employees. Corresponding needs are Company Policies, Supervision: Human Relations and Supervision: Technical.



Tools

Apnea monitors: Apnea monitors;

Arterial blood gas monitors: Blood gas kits; Blood gas machines;

Autotransfusion units: Cell savers;

Bedside pulmonary function screeners: Bedside spirometers;

Blood collection syringes: Blood collection syringes;

Bronchoscopes: Bronchoscopes;

Cardiac output CO monitoring units: Hemodynamic monitors;

Chest cuirass products: Negative pressure ventilators;

Chest percussors: Percussors;

Clinical incubators or infant warmers: Infant incubators;

Electrocardiography EKG units: Electrocardiography EKG units;

Electronic blood pressure units: Electronic blood pressure equipment;

Endotracheal tubes: Endotracheal ET tubes;

Flow sensors or regulators or components: Oxygen flowmeters; Oxygen regulators;

High frequency ventilators: High-frequency ventilators;

Intensive care ventilators: Volume ventilators;

Intermittent positive pressure breathing IPPB machines: Internal positive pressure breathing IPPB machines;

Intraaortic balloon pumps: Intra-aortic balloon pumps IABP;

Medical acoustic stethoscopes: Mechanical stethoscopes;

Medical aerosol tents: Oxygen tents; Medical aerosol tents;

Medical gas cylinders or related devices: Oxygen tanks;

Medical head hoods: Oxygen hoods;

Medical nasal cannulas: Nasal airways; Cannulas;

Medical or surgical suction or vacuum appliances: Medical suction equipment;

Medical oxygen masks or parts: Oral airways; Oxygen masks; Medical oxygen masks;

Mercury blood pressure units: Manual blood pressure equipment;

Nebulizers: Nebulizers; Aerosol masks; Small particle aerosol generators; Tracheotomy masks;

Non invasive bi level machines: Bilevel positive airway pressure BiPAP ventilators;

Non invasive continuous positive air pressure machines: Continuous positive airway pressure CPAP ventilators;

Notebook computers: Notebook computers;

Oxygen concentrators: Oxygen concentrators;

Oxygen delivery connectors or adapters: Christmas tree adapters;

Perfusion oxygen or hematocrit saturation monitors: Saturation of oxygen SaO2 monitors;

Personal computers: Personal computers;

Personal digital assistant PDAs or organizers: Personal digital assistants PDA;

Pulmonary functioning tubing: Capillary catheters;

Pulse oximeter units: Pulse oximeters;

Respiratory humidifiers or vaporizers: Humidifiers;

Respiratory manometer kits: Manometers;

Respiratory monitoring kit accessories: Oxygen monitors;

Respiratory monitoring kits: Indirect calorimeters;

Respiratory therapy compressors: Air compressors;

Resuscitation masks: Ambu bags;

Spirometers: Pulmonary function testing PFT equipment; Wright's spirometers; Incentive spirometers;

Sputum collection apparatus or containers: Sputum traps;

Surgical isolation suit or helmet or shield: Surgical suits;

Tablet computers: Portable flat computers;

Tourniquets: Tourniquets;

Tracheostomy tubes: Tracheostomy tubes;

Treadmill exercisers for rehabilitation or therapy: Therapeutic treadmill exercisers;

Vacuum blood collection tubes or containers: Evacuated blood collection tubes;


Technology

Calendar and scheduling software: Calendar and scheduling software;

Data base user interface and query software: Database software;

Electronic mail software: Microsoft Outlook;

Medical software: eClinicalWorks EHR software; Electronic medical record EMR software; HMS; MEDITECH software;

Office suite software: Microsoft Office software;

Presentation software: Microsoft PowerPoint;

Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel;

Word processing software: Microsoft Word;


Related O*NET occupational titles for Respiratory Therapists include:
  • 29-1141.01 Acute Care Nurses
  • 29-2031.00 Cardiovascular Technologists and Technicians
  • 29-1141.03 Critical Care Nurses
  • 31-2011.00 Occupational Therapy Assistants
  • 29-2043.00 Paramedics
  • 31-2022.00 Physical Therapist Aides
  • 31-2021.00 Physical Therapist Assistants
  • 29-1123.00 Physical Therapists
  • 29-1124.00 Radiation Therapists
  • 29-1141.00 Registered Nurses


Sources of Additional Information
  • For more information about respiratory therapists, visit: American Association for Respiratory Care
  • For a list of accredited educational programs for respiratory care practitioners, visit: Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care
  • For a list of state licensing agencies, as well as information on gaining credentials in respiratory care, visit: The National Board for Respiratory Care, Inc.
  • Respiratory Therapists

  • Contact Texas Workforce Commission
    Labor Market and Career Information  |  101 E. 15th Street, Annex Room 0252  |  Austin, Texas 78778
    Official Website  |  1-800-822-PLAN (7526)  |  512.936.3200

    ** The information in this report may be derived from many sources like O*NET, BLS (Bureau of Labor Statistics), OOH (Occupational Outlook Handbook), and Career One Stop.