Respiratory therapy is a growing field with strong job opportunities, steady demand, and a wide range of paths for new and experienced healthcare professionals. Respiratory therapists support patients with breathing disorders, lung diseases, and complex medical needs across hospitals, outpatient programs, and long-term care settings. This guide explains how the career path for respiratory therapist professionals works, the roles available, and what job growth looks like today.
Respiratory therapists support patients of all ages who have breathing disorders, lung disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, asthma, sleep apnea, and other respiratory conditions. They work across hospitals, outpatient facilities, skilled nursing facilities, doctors’ offices, diagnostic laboratories, emergency rooms, intensive care units, and neonatal intensive care units. Their work includes examining patients, completing diagnostic tests, measuring lung capacity and lung function, collecting blood samples, operating breathing equipment, and creating treatment plans with physicians and other healthcare professionals.
Demand for respiratory therapy continues to increase as more older adults and elderly people need help managing chronic breathing difficulties and as healthcare workers face ongoing staffing shortages. Respiratory therapists also play a key role in caring for premature infants and premature babies who require specialized monitoring and respiratory support in neonatal intensive care units.
Becoming a respiratory therapist begins with completing the right education and training. High school students often take science courses before moving into an associate degree or associate’s degree program, which is the most common entry point. Some employers prefer candidates with a bachelor’s degree. Many programs include classroom instruction, simulation work, and practical experience in hospital or outpatient settings, covering respiratory care, medical devices, patient care, diagnostic tests, treatment plans, and major lung diseases.
After earning a degree in respiratory therapy, graduates take the national board exams. The multiple-choice CRT exam provides the certified respiratory therapist credential, and a higher score allows candidates to take the clinical simulation exam for the registered respiratory therapist credential. Many advanced roles require the registered respiratory therapist RRT designation. Respiratory care practitioners must also apply for state licensure and meet continuing education requirements to stay active in the field.
Respiratory therapist job duties include examining patients, measuring lung capacity, running diagnostic tests, and monitoring lung function. Respiratory therapists treat patients with asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, acute breathing problems, sleep apnea, and other respiratory conditions. They collect blood samples to measure oxygen and carbon dioxide levels. They educate patients about medication use, breathing equipment, treatment plans, and ways to prevent disease.
Respiratory therapists manage medical devices such as ventilators, CPAP machines, oxygen delivery systems, and life support equipment. In the intensive care unit, respiratory therapists help maintain patient stability by adjusting ventilator settings and monitoring breathing equipment. In outpatient facilities or diagnostic laboratories, they perform pulmonary function tests and other diagnostic tests to study lung function.
Respiratory therapists work closely with physicians and other healthcare professionals to create care plans that support safe and effective treatment. Their work requires careful communication, accuracy, and strong clinical reasoning.
Respiratory therapists treat patients of all ages, from premature infants in neonatal intensive care units to older adults in nursing homes or skilled nursing facilities. Premature babies often need respiratory support when their lungs are still developing. Elderly people with chronic lung disease also rely on respiratory therapy to manage their symptoms.
Respiratory therapists work with patients who have breathing difficulties due to asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, lung disease, trauma, infections, sleep apnea, and complications from surgery. These conditions require ongoing monitoring, education, and treatment plan adjustments to ensure each patient receives appropriate care.
Respiratory therapy is needed across many medical facilities. In a hospital setting, respiratory therapists support patients in emergency rooms, intensive care units, neonatal intensive care units, and surgical units. Hospitals depend on respiratory therapists during medical emergencies, code responses, and rapid changes in patient conditions.
In outpatient facilities, respiratory therapists run diagnostic tests and educate patients about breathing problems and treatment plans. In nursing homes and skilled nursing facilities, respiratory therapists support long-term care for older adults and elderly people. Diagnostic laboratories rely on respiratory therapists to perform pulmonary function tests and evaluate lung function. Doctors’ offices also hire respiratory therapists to support chronic lung disease management and patient education.
Respiratory therapy offers many career paths. Each specialty serves a different patient population and uses unique skills.
Common respiratory therapy specializations help professionals focus their skills on specific patient needs, clinical environments, and diagnostic responsibilities.
| Specialty | Primary Setting | Key Duties |
|---|---|---|
| Adult critical care specialty | ICU, hospitals | Ventilator support, life support, diagnostic tests |
| Neonatal and pediatric care | NICU, pediatric units | Support for premature infants, premature babies, toddlers, and children |
| Pulmonary diagnostics | Diagnostic laboratories | Pulmonary function tests, lung capacity assessments |
| Sleep medicine | Sleep labs | Testing for sleep apnea and related breathing disorders |
| Pulmonary rehabilitation | Outpatient facilities | Exercise programs, chronic lung disease education |
| Home care | Patient homes | CPAP machines, oxygen equipment, education, and follow-up visits |
| Transport, hyperbaric, research, education | Specialized programs | Device training, research studies, and academic roles |
Respiratory therapy offers a structured career ladder. After earning the certified respiratory therapist credential, many professionals work toward becoming a registered respiratory therapist. Registered respiratory therapists often qualify for higher responsibility roles and leadership positions. Some employers prefer a bachelor’s degree or a master’s degree for roles such as supervisor, educator, or department coordinator.
Advancement options include:
These roles offer stronger career opportunities and job opportunities as professionals build more specialized experience.
Respiratory therapists manage a wide range of medical devices, including:
Respiratory therapists also work with testing equipment used for pulmonary function tests and diagnostic tests such as spirometry and diffusion studies.
Respiratory therapists work with physicians, nurses, and other healthcare workers to support patient care. They provide updates about patient progress, adjust treatment plans, and deliver education that helps patients manage breathing problems safely at home or in a medical facility.
Because respiratory therapists treat patients with a wide range of respiratory conditions, they play an active part in hospital codes, ventilator checks, emergency room response, and long-term care planning.
Job growth in respiratory therapy continues to rise as demand for treatment of chronic lung diseases increases. Older adults and elderly people make up a large share of patients who need ongoing respiratory care. Hospitals, outpatient facilities, and skilled nursing facilities hire candidates to support the needs of this growing patient population.
Demand is also driven by higher rates of sleep apnea, asthma, breathing disorders, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Healthcare providers rely on trained respiratory care practitioners who can support accurate testing, patient education, and complex treatment plans.
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Use the table below to compare major respiratory therapy career paths.
| Area | Best For | Key Tasks | Common Setting |
|---|---|---|---|
| ICU adult critical care | Interest in acute care | Ventilator management, life support | Hospitals, ICU |
| Neonatal pediatric | Interest in infants and children | Support premature infants and premature babies | NICU, pediatric units |
| Pulmonary diagnostics | Interest in testing | Pulmonary function tests, diagnostic tests | Diagnostic laboratories |
| Sleep medicine | Interest in sleep apnea care | Overnight testing, CPAP support | Sleep labs |
| Pulmonary rehab | Interest in long-term management | Exercise programs, patient education | Outpatient facilities |
| Home care | Interest in patient teaching | CPAP machines, oxygen, and follow-up care | Patient homes |
Respiratory therapists who want strong job opportunities can highlight their practical experience, clinical hours, and exposure to diverse patient populations. A clear resume that documents skills with breathing equipment, medical devices, and diagnostic tests helps employers hire candidates with confidence.
Interview preparation often includes questions about treatment plans, CPAP machines, ventilator strategies, patient care scenarios, and ways to prevent disease. Candidates should be ready to discuss how they educate patients and how they respond to changes in patient conditions.
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Medical facilities that hire candidates for respiratory therapist roles look for credentials, recent continuing education, safe equipment use, and comfort working with patients of all ages. Hospitals need reliable RTs for emergency rooms, ICU units, and high acuity environments. Skilled nursing facilities and outpatient facilities need professionals who can handle chronic lung disease management and patient education.
Hiring managers benefit from clear documentation of CRT exam results, RRT credentials, licensure status, and experience. Facilities can also partner with staffing agencies that specialize in respiratory care to support long-term and short-term coverage needs.
Below is a summary of educational routes in respiratory therapy.
Many programs include practical experience through clinical rotations in hospitals and outpatient facilities.
The career path for a respiratory therapist offers steady job growth, flexible roles, and strong opportunities to work with patients of all ages across many medical facilities. With the right education, credentials, and hands-on experience, respiratory therapists can move into advanced clinical positions, leadership tracks, and specialized areas such as critical care, neonatal care, diagnostics, and sleep medicine. This field continues to expand as more patients need support for breathing disorders and chronic lung diseases, making it a reliable and rewarding path for healthcare professionals who want meaningful patient care responsibilities.
If you are a respiratory therapist seeking better roles or a facility that needs qualified respiratory care practitioners, Flagstar Rehab in New York provides reliable staffing support across hospitals, outpatient centers, skilled nursing facilities, and diagnostic laboratories. Our team connects certified and registered respiratory therapists to job opportunities that match their skills, schedules, and long-term goals. Healthcare providers can also partner with Flagstar Rehab to fill shifts, support specialized programs, and maintain consistent patient care. Learn more or request support at Flagstar Rehab today.
The next step up is becoming a registered respiratory therapist. This credential offers wider job opportunities and higher responsibility. Many move into senior or specialist roles after earning it.
You can advance by earning specialty credentials and gaining more clinical experience. A bachelor’s degree or a master’s degree can help with leadership roles. Continuing education also supports long-term growth.
Respiratory therapists, pulmonologists, and respiratory care practitioners all work with the respiratory system. Sleep technologists and pulmonary function technologists also support these patients. Home care therapists and rehabilitation staff play a role as well.
The highest level is a registered respiratory therapist with advanced credentials. These therapists often move into supervisor, educator, or clinical specialist roles. Some take on director positions after more training and experience.