Respiratory Care


Mona Thornton
Respiratory Care Practitioner
Sutter Roseville Medical Center
Respiratory Care Practitioners (RCP's) treat people with breathing disorders. These people include patients with chronic lung problems, such as asthma, bronchitis, and emphysema, but they also include heart attack and accident victims; premature infants; and people with cystic fibrosis, lung cancer, or AIDS. In each case, the person will most likely receive treatment from a Respiratory Care Practitioner under the direction of a physician. Respiratory Care Practitioners work to evaluate, treat, and care for patients with breathing disorders.Respiratory Care Practitioners also work in the diagnostic laboratory environment. In this area, the Respiratory Care Practitioners perform diagnostic breathing tests to provide the physician with valuable information about the patient's pulmonary status. Another area that is rapidly expanding is the Pulmonary Rehabilitation specialty. The Respiratory Care Practitioner provides education and exercise to pulmonary patients in an individualized basis in the rehabilitation environment. This helps move the patient to independence and assist them in performing their activities of daily living.

Respiratory Care Practitioners are members of the health care team that provide respiratory care for patients with heart and lung disorders. They work with patients of all ages and in many different care settings.

Most Respiratory Care Practitioners work in hospitals where they perform therapy and treatment in the intensive care and critical care, and neonatal and pediatric areas. They are also typically a vital part of the hospital's lifesaving response team that handles patient emergencies. The Respiratory Care Practitioner also works in the Pulmonary Laboratory, Performing diagnostic procedures or the Pulmonary Rehabilitation area, performing patient education and exercise. An increasing number of Respiratory Care Professionals work in skilled nursing facilities, physicians' offices, home health agencies, specialized care hospitals, medical equipment supply companies, and patients' homes.

Job Title:
Respiratory Care Practitioners

Ideal Career For:
Individuals who enjoy working in a highly clinical area and enjoy working with patients.

Nature of Work:
Respiratory Care Practitioners obtain and analyze sputum and breath specimens. They also take blood specimens and analyze them to determine the levels of oxygen, carbon dioxide, and other gases, they will then interpret the data obtained from these specimens. Respiratory Care Practitioners measure the capacity of a patient's lungs to determine if there is impaired function, perform stress tests and other studies of the cardiopulmonary system, and study disorders of people with disruptive sleep patterns. Respiratory Care Practitioners operate and maintain various types of highly sophisticated equipment to administer oxygen or to assist with breathing and employ mechanical ventilation for treating patients who can't breath adequately on their own. Respiratory Care Practitioners monitor and manage therapy that will help a patient recover lung function. They may also administer medications in aerosol form to help alleviate breathing problems and to help prevent respiratory infections, maintain a patient's artificial airway, (one that may be in place to help the patient who can't breath through normal means), and conduct rehabilitation activities to help patients who suffer from chronic lung problems.

Job Outlook:
In 2002, Respiratory Care Practitioners held 112,000 jobs in the United States.

The need for Respiratory Care Practitioners is expected to grow in the coming years due to the large increase in the elderly population; the impact of environmental problems that have already contributed to the yearly rise in number of reported asthma cases; and technological advances in the treatment of heart attack, cancer, accident victims, as well as premature babies.

Entry Level Salaries for Sacramento Sierra Region:
$55,016 - $59,090

Education and/or Training:
Respiratory Care Practitioners are required to complete an associate's degree at a community college or vocational school offering a respiratory care program or a bachelor's degree offered at a university. Upon graduation, they are eligible to take the State of California Board exam to obtain a license to practice respiratory care. Subsequently, they may take two more examinations that lead to the Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT) credential.

Career Path:
Experienced Respiratory Care Practitioners, especially those with bachelor's degree and the RRT credential, may advance to leadership positions such as supervisors, clinical coordinators, managers, and directors. They may also advance to highly specialized areas such as pediatric, neonatal, surgical care, rehabilitation, and pulmonary function specialties.

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