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.
- • Set up and operate devices, such as mechanical ventilators, therapeutic gas administration apparatus, environmental control systems, or aerosol generators, following specified parameters of treatment.
- • Provide emergency care, such as artificial respiration, external cardiac massage, or assistance with cardiopulmonary resuscitation.
- • Determine requirements for treatment, such as type, method and duration of therapy, precautions to be taken, or medication and dosages, compatible with physicians' orders.
- • 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.
- • Read prescription, measure arterial blood gases, and review patient information to assess patient condition.
- • Enforce safety rules and ensure careful adherence to physicians' orders.
- • Maintain charts that contain patients' pertinent identification and therapy information.
- • Inspect, clean, test, and maintain respiratory therapy equipment to ensure equipment is functioning safely and efficiently, ordering repairs when necessary.
- • 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.
- • Explain treatment procedures to patients to gain cooperation and allay fears.
- • Relay blood analysis results to a physician.
- • Perform pulmonary function and adjust equipment to obtain optimum results in therapy.
- • Perform bronchopulmonary drainage and assist or instruct patients in performance of breathing exercises.
- • Demonstrate respiratory care procedures to trainees or other healthcare personnel.
- • Teach, train, supervise, or use the assistance of students, respiratory therapy technicians, or assistants.
- • Use a variety of testing techniques to assist doctors in cardiac or pulmonary research or to diagnose disorders.
- • Make emergency visits to resolve equipment problems.
- • Conduct tests, such as electrocardiograms (EKGs), stress testing, or lung capacity tests, to evaluate patients' cardiopulmonary functions.
- • 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.
- • Transport patients to the hospital or within the hospital.
- • Perform endotracheal intubation to maintain open airways for patients who are unable to breathe on their own.
- • Monitor cardiac patients, using electrocardiography devices, such as a holter monitor.
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O*NET occupational data (work activities, skills, knowledge).
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This site includes information from O*NET by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. Career Clutch has modified some of this information for student readability. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.
Last reviewed: Jan 2026
