Where do Respiratory Therapists Work?

Respiratory therapists provide hands-on care that helps people recover from a wide range of medical conditions. Therapists get to know their patients, and their patients’ families. Whenever breathing is an issue, they are there.

You’ll find RTs:

• In hospitals giving breathing treatments to people with asthma and other respiratory conditions.
• In intensive care units managing ventilators that keep the critically ill alive.
• In emergency rooms delivering life-saving treatments.
• In newborn and pediatric units helping kids with conditions ranging from premature birth to cystic fibrosis.
• In operating rooms working with anesthesiologists to monitor patients’ breathing during surgery.
• In patient’s homes providing regular check-ups and making sure people have what they need to stay out of the hospital.
• In sleep laboratories helping to diagnose disorders like sleep apnea.
• In skilled nursing facilities and pulmonary rehabilitation programs helping older people breathe easier and get more out of life.
• In doctor’s offices conducting pulmonary function tests and providing patient education.
• In asthma education programs helping kids and adults alike learn how to cope with the condition.
• In smoking cessation programs assisting those who want to kick the habit for good.
• In air transport and ambulance programs rushing to rescue people in need of immediate medical attention.
• In case management programs helping devise long-term care plans for patients.

Information obtained from aarc.org.