How to Become a Respiratory Care Therapist

A respiratory care therapist is part of a profession that is in strong demand. Respiratory therapy jobs involve treating and monitoring patients with cardiopulmonary disorders and breathing problems. Most respiratory therapists work in hospitals. Others work in home care, which requires them to visit patients in their homes and teach them how to use the medical equipment involved in their care. Respiratory therapy jobs can also be found in physician's offices and facilities that sell medical equipment.

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions

1. Take high school courses related to math and science. Students who want to increase their chances of getting into respiratory therapy schools should have a background in health, physics, and chemistry.

2. Contact the Committee on Accreditation for Respiratory Care (CoARC) to find accredited respiratory therapy programs near you. This governing body provides accreditation to qualified programs and offers a list of respiratory therapy schools that meet the educational guidelines for the industry.

3. Get an Associate's or Bachelor's degree in Respiratory therapy. The required course work for most respiratory therapy programs includes disease prevention, physiology, biology, human anatomy, cardiopulmonary resuscitation, pharmacology, patient care, and medical record keeping.

4. Get a license. This is a requirement in most states. Also, licensure will give you a competitive edge when you are applying for respiratory therapy jobs. The National Board for Respiratory Care handles the examination process for a respiratory care therapist seeking a license.

[tachic]

on 6/30/2009 Good tips to become a respiratory care therapist.

[sonni57]

on 6/24/2009 Good article on how to be a respiratory therapist sounds like a good job.