Respiratory Therapist

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.

Assess patient health problems and needs, develop and implement nursing care plans, and maintain medical records. Administer nursing care to ill, injured, convalescent, or disabled patients. May advise patients on health maintenance and disease prevention or provide case management. Licensing or registration required.

Employ leadership skills to oversee team of mental health therapists to promote positive patient outcomes and ensure regulatory compliance. Usually requires managing practitioner performance, developing patient treatment plans, and assuring accurate record keeping.

Interact with customers to provide basic or scripted information in response to routine inquiries about products and services. May handle and resolve general complaints. Excludes individuals whose duties are primarily installation, sales, repair, and technical support.

Sell services to individuals or businesses. May describe options or resolve client problems.

Diagnose and treat mental health issues through talk therapy and cognitive behavioral activities. May need to communicate with family members and coordinate with other healthcare professionals to ensure comprehensive approach to treatment.

Under the direct supervision of a physician, use diagnostic and therapeutic tools to evaluate, manage, and treat sleep disorders. Requires keeping accurate medical records and using specialized clinical equipment. May work in a sleep center or other healthcare setting.

Use educational materials and conduct demonstrations to prepare students for healthcare careers. Requires assessing student achievement; developing lesson plans; teaching core clinical principles and techniques; and training students to use medical equipment, materials, and technology.

Perform administrative and certain clinical duties under the direction of a physician. Administrative duties may include scheduling appointments, maintaining medical records, billing, and coding information for insurance purposes. Clinical duties may include taking and recording vital signs and medical histories, preparing patients for examination, drawing blood, and administering medications as directed by physician.

Use educational materials and conduct demonstrations to prepare students for healthcare careers. Requires assessing student achievement; developing lesson plans; teaching core clinical principles and techniques; and training students to use medical equipment, materials, and technology.