Respiratory Technician Training and Education

In order to become a respiratory technician, it is necessary to receive formal training from a medical school, college, university, or vocational-technical institute. To simply gain entry to the respiratory technician field, one must have a minimum of an associate’s degree. According to the Commission on Accreditation or Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP), there were only 51 entry level accredited respiratory technician training programs in the United States but 329 advanced programs.

While studying to become a respiratory technician, one will take a number of courses. These include chemistry, physiology, microbiology, pathophysiology, mathematics, and pharmacology. Additional courses include instruction in the proper use of equipment, procedures and tests, cardiopulmonary resuscitation, patient assessment, and cardiac rehabilitation.

Respiratory Technician Job Description

A respiratory technician is responsible for evaluating, treating, and caring for individuals that suffer from breathing problems or cardiopulmonary disorders. Although the respiratory technician works under the supervision of a physician, he or she is still the person primarily in charge of the patient’s respiratory care. In order to care for the patient properly, the respiratory technician must follow the directions as supplied by the respiratory therapist or physician.

A respiratory technician has the same education as a respiratory therapist, but is not held to the same level of responsibility. While the respiratory therapist consults directly with the physician, the respiratory technician generally follows the instructions as laid out by the therapist. Treatments may include the application of oxygen or oxygen mixtures, aerosol medications, and chest physiotherapy. The overall goal is to ensure that the patient has a high enough concentration of oxygen in the blood.

Respiratory Technician Salary and Job Outlook

According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, job opportunities for a person trained as a respiratory technician are expected to grow faster than the average occupation. This is mostly because of the growing number of people living to an older age that will require treatment from a respiratory technician.

The Bureau reports that the median annual salary for a respiratory technician in 2004 was $36,740 while the median annual salary for a therapist was $43,140.

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