As clinicians they perform therapeutic and life support procedures including the administration of oxygen and aerosolized medications, breathing treatments, chest physical therapy and mechanical ventilator support. In addition, they perform diagnostic tests that assess cardiac and lung function and operate physiologic monitoring equipment and life support systems in the critical care setting. The Graduate Respiratory Therapist Respiratory Therapy graduates function in a wide variety of settings. As clinicians they work in adult intensive care units, pediatric and neonatal intensive care units, emergency and trauma units, operating and recovery rooms, rehabilitation programs, home health agencies, and a variety of cardiopulmonary diagnostic laboratories. Some graduates pursue advanced degrees in management, education, public health, or the biomedical sciences.
Graduate degrees lead to positions in educational institutions in teaching or research capacities.
Senior respiratory care practitioners may be responsible for the management and operation of respiratory care departments. Students learn, practice, and verify these competencies in a number of settings including the classroom, laboratory and clinic. To achieve the required competencies in the classroom setting, respiratory care students must perceive, assimilate and integrate information from a variety of sources. These sources include oral instruction, printed material, visual media, and live demonstrations. Student must participate in classroom discussions, give oral reports, and pass written and computer-based examinations of various formats.