The respiratory therapy program is designed to prepare you for a career in the diagnostic evaluation and emergency and long term treatment of patients with cardiorespiratory problems. The respiratory therapy program can be completed as a concentration within the Bachelor of Science degree in Cardiopulmonary and Exercise Sciences. Students fulfill their clinical assignments at various sites, such as Beth Israel Hospital, University Hospital, and New England Medical Center. Working under the supervision of a physician, respiratory therapists help to diagnose, evaluate, and treat respiratory problems through testing and rehabilitation procedures, drug administration, and the use of life-support technology. Patients many range from premature babies with respiratory distress syndrome to elderly patients with chronic lung disease.
Most respiratory therapists work in hospitals as members of a health care team.
Others work in physicians' offices, nursing homes, clinics, rehabilitation programs, or commercial companies that provide emergency oxygen equipment and other services to home-care patients. Respiratory therapists often provide at-home care and instruction to patients and their families. They may be required to work evening, weekend, or holiday hours. Advancement There are currently approximately 100,000 respiratory care practitioners in the United States. Department of Labor statistics project a 36 percent growth in job opportunities in this field during the 1990s.