Respiratory Therapists - Main Respiratory Therapists Respiratory therapists use equipment to check and treat patients who have breathing problems. Respiratory therapists evaluate, treat, and care for patients with breathing disorders. They are also called inhalation therapists and respiratory care practitioners.
Respiratory therapists operate equipment such as respirators, oxygen tents, and incubators.
They may work with premature infants whose lungs are not developed or elderly people who have diseased lungs. They measure lung capacity, and may draw blood to check for oxygen levels. They give drugs and medicinal gases and watch the how the patient is doing. Treatment may include offering temporary relief for patients who have asthma. They may also give emergency care for patients suffering from heart failure, stroke, drowning, or shock.