Respiratory Therapist Duties & Responsibilities
The role and function of a Respiratory Therapist includes the following duties and responsibilities:
- Monitoring patient physiological responses to therapy such as arterial blood gases, vital signs or blood chemistry, and lung function changes, and consulting with physicians if there are adverse reactions.
- Working as part of a team of health care professionals to manage patient care by assisting with medical procedures.
- Explaining health care treatment procedures to patients to gain cooperation.
- Checking pulmonary function in patients.
- Providing emergency care, such as external cardiac massage, artificial respiration, or assistance with cardiopulmonary resuscitation.
- Inspecting, testing, cleaning, and maintaining respiratory therapy equipment to ensure it is functioning safely and efficiently.
- Maintaining charts that contain patient identification and therapy information.
- Measuring arterial blood gases, reading prescriptions, lung capacity, and reviewing other information to assess patient condition.
- Setting up and operating devices including therapeutic gas administration apparatus, mechanical ventilators, environmental control systems, and aerosol generators.
- Following specified parameters of treatment.
- Relaying blood analysis results to a physician.
- Making emergency visits to resolve equipment problems when necessary.
- Ordering equipment repairs when necessary.
Note that this is not an exhaustive list of Respiratory Therapist duties and responsibilities. Job functions for specific Respiratory Therapist roles may vary, depending on the industry and type of employer.