About the Profession of Respiratory Care

Respiratory therapists, also known as respiratory care practitioners, are health care professionals specially trained in the treatment, management, care and education of patients with heart and lung diseases, such as asthma, chronic bronchitis, emphysema, pneumonia, cystic fibrosis or sleep apnea. They are skilled in the diagnostic evaluation of lung function and therapeutic procedures that help maintain good lung health. Additionally, respiratory therapists have the skills to effectively manage life support systems and respond to medical emergencies such as trauma, heart attacks and strokes.

Although respiratory therapists often blend seamlessly into the health care team, sometimes being mistaken for physicians or nurses due to the complexity of care they deliver and the autonomy they possess, they stand out by delivering high-quality, life-saving patient care. They are known for being high-tech and high-touch, incorporating the latest technology to deliver compassionate care.

The UAMS College of Health Professions offers both the Bachelor of Science in Respiratory Care Program and the Master of Science in Respiratory Care Program. A recent study demonstrates that respiratory practitioners with bachelor’s and master’s degrees have a positive impact on patient outcomes.

Researchers from Rush University explored whether patients cared for by respiratory therapists with higher degrees and greater competencies have better outcomes than those treated by therapists without those credentials. The study compared outcomes among COVID-19 patients mainly treated by respiratory therapists with a bachelor’s degree or higher and adult critical care competencies versus those treated by therapists with an associate degree and no adult critical care competencies. The findings include the following:

• A total of 260 subjects (median age 59 years; 166 males) received clinical care from 132 respiratory therapists.
• The median professional experience of the therapists was six years, with 70.8% having an advanced degree and 70.8% having completed adult critical care competencies.
• Patients with more than 85% exposure to respiratory therapists with advanced degrees transitioned to good outcomes 3.72 times more frequently than those treated by therapists without advanced degrees.
• Patients with more than 85% exposure to respiratory therapists with adult critical care competencies transitioned to good outcomes 5.10 times more frequently than those treated by therapists without these competencies.

The study’s authors concluded, “This preliminary work suggests that advancing education for the respiratory therapist workforce may improve the discharge quality of patients with acute respiratory failure and should be further explored.” The study, funded by an American Association for Respiratory Care Vision Grant, was published in the Canadian Journal of Respiratory Therapy on Sept. 8, 2023. Read the full paper.

There are more than 130,000 respiratory care practitioners in the United States working in hospitals, transitional care facilities, nursing homes, home health agencies, specialized care hospitals, and physician’s offices. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects a 19% growth in employment by 2029, compared to an average of 7% for all other fields, indicating more opportunities and job security. Additionally, the recent COVID-19 pandemic has elevated the value and need for registered respiratory therapists, suggesting that growth projections may be significantly higher than expected.

The US News and World Report rank Respiratory Therapy as the #9 best job in health care, the #14 best job for STEM, and #25 in best jobs, overall.