COVID-19 may have been your first introduction to Respiratory Therapy, but demand for skilled therapists in the field remains strong even in the wake of the Pandemic. Employment of Respiratory Therapists is expected to grow much faster than average through 2029. But why?

What Do Respiratory Therapists Do?

As an RT, you would work as part of a healthcare team to help people who might have trouble breathing as a result of disease, illness, or injury, for several different reasons. These reasons can include diseases, infections, or viruses of the respiratory system, such as:

• Lung cancer
• Asthma
• Emphysema
• Bronchitis
• Pneumonia
• COPD
• Injury

In this role, you’d help to diagnose and treat a variety of respiratory conditions, along with monitoring equipment like ventilators, checking vital signs, performing tests, and helping patients with their rehab. As part of a healthcare team, you’d do all that and more, including:

• Update records
• Educate patients
• Analyze X-rays
• Administer medications
• Examine lab work

Respiratory Therapists Help an Aging Population

As people grow older, there are many age-associated changes in their respiratory and pulmonary systems that can negatively impact their health. In fact, chronic lower respiratory tract disease is the third leading cause of death in people 65 and older who represent more than 50 million Americans.

Respiratory Therapist Help Smokers

In spite of decades of warnings, some 34 million Americans still smoke cigarettes and 16 million suffer from a smoking-related disease. Smoking causes more than 480,000 deaths each year. Respiratory therapists don’t just help smokers get healthy, they teach them the dangers of the habit.

Respiratory Therapists Help Children

Did you know that the number of people with asthma continues to grow every year? Children are especially vulnerable because they may not understand what triggers an attack. RTs can help kids when they’re sick and they can work with doctors to create personalized action plans.

Respiratory Therapists Were Heroes During the Pandemic

You probably saw it on your news feed, heard it on television and radio: there was a shortage of ventilators during the earliest days of the pandemic. You know what else was missing? The people with the qualifications to run the medical equipment. Respiratory Therapists can help save lives during an emergency and they did it heroically during the pandemic.

With more children suffering from asthma and people dealing with respiratory illnesses living longer and requiring more care, the need for Respiratory Therapists will continue to grow. Learn more about this promising career:

Where Do Respiratory Therapists Work?

As an RT, you could work in hospitals in a variety of units and departments. You might find yourself in the ER, ICU, Pediatric ICU, a pulmonary diagnostics laboratory or elsewhere. If not in the hospital, other common places of employment are home health, long-term care facilities, or even sleep disorder clinics.

Currently ranked as the #22 best job in health care and #57 out of the U.S. News and World Report 100 Best Jobs, Respiratory Therapy isn’t just an in-demand job, it can be very fulfilling and enjoyable too.

At YTI Career Institute in Pennsylvania, you can gain the skills you need to begin a career in Respiratory Therapy in as little as 20 months. Our Blended Learning format gives you the best of both worlds, combining online curriculum with in-person clinical rotations at approved clinical sites. Our program has also received initial accreditation by the Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care (COARC) and is recognized by the National Board for Respiratory Care (NBRC). Once you complete your program, you’ll be eligible to sit for the Respiratory Care Credentials Exams—an essential step in your training and job readiness.