Respiratory Therapy

What is respiratory therapy?

Respiratory therapy is the medical process of evaluating, diagnosing, and treating injuries, diseases, or disorders relating to the lungs.

What should I look for in an online respiratory therapy school?

The best online respiratory therapy schools should possess either regional or national accreditation from an accrediting body that is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

In addition, you can often recognize top online respiratory therapy schools based on:

• The school's name and status
• The school's history
• Teacher credentials
• Alumni network

In choosing the best online respiratory therapy school for you, you should consider the following factors:

• Admission requirements
• Residency requirements
• Class and teaching style
• Testing methods used
• Course content and presentation
• Program length
• Class size
• Student-teacher interaction
• Technology use
• Tuition and financial aid
• Transferability of credits
• Availability of a dedicated administration team and resources

What levels of online respiratory therapy programs are available?

The following levels of respiratory therapy degree online programs are available:

• Online Respiratory Therapy Certificate Programs
• Online Associates in Respiratory Therapy
• Online Bachelor in Respiratory Therapy
• Online Masters in Respiratory Therapy
• Online PhD in Respiratory Therapy

How long does it take to get an online respiratory therapy degree?

The amount of time it takes a student to earn an accredited online respiratory therapy degree depends on the level of respiratory therapy degree being pursued and the pace of the student.

Typically, the breakdown is as follows:

• Online Respiratory Therapy Certification Programs - 6 months to 1 year
• Online Respiratory Therapy Associates Degree - 2 years
• Online Respiratory Therapy Bachelor Degree - 4 years
• Online Respiratory Therapy Masters - 2 years
• Online Respiratory Therapy PhD - 2 to 5 years

What are some examples of online respiratory therapy courses?

Top online degrees in respiratory therapy require students to have a background in the hard sciences of biology, physics, and chemistry. Mathematics and advanced science classes are also commonly part of the best online respiratory therapy school programs in addition to respiratory therapy major classes such as:

• Anatomy and Physiology
  This advanced biology course looks in-depth at the human body's organization, internal and external structures, and healthy system functions.
• Pharmacology
  The study of medicine and pharmaceutical treatments for online respiratory therapy schools also includes the common respiratory medicines of aerosol gas treatments for lung disorders and medications for cystic fibrosis.
• Principles of Chest Physiotherapy
  One of the most commonly used skills of online respiratory therapy degree graduates is the soothing positioning-vibration therapy of chest physiotherapy to loosen congestion in the lungs and facilitate better breathing.
• Cardio-Pulmonary Assessments
  This course addresses the detailed diagnostic assessment for respiratory care patients, including a patient's general health assessment, breathing-specific functions, and making therapeutic recommendations for care.
• Respiratory Disorders
  One of several courses that investigates the specific traumas, genetic and behavior-dictated injuries, disorders and diseases of the lungs and respiratory system including cystic fibrosis, lung cancer, pleurisy, underdeveloped lungs, and others.

What areas of respiratory therapy specialization are available?

Top online respiratory therapy degrees are a specialization within general medical training. However, as online respiratory therapy graduates move into respiratory therapist jobs, it may be beneficial to have one of these concentrations to their studies:

• Emergency and Trauma Respiratory Care
• Infant and Child Respiratory Health
• Pulmonary Rehabilitation
• Respiratory Issues Due to Smoking
• Respiratory Pharmacology

What can I do with a respiratory therapy degree?

The most popular and available respiratory therapy jobs are in hospitals, since most major respiratory care is done in emergency or serious care settings. With a top online respiratory therapy degree, graduates find respiratory therapist jobs as:

• Hospital Respiratory Therapist
• Respiratory Therapy Technician
• Emergency Respiratory Therapist
• Disaster Rescue Worker
• Pulmonary Rehabilitation Therapist
• Neo-natal or Pediatric Respiratory Specialists
• Pulmonary Function Technologists
• CPR Trainer
• Home Health Care Respiratory Therapist

What is a respiratory therapist?

A respiratory therapist works with patients of cardiopulmonary, lung, and breathing disorders or injuries, to perform diagnostic assessments, provide treatment recommendations, and practice therapeutic interventions to help improve the breathing functions and comfort of patients.

What does a respiratory therapist do?

A respiratory therapist meets with patients to assess what breathing, lung, or cardiopulmonary issues need treatment. Online respiratory therapist graduates will perform lung capacity breathing exams, teach and demonstrate for patients how to properly use aerosol medications, ventilators or oxygen to increase breathing or perform chest physiotherapy to lessen congestion and promote breathing. Certified respiratory therapists from online schools may work in emergency care, treating heart attack, drowning or stroke patients or in neo-natal units facilitating the breathing of infants with improperly developed lungs.

How much does a respiratory therapist earn?

Licensed respiratory therapists earn the best salaries when working in hospital settings, ranging from $37,920 to $69,800 per year. There are great prospects for respiratory therapist jobs with at least online bachelor's degrees in respiratory therapy according to estimates of 21% job growth lasting until 2018. More respiratory therapist jobs will be necessary as the baby boomer generation ages and develops more cardiopulmonary health care needs, both in home health care and hospital settings.

How do I become a respiratory therapist?

To become a respiratory therapist, an individual must complete at least an accredited online associates or bachelors in respiratory therapy as a starting point of training. All U.S. states, except Alaska and Hawaii require state licensing for respiratory therapists with online respiratory therapy associate's degrees and higher. Additionally, two levels of professional certification, "certified" and "registered" respiratory therapists, are available from the National Board for Respiratory Care. Advanced certifications and licensing both require completing written and skill-based examinations from the state or certification agency. Most states also require practicing respiratory therapists to maintain current certification in CPR. After receiving a top online respiratory therapy bachelor's degree, pursue state certifications and advanced training to move into supervisory respiratory therapist positions.