Respiratory Therapy Technician

Duties and Responsibilities: Respiratory therapy technicians are also called respiratory therapy assistants, respiratory care assistants or respiratory therapist assistants. They assist respiratory therapists (RT) and doctors to provide medical treatment to people that have breathing and cardiopulmonary problems such as asthma or emphysema. They can also provide medical aid under the direction of RT’s to people suffering from shock, heart attack and drowning as well as adults that have lungs problems or babies with undeveloped lungs.

Salary: $30,000-$50,000

Education: Most entry-level jobs for respiratory therapy technicians require at least an associate degree in respiratory therapy, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. O*Net Online reported that 52 percent of those working in the occupation had associate degrees, while 40 percent had some college but hadn't earned a degree. The remaining 8 percent had earned bachelor's degrees. Training programs typically include instruction in operating and maintaining equipment, collecting patient data, sanitation, patient monitoring, installing respiratory assistance devices and airway management.