Respiratory therapists are medical professionals who treat patients with breathing difficulties due to asthma, emphysema or other respiratory problems and also provide emergency care to patients suffering from shock, drowning or heart disease. Becoming a respiratory therapist involves training, education and commitment. Read on to learn the requirements for becoming a respiratory therapist.
What Type of Education do Respiratory Therapists Need?
To become a respiratory therapist, you must have at least an associate degree in respiratory therapy. These two-year programs can be found at most colleges. Some employers may prefer bachelor’s degrees. The training consists of didactic (classroom and lab) courses and a clinical portion. The clinical portion serves two purposes: to give the student credits and to provide hands-on training treating patients in a supervised environment.
What Type of School Should Be Used?
Aspiring respiratory therapists should get their training from an approved school. In order for the school to be approved, it must be accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care (CoARC). Although the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) used to accredit respiratory care programs, this is no longer the case. The reason it’s vital that students complete their training at a CoARC-accredited school is because it’s a requirement for certification and certification is requirement.
What About Certification/Licensure?
Respiratory therapists are required to be licensed in all states but Alaska. The main criterion for licensure is passing a certification exam, although specific licensing requirements may vary by state. The main agency for respiratory therapist certification is the National Board for Respiratory Care (NBRC). The NBRC offers two main types of certification.
The Certified Respiratory Therapist (CRT) credential is for entry-level respiratory therapists. The Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT) credential is for advanced respiratory therapists. Once the individual has earned the CRT credential, he or she can apply for licensure in the state in which they plan to work.
What Are the Requirements for Certification?
The NBRC has specific requirements that must be met before the candidate can take the certification exam. To be eligible to take the CRT exam, one must be 18 years old and have successfully completed an accredited respiratory therapy associate degree program or be enrolled in a respiratory therapy bachelor’s degree program. If individual is from Canada, the individual must already have the Canadian Society of Respiratory Therapist (CSRT) certification.
There are special requirements for earning the RRT certification as well. If the candidate earned an associate degree prior to November 11, 2009, they must already be a CRT. If the candidate graduated after this date, he or she must meet the following requirements:
- Be a CRT who is enrolled in a respiratory therapy bachelor’s degree program
- Be a CRT and have an associate degree and at least two years experience as a respiratory therapist
- Be a CRT with at least four years work experience as a respiratory therapist
- If from Canada, they must already the CSRT certification
The NBRC also offers certification in some specialized areas of respiratory therapy.
