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Respiratory Therapy

  • Associate of Applied Science (AAS)
  • 78 credits
  • 2 Years
  • Delivery Method: On-Campus
  • The Program Application Window is Open: Learn More

Why Study Respiratory Therapy at LSC?

Respiratory therapists are health care specialists who work under the direction of a physician to evaluate, treat, manage, and rehabilitate patients with cardiopulmonary disorders or complications. The respiratory therapy program at Lake Superior College in Duluth, MN combines traditional lecture, competency focused lab, and bedside hospital experience. You will graduate prepared to take a nationally recognized credential exam (NBRC) to earn the Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT) credential.

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LSC is my TOP CHOICEfor Respiratory Therapy
…now that I have returned to teach I realize even more how LSC faculty set the standard for rich engagement with students and I desire to meet and exceed that standard whenever possible – whether it be on campus or in the hospital. Eloisa Fournier
Alum, Respiratory Therapy

Career Information

Respiratory Therapists Assess, treat, and care for patients with breathing disorders. Assume primary responsibility for all respiratory care modalities, including the supervision of respiratory therapy technicians. Initiate and conduct therapeutic procedures; maintain patient records; and select, assemble, check, and operate equipment.

$82K

$39/hr

Median annual salary/wage for
Respiratory Therapists
in Minnesota

Details

14%

Projected job growth
in the next decade

Details

134K

Respiratory Therapists are currently employed

Details

This data is delivered by an API from CareerOneStop, sponsored by U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration. www.careeronestop.org Find more information including data update schedules at CareerOneStop's Data Sources (https://www.careeronestop.org/Help/data-sources.aspx). Full list of datasources.

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Median Annual Salary/Wage Earnings for Respiratory Therapists

the United States

$78K
$37/hr

$59K - $104K

$28/hr - $50/hr

Minnesota

$82K
$39/hr

$69K - $97K

$33/hr - $46/hr

Duluth, MN Area

$79K
$37/hr

$65K - $92K

$31/hr - $44/hr

The Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program produces employment and wage estimates annually for over 800 occupations. These estimates are available for the nation as a whole, for individual states, and for metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas; national occupational estimates for specific industries are also available.

Salary data are from U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program (www.bls.gov/oes/). Current as of May 2024.

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Projected 10-Year Job Growth for Respiratory Therapists

Rapid Growth
Outlook: Bright

the United States

13%

Projected Annual Job Openings: 8,200

2023 to 2033

Minnesota

14%

Projected Annual Job Openings: 80

2022 to 2032

My Next Move provides career outlook designations that include Bright, Average, or Below Average. Bright Outlook occupations are expected to grow rapidly in the next several years, will have large numbers of job openings, or are new and emerging occupations.

Occupation outlook data come from O*NET Bright Outlook occupations (www.onetonline.org/find/bright) and My Next Move career outlook designations (www.onetcenter.org/bright/current/mnm_outlook.html). Note this information is only available at a national level, so even if you selected a state, you’ll see this information for the whole country. Current as of November 2024.

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Employment Numbers for Respiratory Therapists

the United States

Estimated Employment:

133,900

Minnesota

Estimated Employment:

1,210

My Next Move provides career outlook designations that include Bright, Average, or Below Average. Bright Outlook occupations are expected to grow rapidly in the next several years, will have large numbers of job openings, or are new and emerging occupations.

Occupation outlook data come from O*NET Bright Outlook occupations (www.onetonline.org/find/bright) and My Next Move career outlook designations (www.onetcenter.org/bright/current/mnm_outlook.html). Note this information is only available at a national level, so even if you selected a state, you’ll see this information for the whole country. Current as of November 2024.

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Alternative Job Titles for Respiratory Therapists

  • Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation Respiratory Therapist
  • Certified Respiratory Therapist (CRT)
  • Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT)
  • Respiratory Care Practitioner (RCP)
  • Respiratory Therapist (RT)
  • Staff Respiratory Therapist
  • Staff Therapist

The O*NET database contains a rich set of variables that describe work and worker characteristics, including skill requirements.

Occupation data (titles, sample titles, descriptions, daily work activities, knowledge, skills, abilities, tasks, related occupations, technologies and tools, and work values) come from the O*NET 29.0 Database (www.onetcenter.org/database.html) by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 (creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. Current as of October 2024.

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Job Tasks and Activities for Respiratory Therapists

  • Adjust settings or positions of medical equipment.
  • Assist healthcare practitioners during examinations or treatments.
  • Clean medical equipment or facilities.
  • Collaborate with healthcare professionals to plan or provide treatment.
  • Communicate test or assessment results to medical professionals.
  • Conduct tests, such as electrocardiograms (EKGs), stress testing, or lung capacity tests, to evaluate patients' cardiopulmonary functions.
  • Demonstrate respiratory care procedures to trainees or other healthcare personnel.
  • Determine protocols for medical procedures.
  • Determine requirements for treatment, such as type, method and duration of therapy, precautions to be taken, or medication and dosages, compatible with physicians' orders.
  • Educate patients and their families about their conditions and teach appropriate disease management techniques, such as breathing exercises or the use of medications or respiratory equipment.
  • Enforce safety rules and ensure careful adherence to physicians' orders.
  • Examine medical instruments or equipment to ensure proper operation.
  • Explain medical procedures or test results to patients or family members.
  • Explain treatment procedures to patients to gain cooperation and allay fears.
  • Gather medical information from patient histories.
  • Implement advanced life support techniques.
  • Inform medical professionals regarding patient conditions and care.
  • Inspect, clean, test, and maintain respiratory therapy equipment to ensure equipment is functioning safely and efficiently, ordering repairs when necessary.
  • Maintain charts that contain patients' pertinent identification and therapy information.
  • Maintain medical equipment or instruments.
  • Maintain medical facility records.
  • Make emergency visits to resolve equipment problems.
  • Monitor cardiac patients, using electrocardiography devices, such as a holter monitor.
  • Monitor patient conditions during treatments, procedures, or activities.
  • Monitor patient's physiological responses to therapy, such as vital signs, arterial blood gases, or blood chemistry changes, and consult with physician if adverse reactions occur.
  • Move patients to or from treatment areas.
  • Operate diagnostic or therapeutic medical instruments or equipment.
  • Perform bronchopulmonary drainage and assist or instruct patients in performance of breathing exercises.
  • Perform endotracheal intubation to maintain open airways for patients who are unable to breathe on their own.
  • Perform pulmonary function and adjust equipment to obtain optimum results in therapy.
  • Prepare medical supplies or equipment for use.
  • Provide emergency care, such as artificial respiration, external cardiac massage, or assistance with cardiopulmonary resuscitation.
  • Read prescription, measure arterial blood gases, and review patient information to assess patient condition.
  • Relay blood analysis results to a physician.
  • Repair medical facility equipment.
  • Set up and operate devices, such as mechanical ventilators, therapeutic gas administration apparatus, environmental control systems, or aerosol generators, following specified parameters of treatment.
  • Supervise patient care personnel.
  • Teach, train, supervise, or use the assistance of students, respiratory therapy technicians, or assistants.
  • Test patient heart or lung functioning.
  • Train medical providers.
  • Train patients, family members, or caregivers in techniques for managing disabilities or illnesses.
  • Transport patients to the hospital or within the hospital.
  • Treat chronic diseases or disorders.
  • Treat medical emergencies.
  • Use a variety of testing techniques to assist doctors in cardiac or pulmonary research or to diagnose disorders.
  • Verify that medical activities or operations meet standards.
  • Work as part of a team of physicians, nurses, or other healthcare professionals to manage patient care by assisting with medical procedures or related duties.

The O*NET database contains a rich set of variables that describe work and worker characteristics, including skill requirements.

Occupation data (titles, sample titles, descriptions, daily work activities, knowledge, skills, abilities, tasks, related occupations, technologies and tools, and work values) come from the O*NET 29.0 Database (www.onetcenter.org/database.html) by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 (creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. Current as of October 2024.

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Interests for Respiratory Therapists

  • Social
    Helping, teaching, advising, assisting, or providing service to others.
  • Realistic
    Designing, building, or repairing equipment, materials, or structures, engaging in physical activity, or working outdoors.
  • Investigative
    Studying and researching scientific subjects and human behavior.

The O*NET database contains a rich set of variables that describe work and worker characteristics, including skill requirements.

Occupation data (titles, sample titles, descriptions, daily work activities, knowledge, skills, abilities, tasks, related occupations, technologies and tools, and work values) come from the O*NET 29.0 Database (www.onetcenter.org/database.html) by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 (creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. Current as of October 2024.

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Skills for Respiratory Therapists

In order of importance

  • Active Listening
    Listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions.
    Importance: 72/100
  • Monitoring
    Keeping track of how well people and/or groups are doing in order to make improvements.
    Importance: 72/100
  • Critical Thinking
    Thinking about the pros and cons of different ways to solve a problem.
    Importance: 72/100
  • Speaking
    Talking to others.
    Importance: 69/100
  • Social Perceptiveness
    Understanding people's reactions.
    Importance: 66/100
  • Reading Comprehension
    Reading work-related information.
    Importance: 66/100
  • Service Orientation
    Looking for ways to help people.
    Importance: 66/100
  • Active Learning
    Figuring out how to use new ideas or things.
    Importance: 66/100
  • Complex Problem Solving
    Noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it.
    Importance: 60/100
  • Coordination
    Changing what is done based on other people's actions.
    Importance: 60/100
  • Judgment and Decision Making
    Thinking about the pros and cons of different options and picking the best one.
    Importance: 60/100
  • Instructing
    Teaching people how to do something.
    Importance: 56/100
  • Time Management
    Managing your time and the time of other people.
    Importance: 53/100
  • Learning Strategies
    Using the best training or teaching strategies for learning new things.
    Importance: 53/100
  • Writing
    Writing things for co-workers or customers.
    Importance: 53/100
  • Science
    Using scientific rules and strategies to solve problems.
    Importance: 50/100
  • Quality Control Analysis
    Testing how well a product or service works.
    Importance: 50/100
  • Operations Monitoring
    Watching gauges, dials, or display screens to make sure a machine is working.
    Importance: 50/100
  • Management of Personnel Resources
    Selecting and managing the best workers for a job.
    Importance: 47/100
  • Persuasion
    Talking people into changing their minds or their behavior.
    Importance: 47/100
  • Operation and Control
    Using equipment or systems.
    Importance: 47/100
  • Systems Evaluation
    Measuring how well a system is working and how to improve it.
    Importance: 47/100
  • Systems Analysis
    Figuring out how a system should work and how changes in the future will affect it.
    Importance: 47/100
  • Negotiation
    Bringing people together to solve differences.
    Importance: 47/100
  • Mathematics
    Using math to solve problems.
    Importance: 44/100
  • Troubleshooting
    Figuring out what is causing equipment, machines, wiring, or computer programs to not work.
    Importance: 35/100
  • Equipment Selection
    Deciding what kind of tools and equipment are needed to do a job.
    Importance: 35/100
  • Repairing
    Repairing machines or systems using the right tools.
    Importance: 31/100
  • Equipment Maintenance
    Planning and doing the basic maintenance on equipment.
    Importance: 31/100
  • Operations Analysis
    Figuring out what a product or service needs to be able to do.
    Importance: 28/100
  • Technology Design
    Making equipment and technology useful for customers.
    Importance: 28/100
  • Management of Material Resources
    Managing equipment and materials.
    Importance: 25/100
  • Management of Financial Resources
    Making spending decisions and keeping track of what is spent.
    Importance: 22/100
  • Programming
    Writing computer programs.
    Importance: 13/100

The O*NET database contains a rich set of variables that describe work and worker characteristics, including skill requirements.

Occupation data (titles, sample titles, descriptions, daily work activities, knowledge, skills, abilities, tasks, related occupations, technologies and tools, and work values) come from the O*NET 29.0 Database (www.onetcenter.org/database.html) by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 (creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. Current as of October 2024.

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Knowledge for Respiratory Therapists

In order of importance

  • Customer and Personal Service
    Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
    Importance: 83/100
  • Medicine and Dentistry
    Knowledge of the information and techniques needed to diagnose and treat human injuries, diseases, and deformities. This includes symptoms, treatment alternatives, drug properties and interactions, and preventive health-care measures.
    Importance: 82/100
  • English Language
    Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
    Importance: 73/100
  • Education and Training
    Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
    Importance: 68/100
  • Psychology
    Knowledge of human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders.
    Importance: 61/100
  • Biology
    Knowledge of plant and animal organisms, their tissues, cells, functions, interdependencies, and interactions with each other and the environment.
    Importance: 56/100
  • Computers and Electronics
    Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
    Importance: 56/100
  • Chemistry
    Knowledge of the chemical composition, structure, and properties of substances and of the chemical processes and transformations that they undergo. This includes uses of chemicals and their interactions, danger signs, production techniques, and disposal methods.
    Importance: 53/100
  • Mathematics
    Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
    Importance: 52/100
  • Therapy and Counseling
    Knowledge of principles, methods, and procedures for diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of physical and mental dysfunctions, and for career counseling and guidance.
    Importance: 48/100
  • Physics
    Knowledge and prediction of physical principles, laws, their interrelationships, and applications to understanding fluid, material, and atmospheric dynamics, and mechanical, electrical, atomic and sub-atomic structures and processes.
    Importance: 47/100
  • Law and Government
    Knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.
    Importance: 43/100
  • Sociology and Anthropology
    Knowledge of group behavior and dynamics, societal trends and influences, human migrations, ethnicity, cultures, and their history and origins.
    Importance: 40/100
  • Public Safety and Security
    Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.
    Importance: 39/100
  • Philosophy and Theology
    Knowledge of different philosophical systems and religions. This includes their basic principles, values, ethics, ways of thinking, customs, practices, and their impact on human culture.
    Importance: 34/100
  • Mechanical
    Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.
    Importance: 33/100
  • Communications and Media
    Knowledge of media production, communication, and dissemination techniques and methods. This includes alternative ways to inform and entertain via written, oral, and visual media.
    Importance: 33/100
  • Administrative
    Knowledge of administrative and office procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and workplace terminology.
    Importance: 33/100
  • Engineering and Technology
    Knowledge of the practical application of engineering science and technology. This includes applying principles, techniques, procedures, and equipment to the design and production of various goods and services.
    Importance: 30/100
  • Administration and Management
    Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
    Importance: 29/100
  • Personnel and Human Resources
    Knowledge of principles and procedures for personnel recruitment, selection, training, compensation and benefits, labor relations and negotiation, and personnel information systems.
    Importance: 26/100
  • Foreign Language
    Knowledge of the structure and content of a foreign (non-English) language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition and grammar, and pronunciation.
    Importance: 25/100
  • Telecommunications
    Knowledge of transmission, broadcasting, switching, control, and operation of telecommunications systems.
    Importance: 24/100
  • Production and Processing
    Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.
    Importance: 15/100
  • Economics and Accounting
    Knowledge of economic and accounting principles and practices, the financial markets, banking, and the analysis and reporting of financial data.
    Importance: 14/100
  • Sales and Marketing
    Knowledge of principles and methods for showing, promoting, and selling products or services. This includes marketing strategy and tactics, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems.
    Importance: 13/100
  • Transportation
    Knowledge of principles and methods for moving people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road, including the relative costs and benefits.
    Importance: 12/100
  • Geography
    Knowledge of principles and methods for describing the features of land, sea, and air masses, including their physical characteristics, locations, interrelationships, and distribution of plant, animal, and human life.
    Importance: 8/100
  • Building and Construction
    Knowledge of materials, methods, and the tools involved in the construction or repair of houses, buildings, or other structures such as highways and roads.
    Importance: 7/100
  • Design
    Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.
    Importance: 5/100
  • History and Archeology
    Knowledge of historical events and their causes, indicators, and effects on civilizations and cultures.
    Importance: 5/100
  • Food Production
    Knowledge of techniques and equipment for planting, growing, and harvesting food products (both plant and animal) for consumption, including storage/handling techniques.
    Importance: 2/100
  • Fine Arts
    Knowledge of the theory and techniques required to compose, produce, and perform works of music, dance, visual arts, drama, and sculpture.
    Importance: 2/100

The O*NET database contains a rich set of variables that describe work and worker characteristics, including skill requirements.

Occupation data (titles, sample titles, descriptions, daily work activities, knowledge, skills, abilities, tasks, related occupations, technologies and tools, and work values) come from the O*NET 29.0 Database (www.onetcenter.org/database.html) by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 (creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. Current as of October 2024.

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Physical Abilities for Respiratory Therapists

In order of importance

  • Oral Expression
    Communicating by speaking.
    Importance: 75/100
  • Problem Sensitivity
    Noticing when problems happen.
    Importance: 75/100
  • Inductive Reasoning
    Making general rules or coming up with answers from lots of detailed information.
    Importance: 75/100
  • Deductive Reasoning
    Using rules to solve problems.
    Importance: 72/100
  • Oral Comprehension
    Listening and understanding what people say.
    Importance: 72/100
  • Information Ordering
    Ordering or arranging things.
    Importance: 72/100
  • Near Vision
    Seeing details up close.
    Importance: 69/100
  • Written Comprehension
    Reading and understanding what is written.
    Importance: 69/100
  • Written Expression
    Communicating by writing.
    Importance: 63/100
  • Speech Clarity
    Speaking clearly.
    Importance: 63/100
  • Speech Recognition
    Recognizing spoken words.
    Importance: 56/100
  • Perceptual Speed
    Quickly comparing groups of letters, numbers, pictures, or other things.
    Importance: 56/100
  • Finger Dexterity
    Putting together small parts with your fingers.
    Importance: 53/100
  • Manual Dexterity
    Holding or moving items with your hands.
    Importance: 53/100
  • Selective Attention
    Paying attention to something without being distracted.
    Importance: 53/100
  • Arm-Hand Steadiness
    Keeping your arm or hand steady.
    Importance: 50/100
  • Far Vision
    Seeing details that are far away.
    Importance: 50/100
  • Control Precision
    Quickly changing the controls of a machine, car, truck or boat.
    Importance: 50/100
  • Multilimb Coordination
    Using your arms and/or legs together while sitting, standing, or lying down.
    Importance: 50/100
  • Category Flexibility
    Grouping things in different ways.
    Importance: 50/100
  • Flexibility of Closure
    Seeing hidden patterns.
    Importance: 50/100
  • Extent Flexibility
    Bending, stretching, twisting, or reaching with your body, arms, and/or legs.
    Importance: 47/100
  • Time Sharing
    Doing two or more things at the same time.
    Importance: 47/100
  • Fluency of Ideas
    Coming up with lots of ideas.
    Importance: 47/100
  • Hearing Sensitivity
    Telling the difference between sounds.
    Importance: 47/100
  • Mathematical Reasoning
    Choosing the right type of math to solve a problem.
    Importance: 47/100
  • Originality
    Creating new and original ideas.
    Importance: 47/100
  • Number Facility
    Adding, subtracting, multiplying, or dividing.
    Importance: 47/100
  • Visual Color Discrimination
    Noticing the difference between colors, including shades and brightness.
    Importance: 47/100
  • Trunk Strength
    Using your lower back and stomach.
    Importance: 44/100
  • Auditory Attention
    Paying attention to one sound while there are other distracting sounds.
    Importance: 44/100
  • Memorization
    Remembering words, numbers, pictures, or steps.
    Importance: 41/100
  • Depth Perception
    Deciding which thing is closer or farther away from you, or deciding how far away it is from you.
    Importance: 41/100
  • Speed of Closure
    Quickly knowing what you are looking at.
    Importance: 35/100
  • Stamina
    Exercising for a long time without getting out of breath.
    Importance: 35/100
  • Visualization
    Imagining how something will look after it is moved around or changed.
    Importance: 35/100
  • Static Strength
    Lifting, pushing, pulling, or carrying.
    Importance: 31/100
  • Dynamic Strength
    Exercising for a long time without your muscles getting tired.
    Importance: 28/100
  • Reaction Time
    Quickly moving your hand, finger, or foot based on a sound, light, picture or other command.
    Importance: 28/100
  • Gross Body Coordination
    Moving your arms, legs, and mid-section together while your whole body is moving.
    Importance: 28/100
  • Response Orientation
    Quickly deciding if you should move your hand, foot, or other body part.
    Importance: 28/100
  • Wrist-Finger Speed
    Making fast, simple, repeated movements of your fingers, hands, and wrists.
    Importance: 28/100
  • Gross Body Equilibrium
    Keeping your balance or staying upright.
    Importance: 25/100
  • Rate Control
    Changing when and how fast you move based on how something else is moving.
    Importance: 25/100
  • Speed of Limb Movement
    Quickly moving your arms and legs.
    Importance: 25/100
  • Peripheral Vision
    Seeing something to your side when your are looking ahead.
    Importance: 22/100
  • Sound Localization
    Noticing the direction that a sound came from.
    Importance: 19/100
  • Glare Sensitivity
    Seeing something even if there is a glare or very bright light.
    Importance: 16/100
  • Night Vision
    Seeing at night or under low light.
    Importance: 16/100
  • Spatial Orientation
    Knowing where things are around you.
    Importance: 13/100

The O*NET database contains a rich set of variables that describe work and worker characteristics, including skill requirements.

Occupation data (titles, sample titles, descriptions, daily work activities, knowledge, skills, abilities, tasks, related occupations, technologies and tools, and work values) come from the O*NET 29.0 Database (www.onetcenter.org/database.html) by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 (creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. Current as of October 2024.

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Tools and Technology used by Respiratory Therapists

  • Apnea monitors
  • Arterial blood gas monitors
  • Autotransfusion units
  • Bedside pulmonary function screeners
  • Blood collection syringes
  • Bronchoscopes
  • Cardiac output CO monitoring units
  • Chest cuirass products
  • Chest percussors
  • Clinical incubators or infant warmers
  • Electrocardiography EKG units
  • Electronic blood pressure units
  • Endotracheal tubes
  • Flow sensors or regulators or components
  • High frequency ventilators
  • Intensive care ventilators
  • Intermittent positive pressure breathing IPPB machines
  • Intraaortic balloon pumps
  • Medical acoustic stethoscopes
  • Medical aerosol tents
  • Medical gas cylinders or related devices
  • Medical head hoods
  • Medical nasal cannulas
  • Medical or surgical suction or vacuum appliances
  • Medical oxygen masks or parts
  • Mercury blood pressure units
  • Nebulizers
  • Non invasive bi level machines
  • Non invasive continuous positive air pressure machines
  • Notebook computers
  • Oxygen concentrators
  • Oxygen delivery connectors or adapters
  • Perfusion oxygen or hematocrit saturation monitors
  • Personal computers
  • Personal digital assistant PDAs or organizers
  • Pulmonary functioning tubing
  • Pulse oximeter units
  • Respiratory humidifiers or vaporizers
  • Respiratory manometer kits
  • Respiratory monitoring kit accessories
  • Respiratory monitoring kits
  • Respiratory therapy compressors
  • Resuscitation masks
  • Spirometers
  • Sputum collection apparatus or containers
  • Surgical isolation suit or helmet or shield
  • Tablet computers
  • Tourniquets
  • Tracheostomy tubes
  • Treadmill exercisers for rehabilitation or therapy
  • Vacuum blood collection tubes or containers
  • Calendar and scheduling software
    • Calendar and scheduling software
  • Data base user interface and query software
    • Database software
  • Electronic mail software
    • Microsoft Outlook
  • Medical software
    • Electronic medical record EMR software
    • HMS
    • MEDITECH software
    • eClinicalWorks EHR software
  • Office suite software
    • Microsoft Office software
  • Presentation software
    • Microsoft PowerPoint
  • Spreadsheet software
    • Microsoft Excel
  • Word processing software
    • Microsoft Word

The O*NET database contains a rich set of variables that describe work and worker characteristics, including skill requirements.

Occupation data (titles, sample titles, descriptions, daily work activities, knowledge, skills, abilities, tasks, related occupations, technologies and tools, and work values) come from the O*NET 29.0 Database (www.onetcenter.org/database.html) by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 (creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. Current as of October 2024.

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Employment Industries for Respiratory Therapists

  • General medical and surgical hospitals; private
    85,400 employed
  • General medical and surgical hospitals; local
    10,800 employed
  • Specialty (except psychiatric and substance abuse) hospitals; private
    8,400 employed
  • Nursing care facilities (skilled nursing facilities)
    4,900 employed
  • General medical and surgical hospitals; state
    4,300 employed
  • Temporary help services
    2,600 employed

The O*NET database contains a rich set of variables that describe work and worker characteristics, including skill requirements.

Occupation data (titles, sample titles, descriptions, daily work activities, knowledge, skills, abilities, tasks, related occupations, technologies and tools, and work values) come from the O*NET 29.0 Database (www.onetcenter.org/database.html) by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 (creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. Current as of October 2024.

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Career Information Datasources for Respiratory Therapists

Below you will find the Career Field and Career Cluster that this program is related to. Learn more about if this career area fits your interests!

Is Health Science right for you?

Health science workers promote health and wellness. They diagnose and treat injuries and disease. As a physician, dentist, or nurse, you could work directly with patients. You could also work in a laboratory to get information used in research or provide administrative support by keeping medical records.

Plan Your Education

The Respiratory Therapy Program Guide is a tool to help you map out how to successfully get your degree at Lake Superior College.

View approximate total tuition and fees for MN residents to complete this degree.

This program may be completed in 2 years if prerequisites are complete.

This program has additional entry requirements.

The Respiratory Therapy Program Application Window is open.

Accepted/Current LSC Students: Apply to the program.

Prospective LSC Students: Learn more about the application process.

Skills and Knowledge

  • Solid understanding of the technical aspects of treating respiratory problems
  • Soft skills needed to work in a professional manner with a wide variety of patients and supervising physicians
  • Clinical training in a variety of areas in one of our regional hospitals

Accreditation

The Lake Superior College Respiratory Therapy Program, CoARC program number 200374, AAS degree, in Duluth, MN is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care (www.coarc.com)

Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care (CoARC)
264 Precision Blvd
Telford, TN 37690 USA
Telephone: 817-283-2835
Fax: 817-354-8519
Email: WEBMASTER@COARC.COM

CoARC accredits respiratory therapy education programs in the United States. To achieve this end, it utilizes an ‘outcomes based’ process. Programmatic outcomes are performance indicators that reflect the extent to which the educational goals of the program are achieved and by which program effectiveness is documented.

Program outcome data for Lake Superior College’s Respiratory Therapy Program is accessible through the CoARC programmatic outcomes data link below.

https://coarc.com/students/programmatic-outcomes-data/

Program and Profession Physical Requirements

All respiratory therapy students complete more than 700 hours of bedside care, with most hours in adult general and adult intensive care environments. The student must meet and sustain the physical requirements of the profession during the respiratory therapy program at Lake Superior College. Students are required to prepare and manipulate respiratory equipment, respond quickly, administer medication, perform patient assessment, analyze data, critically think, document, and communicate effectively at each clinical site. The data below has been pulled from O*NET OnLine which is sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor. Specific examples are listed in bullet form. Please email the Program Director or Directory of Clinical Education if you have questions.

Ability to shift back and forth between two or more activities or sources of information such as speech, sound, touch, or other.

  • Perform bedside assessment (heart rate, respiratory rate, breath sounds) and document with interruptions from the patient, medical staff, or other.

Ability to focus on a single source of sound in the presence of other distracting sounds to differentiate variable pitches and loudness.

  • Differentiate normal function and abnormal function/alarms of respiratory therapy equipment from other equipment.

Ability to identify different colors, objects, and people.

  • Medical gas equipment is color coded for safety. Some respiratory equipment is similar but functions very different.

Ability to judge the depth of several objects and to see details in close and distant ranges.

  • Good or corrected vision is required to read bedside monitors and ventilator screen data up close and from a distance.

Ability to concentrate on a task over a period without being distracted.

  • Focus is required to ensure patient safety.

Ability to exert maximum muscle force to lift, push, pull, or carry objects.

  • Perform chest compressions for at least two minutes continuously and manipulating a ventilator on wheels throughout a hospital are two examples.

Ability to stand and walk for extended periods.

  • Respond to emergencies, climb stairs, and cover multiple floor levels.

Ability to bend, stretch, twist, or reach with your body, arms, and/or legs.

  • Reach over, above, or below a hospital bed or respiratory equipment.

Ability to quickly move your hand, your hand together with your arm, or your two hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble objects.

  • Perform or assist in critical procedures and prepare and use respiratory equipment.

Ability to make precisely coordinated movements of the fingers of one or both hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble very small objects.

  • Manipulate a syringe and needle to draw arterial blood. Assemble a nebulizer, add medication, and switch from one therapy to another.
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