What Is a Respiratory Care Specialist?

A respiratory care specialist, also known as a respiratory therapist, provides testing and care to patients with respiratory illnesses. They work in hospitals, testing facilities, physician's offices and patients' homes, providing care and education to patients using specialized equipment. They are an integral part of the patient care team.

Educational Requirements

• Respiratory care specialists must obtain a minimum of an associate degree in order to be eligible for credentialing and licensing in the United States. These are usually obtained from a local community college. Bachelor's and master's degree programs have been started in many states for those who wish to further their education.
  Each person who enters the field will sit for either the certified respiratory technician or registered respiratory therapist exam. State licensing requires passing and maintaining these credentials.

Hospital Responsiblities

• Respiratory care specialists work in all areas of the hospital. They are usually part of the emergency team during resuscitation. They work in the intensive care units managing ventilators, giving breathing treatments and performing various tests. They will work with all ages of patients from premature infants to geriatric patients.

Testing Responsiblities

• Testing can take place in the hospital, the doctor's office or in the patient's home. Respiratory care specialists will perform pulmonary function testing that measures the patient's lung volume and function. They will also perform sleep testing to monitor for sleep disorders.

Educators and Care Managers

• As a respiratory care specialist, you can continue your education and become certified in either asthma or COPD education. These certifications would allow you to create care plans for patients with either of these conditions. The care plans allow people to optimize their therapy by planning their medication and other treatments, as needed.

Subspecialties

• As a person gains experience in specific areas of respiratory care he can gain credentials in his specialty. There are credentials in sleep, pulmonary function testing and pediatrics. These credentials allow hospitals and other employers know that the therapist has excelled and met a higher level of education in that specialty.