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Summary Job Description | Tasks | |||
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. | Set up and operate devices such as mechanical ventilators, therapeutic gas administration apparatus, environmental control systems, and aerosol generators, following specified parameters of treatment. | |||
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Provide emergency care, including artificial respiration, external cardiac massage and assistance with cardiopulmonary resuscitation. | ||||
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Determine requirements for treatment, such as type, method and duration of therapy, precautions to be taken, and medication and dosages, compatible with physicians' orders. | ||||
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Monitor patient's physiological responses to therapy, such as vital signs, arterial blood gases, and blood chemistry changes, and consult with physician if adverse reactions occur. | ||||
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Read prescription, measure arterial blood gases, and review patient information to assess patient condition. | ||||
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Enforce safety rules and ensure careful adherence to physicians' orders. | ||||
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Maintain charts that contain patients' pertinent identification and therapy information. | ||||
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Inspect, clean, test and maintain respiratory therapy equipment to ensure equipment is functioning safely and efficiently, ordering repairs when necessary. | ||||
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Educate patients and their families about their conditions and teach appropriate disease management techniques, such as breathing exercises and the use of medications and respiratory equipment. | ||||
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Explain treatment procedures to patients to gain cooperation and allay fears. | ||||
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Relay blood analysis results to a physician. | ||||
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Perform pulmonary function and adjust equipment to obtain optimum results in therapy. | ||||
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Perform bronchopulmonary drainage and assist or instruct patients in performance of breathing exercises. | ||||
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Demonstrate respiratory care procedures to trainees and other health care personnel. | ||||
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Teach, train, supervise, and utilize the assistance of students, respiratory therapy technicians, and assistants. | ||||
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Use a variety of testing techniques to assist doctors in cardiac and pulmonary research and to diagnose disorders. | ||||
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Make emergency visits to resolve equipment problems. | ||||
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Conduct tests, such as electrocardiograms (EKGs), stress testing, and lung capacity tests, to evaluate patients' cardiopulmonary functions. | ||||
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Work as part of a team of physicians, nurses, and other health care professionals to manage patient care by assisting with medical procedures and related duties. | ||||
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CompGeo Salary Survey Benchmark Job Summary and Competencies
Respiratory Therapists
The Benchmark Job Description below represents the specific Position Characteristics of the job used in the Salary Survey. Benchmark Job Descriptions should be inspected carefully to review the degree of matching between an organizations' Job and the Salary Survey Benchmark. Matching internal Jobs to Salary Survey Benchmark Jobs should not be done on Job Title alone. A thorough comparison of Salary Survey Benchmark to Internal Job Descriptions is recommended. A good overlap should exist on any comparisons used on critical Job Dimensions and Competencies.- Job Description
- Knowledges
- Skills
- Abilites
- Tools and Technology
- Education and Experience
- Alternate Job Titles
- Salaries
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Important Knowledge Competencies | Competency Description | |||
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. | |||
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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. | |||
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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. | |||
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English Language | Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar. | |||
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Biology | Knowledge of plant and animal organisms, their tissues, cells, functions, interdependencies, and interactions with each other and the environment. | |||
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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. | |||
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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. | |||
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Mathematics | Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications. | |||
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Mechanical | Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance. | |||
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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. | |||
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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. | |||
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Computers and Electronics | Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming. | |||
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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. | |||
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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. | |||
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Important Skill Competencies | Competency Description | |||
Active Listening | Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times. | |||
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Speaking | Talking to others to convey information effectively. | |||
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Critical Thinking | Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems. | |||
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Monitoring | Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action. | |||
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Active Learning | Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making. | |||
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Social Perceptiveness | Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do. | |||
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Service Orientation | Actively looking for ways to help people. | |||
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Reading Comprehension | Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents. | |||
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Coordination | Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions. | |||
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Instructing | Teaching others how to do something. | |||
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Complex Problem Solving | Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions. | |||
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Judgment and Decision Making | Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one. | |||
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Writing | Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience. | |||
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Science | Using scientific rules and methods to solve problems. | |||
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Learning Strategies | Selecting and using training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things. | |||
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Time Management | Managing one's own time and the time of others. | |||
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Negotiation | Bringing others together and trying to reconcile differences. | |||
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Operation Monitoring | Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly. | |||
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Quality Control Analysis | Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance. | |||
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Operation and Control | Controlling operations of equipment or systems. | |||
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Management of Personnel Resources | Motivating, developing, and directing people as they work, identifying the best people for the job. | |||
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Mathematics | Using mathematics to solve problems. | |||
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Persuasion | Persuading others to change their minds or behavior. | |||
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Systems Analysis | Determining how a system should work and how changes in conditions, operations, and the environment will affect outcomes. | |||
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Systems Evaluation | Identifying measures or indicators of system performance and the actions needed to improve or correct performance, relative to the goals of the system. | |||
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Important Ability Competencies | Competency Description | |||
Oral Expression | The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand. | |||
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Oral Comprehension | The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences. | |||
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Problem Sensitivity | The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem. | |||
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Written Comprehension | The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing. | |||
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Information Ordering | The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations). | |||
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Deductive Reasoning | The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense. | |||
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Inductive Reasoning | The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events). | |||
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Speech Clarity | The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you. | |||
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Written Expression | The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand. | |||
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Near Vision | The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer). | |||
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Control Precision | The ability to quickly and repeatedly adjust the controls of a machine or a vehicle to exact positions. | |||
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Speech Recognition | The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person. | |||
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Category Flexibility | The ability to generate or use different sets of rules for combining or grouping things in different ways. | |||
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Flexibility of Closure | The ability to identify or detect a known pattern (a figure, object, word, or sound) that is hidden in other distracting material. | |||
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Perceptual Speed | The ability to quickly and accurately compare similarities and differences among sets of letters, numbers, objects, pictures, or patterns. The things to be compared may be presented at the same time or one after the other. This ability also includes comparing a presented object with a remembered object. | |||
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Selective Attention | The ability to concentrate on a task over a period of time without being distracted. | |||
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Arm-Hand Steadiness | The ability to keep your hand and arm steady while moving your arm or while holding your arm and hand in one position. | |||
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Manual Dexterity | The ability to quickly move your hand, your hand together with your arm, or your two hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble objects. | |||
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Finger Dexterity | The ability to make precisely coordinated movements of the fingers of one or both hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble very small objects. | |||
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Mathematical Reasoning | The ability to choose the right mathematical methods or formulas to solve a problem. | |||
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Number Facility | The ability to add, subtract, multiply, or divide quickly and correctly. | |||
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Time Sharing | The ability to shift back and forth between two or more activities or sources of information (such as speech, sounds, touch, or other sources). | |||
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Multilimb Coordination | The ability to coordinate two or more limbs (for example, two arms, two legs, or one leg and one arm) while sitting, standing, or lying down. It does not involve performing the activities while the whole body is in motion. | |||
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Auditory Attention | The ability to focus on a single source of sound in the presence of other distracting sounds. | |||
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Fluency of Ideas | The ability to come up with a number of ideas about a topic (the number of ideas is important, not their quality, correctness, or creativity). | |||
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Visual Color Discrimination | The ability to match or detect differences between colors, including shades of color and brightness. | |||
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Hearing Sensitivity | The ability to detect or tell the differences between sounds that vary in pitch and loudness. | |||
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Originality | The ability to come up with unusual or clever ideas about a given topic or situation, or to develop creative ways to solve a problem. | |||
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Memorization | The ability to remember information such as words, numbers, pictures, and procedures. | |||
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Far Vision | The ability to see details at a distance. | |||
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Tools/Technology Example | Product Category | |||
Calendar and scheduling software | Calendar and scheduling software | |||
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Database software | Data base user interface and query software | |||
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Electronic medical record EMR software | Medical software | |||
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Microsoft Excel | Spreadsheet software | |||
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Microsoft Outlook | Electronic mail software | |||
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Microsoft PowerPoint | Presentation software | |||
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Microsoft Word | Word processing software | |||
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Netscape software | Internet browser software | |||
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Aerosol masks | Nebulizers or accessories | |||
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Air compressors | Respiratory therapy compressors | |||
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Ambu bags | Resuscitation masks or accessories | |||
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Apnea monitors | Apnea monitors or accessories | |||
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Bedside spirometers | Bedside pulmonary function screeners | |||
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Bilevel positive airway pressure BiPAP ventilators | Non invasive bi level machines | |||
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Blood collection syringes | Blood collection syringes | |||
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Blood gas kits | Arterial blood gas monitors or accessories | |||
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Blood gas machines | Arterial blood gas monitors or accessories | |||
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Bronchoscopes | Bronchoscopes or accessories | |||
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Cannulas | Medical nasal cannulae | |||
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Capillary catheters | Pulmonary functioning tubing or accessories | |||
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Cell savers | Autotransfusion units | |||
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Christmas tree adapters | Oxygen delivery connectors or adapters | |||
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Continuous positive airway pressure CPAP ventilators | Non invasive continuous positive air pressure machines | |||
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Electrocardiography EKG units | Electrocardiography EKG units | |||
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Electronic blood pressure equipment | Electronic blood pressure units | |||
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Endotracheal ET tubes | Endotracheal tubes | |||
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Evacuated blood collection tubes | Vacuum blood collection tubes or containers | |||
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Hemodynamic monitors | Cardiac output CO monitoring units or accessories | |||
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High-frequency ventilators | High frequency ventilators | |||
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Humidifiers | Respiratory humidifiers or vaporizers | |||
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Incentive spirometers | Spirometers or its accessories or its supplies | |||
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Indirect calorimeters | Respiratory monitoring kits or its accessories | |||
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Infant incubators | Clinical incubators or infant warmers | |||
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Internal positive pressure breathing IPPB machines | Intermittent positive pressure breathing IPPB machines | |||
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Intra-aortic balloon pumps IABP | Intraaortic balloon pumps or accessories | |||
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Manometers | Respiratory manometer kits | |||
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Manual blood pressure equipment | Mercury blood pressure units | |||
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Mechanical stethoscopes | Mechanical stethoscopes or accessories | |||
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Medical aerosol tents | Medical aerosol tents | |||
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Medical oxygen masks | Medical oxygen masks or parts | |||
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Medical suction equipment | Medical suction or vacuum appliances | |||
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Nasal airways | Medical nasal cannulae | |||
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Nebulizers | Nebulizers or accessories | |||
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Negative pressure ventilators | Chest cuirass products | |||
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Notebook computers | Notebook computers | |||
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Oral airways | Medical oxygen masks or parts | |||
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Oxygen concentrators | Oxygen concentrators | |||
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Oxygen flowmeters | Flow sensors or regulators or components | |||
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Oxygen hoods | Medical head hoods | |||
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Oxygen masks | Medical oxygen masks or parts | |||
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Oxygen monitors | Oxygen monitors or supplies | |||
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Oxygen regulators | Flow sensors or regulators or components | |||
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Oxygen tanks | Medical gas cylinders or related devices | |||
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Oxygen tents | Medical aerosol tents | |||
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Percussors | Chest percussors | |||
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Personal computers | Personal computers | |||
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Personal digital assistants PDA | Personal digital assistant PDAs or organizers | |||
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Portable flat computers | Tablet computers | |||
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Pulmonary function testing PFT equipment | Spirometers or its accessories or its supplies | |||
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Pulse oximeters | Pulse oximeter units | |||
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Saturation of oxygen SaO2 monitors | Perfusion oxygen or hematocrit saturation monitors or accessories | |||
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Small particle aerosol generators | Nebulizers or accessories | |||
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Sputum traps | Sputum collection apparatus or containers | |||
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Surgical suits | Surgical isolation suits or helmets or facemasks or accessories | |||
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Tourniquets | Tourniquets | |||
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Tracheostomy tubes | Tracheostomy tubes | |||
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Tracheotomy masks | Nebulizers or accessories | |||
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Treadmills | Treadmill exercisers for rehabilitation or therapy | |||
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Volume ventilators | Adult or pediatric intensive care ventilators | |||
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Wright's spirometers | Spirometers or its accessories or its supplies | |||
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Prerequisite Qualification Category | Education and Experience Level | |||
Required Level of Education | Associate's Degree (or other 2-year degree) | |||
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On-the-Job Training | Over 1 month, up to and including 3 months | |||
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On-Site or In-Plant Training | Over 1 month, up to and including 3 months | |||
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Related Work Experience | None | |||
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Related Work Experience | Over 6 months, up to and including 1 year | |||
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Alternate Job Title(s) | |||
Certified Respiratory Therapist (CRT) | |||
Certified Respiratory Therapist Technician | |||
Clinical Coordinator of Respiratory Therapy | |||
Director of Cardiopulmonary Services | |||
Inhalation Therapist | |||
Oxygen Therapist | |||
Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT) | |||
Respiratory Care Practitioner (RCP) | |||
Respiratory Therapist (RT) | |||
Respiratory Therapy Director | |||
Sleep Lab Technician | |||
Staff Respiratory Therapist | |||
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