Q&A: Respiratory therapist among top in-demand health care jobs for 2024

Key takeaways:

• On the list of most in-demand health care jobs of 2024, respiratory therapists ranked third.
• Demand for respiratory therapists rose during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Respiratory therapists ranked third on the top five list of most in-demand health care jobs of 2024, according to research conducted by Soliant Health.

This list was determined by comparing U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics job opening data with average monthly Google searches for specific health care positions, according to a release from Becker’s Hospital Review.

Soliant Health found that the total number of searches for respiratory therapists per month was 58,000, but there are only 8,600 openings expected for this job in 2024.

To learn about the role respiratory therapists play in the health care system and why they are in high demand in 2024, Healio spoke with Patrick Dotts, senior vice president of Soliant.

Healio: What are the main duties of a respiratory therapist? What types of patients do they treat?

Dotts: Respiratory therapists, also known as respiratory therapy technicians or RTs, have a pretty diverse job. They provide treatment, evaluation and care for patients who are suffering from breathing or cardiopulmonary disorders. The duties could range from delivering emergency care to patients suffering from heart attacks, stroke, drowning or shock to providing routine care to those with conditions such as asthma or emphysema.

Generally speaking, the main duties of RTs include interviewing and examining patients with breathing or cardiopulmonary disorders, and they consult with physicians to develop patient treatment plans. They also perform diagnostic tests, for example, to measure lung capacity.

In terms of the types of patients they treat, it’s quite a range. The role of RT is unique in the sense that their patients can range in age from just a few minutes old to over a century.

RTs could be working with premature infants whose lungs are not fully developed, elderly people with lung disease, those with lung cancer or patients in emergency situations. They treat people with chronic respiratory diseases, and they provide emergency care to patients suffering from heart attacks or strokes. Finally, some RTs even practice as sleep techs to better understand why some patients can’t breathe at night. The work of an RT is quite vital and wide-ranging.

Healio: What education is needed to become an RT?

Dotts: At the absolute minimum, an associate degree in respiratory therapy is needed. However, it’s typically advised to pursue a higher level of learning to help better your chances in the job market. You can obtain a bachelor’s or master’s degree in physiology, biology, anatomy or a related field. Candidates with higher education are typically preferred because the advanced coursework allows them to learn how to perform essential procedures such as pulmonary rehabilitation and cardiopulmonary diagnostics. RTs can be classified as either 2-year Certified or 4-year Registered Respiratory Therapists.

Most states require the RT to be licensed by the National Board for Respiratory Care, as well as any state-level certifications that are required. RTs must be licensed in all states (except Alaska).

There is also the Registered Respiratory Therapist credential, which can advance the RT’s career.

The specific requirements to practice as an RT vary quite a bit from state to state. The National Board of Respiratory Care has helpful information for those wanting to learn more about the national and state requirements for becoming an RT.

Healio: Why are RTs in such high demand in 2024?

Dotts: It’s no secret that this field is experiencing major growth. There are a couple of reasons why respiratory therapists are in high demand in 2024.

The increasing age of the population is leading to a rise in chronic respiratory diseases such as COPD and asthma. Older patients often require more medical care, and that includes respiratory therapy. This growing aging population is something that’s driving demand across all areas of health care.

Secondly, recent advances in medical technology and practices are allowing more people with severe respiratory conditions to live longer, more fulfilling lives. This means that these people often require the services of RTs as part of their ongoing care, driving that higher demand that we’re seeing.

In addition to registered RTs, there are a wide range of positions in respiratory care that are in growing demand. While registered respiratory therapists (RRTs) typically make more than certified respiratory therapists, the huge demand for both roles has led to an increase in salaries. It’s quite competitive now.

Healio: How do you believe the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted respiratory therapy as a career?

Dotts: There’s no doubt that the COVID-19 pandemic had a significant impact on respiratory therapy. One of the most immediate effects was the sudden surge in demand for respiratory therapists. COVID-19 primarily attacks the lungs, so patients with severe cases often require respiratory therapy. This not only increased the demand for RTs, but also made their role more critical than ever in acute care settings.

While the pandemic had that immediate impact on demand, we’re still seeing those lasting impacts on the field even today. The pandemic has certainly raised awareness about the importance of respiratory health. It also shed light on the crucial role of RTs in health care teams, leading to a greater appreciation for the profession and possibly attracting more people to consider it as a career.

Healio: RTs may travel while performing their job. Why is it important to employ traveling RTs?

Dotts: Travel nursing careers exploded in popularity in recent years — a trend certainly pushed during the pandemic, when travel RTs played a crucial role — but not many realize that traveling careers in respiratory therapy became, and still are, an incredibly crucial and in-demand occupation.

Traveling RTs are a vital resource in managing health care staffing levels. They fill in during staff shortages, whether these are caused by seasonal fluctuations, sudden increases in patient volume due to outbreaks or other reasons. They ensure that patient care doesn’t suffer due to a lack of staff.

Healio: How is respiratory care changing in 2024? How is technology such as telemedicine impacting respiratory therapy?

Dotts: What we’re seeing, especially trending into 2024, is how the field is becoming more specialized and patient-focused, with RTs playing an increasingly significant role in health care teams. RTs aren’t just delivering treatments. They’ve taken on a more comprehensive and impactful role, educating patients, conducting diagnostics and making critical decisions about patient care.

As for technology, much like other areas in health care, it has been a game-changer in respiratory care, especially with the advent of telemedicine. While respiratory care isn’t the first area that people typically think of when they think of telemedicine, it’s certainly being utilized. Telemedicine has made it possible for RTs to monitor patients remotely. This has been particularly beneficial for patients living in remote areas, or those who have difficulty traveling to a hospital or clinic, etc. This can be especially advantageous in managing chronic respiratory diseases, which require long-term care and close monitoring.

In terms of other technologies, the most significant technology we’ve seen that has a direct impact on patient outcomes would be medical devices and applications that allow RTs to remotely monitor patients. RTs can receive real-time data about a patient’s condition, such as oxygen levels, heart rate and breathing patterns. This allows them to provide immediate feedback or adjust treatment plans accordingly.

Healio: Do you have any recommendations for pulmonology practices that may be looking to hire or partner with respiratory therapists?

Dotts: Soliant provides RTs for hospitals, pulmonary function departments and sleep clinics nationwide. We have an extensive network of employment contacts, so if you’re interested in looking for pulmonology practices hiring in a specific area, we encourage readers to reach out for custom job matching.

We can connect RRTs, certified RTs, and sleep technicians with jobs in hospitals and skilled nursing, outpatient and long-term care facilities of all sizes nationwide.

Experts predict a meteoric rise in employment for respiratory care workers over the next several years, putting the unique skills of RTs in demand. We help those interested in respiratory care capitalize on that demand by making sure all health care professionals are rewarded for the important and demanding work they do.

Readers can learn more about the type of employers we work with here. Checking out our FAQs for prospective applicants might also be helpful if you’re interested in learning more about how we help our health care workers.

Please feel free to check out our additional resources on the duties of respiratory therapists and what to think about when considering a job in respiratory therapy.

Reference:

• 5 most in-demand healthcare jobs. https://www.beckershospitalreview.com/workforce/5-most-in-demand-healthcare-jobs.html. Published Jan. 16, 2024. Accessed Jan. 26, 2024.