Are you considering a career as a respiratory therapist? Do you want to provide patient-centered care and make a real difference in people’s lives? If so, earning a certification in respiratory therapy is the first step on your journey. Certification can open up a wide range of opportunities in the healthcare field and provide you with the skills and knowledge to become a successful respiratory therapist. In this blog post, we’ll explore the various certifications available to respiratory therapists and how they can help you launch an amazing career.
What Does it Mean to be a Certified Respiratory Therapist?
Being a certified respiratory therapist is an important and rewarding profession that requires special skills, education and knowledge. As a respiratory therapist, you will be responsible for evaluating, diagnosing and treating a variety of respiratory conditions and diseases. You will work with patients who may have asthma, COPD, sleep apnea, cystic fibrosis or other respiratory disorders. You will also be responsible for managing life support systems and providing therapeutic treatments such as oxygen therapy and aerosolized medication therapy. In order to become a certified respiratory therapist, you must complete an accredited program, pass the National Board for Respiratory Care (NBRC) exam and meet the requirements for state licensure. By becoming certified, you will be joining a highly respected field that provides vital services to many people in need.
What are the Various Types of Respiratory Therapy Certification?
There are many levels of respiratory therapist certification that a person can pursue, depending on their educational background and experience. The most common level of certification is the Certified Respiratory Therapist (CRT), which is available to those with an associate’s degree in respiratory therapy. CRTs must pass the National Board for Respiratory Care (NBRC) exam and meet the required continuing education requirements. For those who have a bachelor’s degree in respiratory therapy, they may pursue the Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT) certification. This requires passing the NBRC exam and completing additional clinical practice hours. Additionally, some states may require an RRT to pass a state-level exam in order to practice as a respiratory therapist.
Other specialty certifications include the Adult Critical Care Specialist (ACCS), Neonatal/Pediatric Specialty Certification (NPSC), and Sleep Disorders Specialty Certification (SDSC). These certifications require additional education and experience in their respective fields and must be renewed every two to five years. With each specialty certification, a respiratory therapist can expand their knowledge and become more valuable in the field. By becoming certified in multiple areas, they can find more job opportunities in different clinical settings and maximize their earning potential.
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