subject: Training & Advancement For A Respiratory Therapist In Albuquerque [print this page] Are you interested in a career as a respiratory therapist in Albuquerque? Are looking for information about how to become qualified as a respiratory therapist in Albuquerque? This article will provide information about training, qualifications and advancement for a career in respiratory therapy.
If you are pursuing a career as a respiratory therapist in Albuquerque the minimal educational requirement is an associate degree. However, if you wish to advance in the career a bachelor's or master's will most likely be needed. All states require respiratory therapists to be licensed, except Alaska.
Training and Education
Respiratory therapy training is commonly offered at the postsecondary level by medical schools, college and universities, the Armed Forces and vocational/technical institutes.
Common areas of study in respiratory therapy degree programs include pathophysiology, anatomy and physiology, physics, chemistry, pharmacology, microbiology and mathematics. Other common courses deal with diagnostic and therapeutic procedures and tests, patient assessment, equipment, cardiopulmonary resuscitation, patient care outside of hospitals, the application of clinical practice guidelines, cardiac and pulmonary rehabilitation, medical recordkeeping and reimbursement and respiratory health promotion and disease prevention.
High school students that are interested in becoming a respiratory therapist in Albuquerque should focus on courses in biology, health, chemistry, physics and mathematics. Respiratory care involves an understanding of physical and chemical principles as well as basic mathematical problem solving. For example, a respiratory therapist in Albuquerque must be able to calculate gas concentrations and compute dosages of medication.
Licensure & Certification
In all states except for Alaska, a license is required to practice respiratory therapy. Also, a majority of employers require a respiratory therapist in Albuquerque to maintain a CPR certification.
Licensure is usually based on meeting the requirements of the National Board for Respiratory Care (NRBC). This board offers the Certified Respiratory Therapist credential to individuals who graduate from an entry-level or advanced respiratory therapy program accredited by CAAHEP or another committee such as the Committee on Accreditation for Respiratory Care (CoARC) and who also pass an exam.
This board also awards CRTs, who have graduated from an advanced program and passed two separate examinations, the Register Respiratory Therapist (RRT). Intensive-care specialties and supervisory positions usually require the RRT.
Advancement
A respiratory therapist in Albuquerque can advance in a clinical practice by making the move from general care to caring for critically ill patients who have serious problems in other organ systems, such as the kidneys or heart. Respiratory therapists, especially those with a master's or bachelor's degree, can advance to managerial or supervisory positions in a respiratory therapy department. There are a number of other ways for a respiratory therapist to advance including into teaching or into another industry such as developing, marketing or selling medical devices or pharmaceuticals.
