Day in the life
A Day in the Life of a Respiratory Therapist
What respiratory therapists actually do from the start of a shift to the end: the tasks, tools, schedule and realities of the job.
Take report from the night therapist on ventilator patients and scheduled treatments. From there, the day usually includes assess patients’ breathing, oxygen levels and lung sounds, give aerosol, inhaler and oxygen therapy, and set up, monitor and adjust mechanical ventilators. Hospital therapists often work 12-hour shifts, including nights, weekends and holidays.
Hour by hour: a typical shift
No two days are identical, but this timeline reflects a realistic day for a respiratory therapist working full time.
- Take report from the night therapist on ventilator patients and scheduled treatments.
- Perform ventilator checks in the ICU and adjust settings with the physician.
- Give nebulizer treatments to asthma and COPD patients on the medical floor.
- Draw an arterial blood gas and report results to the team.
- Respond to a rapid response call and start BiPAP for a patient in respiratory distress.
- Help with a planned extubation and monitor the patient afterward.
- Chart treatments and give report to the oncoming shift.
Where respiratory therapists work
Most respiratory therapists work in hospitals, especially ICUs, emergency departments and neonatal units. Others work in sleep labs, pulmonary rehab, long-term acute care and home medical equipment companies. Therapists walk long distances and respond to emergencies.
Hours and schedule
Hospital therapists often work 12-hour shifts, including nights, weekends and holidays.
Tasks you’ll do most often
- Assess patients’ breathing, oxygen levels and lung sounds
- Give aerosol, inhaler and oxygen therapy
- Set up, monitor and adjust mechanical ventilators
- Draw and analyze arterial blood gases
- Respond to codes, rapid responses and intubations
- Perform pulmonary function and spirometry tests
- Teach patients to use inhalers and home equipment
Tools you’ll use every day
- Mechanical ventilators
- BiPAP and CPAP machines
- Nebulizers and metered-dose inhalers
- Blood gas analyzers
- Pulse oximeters and capnography monitors
- Spirometers
The best and hardest parts of the job
What people like
- Associate degree leads to strong pay
- Real responsibility in critical care
- Variety across ICU, ER, NICU and floors
- Steady demand, especially with an aging population
What’s hard
- High-stress emergencies and codes
- Exposure to infectious diseases
- Nights, weekends and 12-hour shifts
- Emotionally hard end-of-life situations
You’ll likely thrive if…
- I want to help people in critical situations
- I like science and physiology
- I can stay calm during emergencies
- I’m comfortable with machines and monitors
- I can handle 12-hour shifts and nights
- I like working as part of a medical team
Not sure? Take the free Respiratory Therapist fit quiz or the Career Match Quiz.
Staying safe on the job
- Wear PPE, including N95 respirators, for airborne infections
- Follow oxygen fire safety: no open flames or sparks
- Check alarms and backup equipment on every ventilator
- Use safe lifting and repositioning techniques