Registered respiratory therapist


A registered respiratory therapist is another title for Respiratory Care Practitioners. In the United States, you must obtain a degree in Respiratory Care and must then sit for the board exams to become a RRT. RRT is issued by the National Board for Respiratory Care after passing the Therapist Multiple-Choice Examination NBRC-TMC and Clinical Simulation Examination NBRC-CSE examinations. Eligibility for the NBRC-CSE examination is based on scoring high enough on the NBRC-TMC, and holding at least an Associate of Science in Respiratory Care. In Canada the RRT certification is granted by examination from the Canadian Society of Respiratory Therapists. Internationally, respiratory care is governed by local governments and certification or license to practice as a respiratory practitioner is managed locally without the use of separate organizations as in the United States and Canada.

Scope of practice

The Registered Respiratory Therapist is typically governed by their medical direction for clinical services and their licensing body for laboratory, rehabilitation and home-health services. Trained in cardiology and pulmonology medicine. The registered respiratory therapist is prepared didactically and clinically to perform advanced procedures and emergency management. Actual scope of practice varies by region and institution.