Respiratory therapy careers are currently experiencing rapid job growth (up to 19% by 2016). The increasing demand for college-trained professionals in the field is fueled by a rapidly aging American population requiring respiratory care. The majority of openings will be in hospitals, although respiratory therapists and respiratory technicians will also find jobs in physicians' offices, private clinics, and extended care facilities.

Respiratory Therapy Career Training

Online career training programs usually lead to an associate's degree--the minimum educational requirement for respiratory therapists. All but two states in the nation require professional licensure as well as current CPR certifications. Respiratory therapists work under direct supervision of physicians as they help diagnose patients' lung disorders, analyze breathing pathways and tissues, operate ventilators or other airway devices, and help in patient education. Many new jobs will be in hospital emergency rooms, operating rooms, nursing homes, private patients' housing, and with smoking cessation programs.