respiratory therapist

A respiratory therapist is a specialized healthcare practitioner trained in critical care and cardio-pulmonary medicine in order to work therapeutically with people who have acute critical conditions, cardiac and pulmonary disease. Respiratory therapists graduate from a college or university with a degree in respiratory therapy and have passed a national board certifying examination. The NBRC (National Board for Respiratory Care) is responsible for credentialing as a CRT (certified respiratory therapist), or RRT (registered respiratory therapist) in the United States. The Canadian Society of Respiratory Therapists and provincial regulatory colleges administer the RRT credential in Canada. The American specialty certifications of respiratory therapy include: CPFT and RPFT (Certified or Regi...