Respiratory Therapists
Military duties include performing, managing, and evaluating cardiopulmonary patient care and treatment as a Registered Respiratory Therapist.
How to prepare: Compare your existing respiratory therapy education, licenses, and credentials with the intended employer's requirements and the destination state's health board requirements to identify any gaps. Licensure is required in every state except Alaska, where national certification is recommended.
What the civilian work involves
- Monitor patient's physiological responses to therapy, such as vital signs, arterial blood gases, or blood chemistry changes, and consult with physician if adverse reactions occur.
- Set up and operate devices, such as mechanical ventilators, therapeutic gas administration apparatus, environmental control systems, or aerosol generators, following specified parameters of treatment.
- Work as part of a team of physicians, nurses, or other healthcare professionals to manage patient care by assisting with medical procedures or related duties.
Civilian tools and software (examples)
- eClinicalWorks EHR software
- MEDITECH software