NEC
L32A
Respiratory Therapist
A Navy Enlisted Classification: a skill designation sailors hold in addition to their rating.
Description
Assists medical officers in treating a range of patients from premature infants to elderly patients requiring specialized management of respiratory diseases. Provides pulmonary function testing, medical gas therapy, blood gas sampling, administration of nebulized medications and assistance in managing invasive and non-invasive mechanical ventilation for critical care patients. Knowledgeable and experienced to assess and assist in the diagnosis and treat patients with respiratory issues; provides respiratory care plans and life support services throughout military treatment facilities and various expeditionary medicine platforms across the fleet.
Core Skills
- respiratory patient assessment
- mechanical ventilation management
- pulmonary function testing
- arterial blood gas sampling
- medical gas therapy
- nebulized medication delivery
- airway management
- critical care respiratory support
- respiratory care planning
Common Certifications
- Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT)
- Certified Respiratory Therapist (CRT)
- National Board for Respiratory Care Adult Critical Care Specialty (ACCS)
- National Board for Respiratory Care Neonatal Pediatric Specialty (NPS)
- National Board for Respiratory Care Sleep Disorders Specialty (SDS)
- BLS Provider Certification
Civilian Career Paths
- EMERGENCY MEDICINE
- CLINICAL TECHNICIAN
- REHABILITATION
Training & Development
Getting Started
- National Board for Respiratory Care Certified Respiratory Therapist (CRT)
- Basic Life Support (BLS) Provider Certification
- Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support (ACLS)
- Pulmonary Function Testing Certificate Course
Career Growth
- National Board for Respiratory Care Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT)
- NBRC Adult Critical Care Specialty (ACCS)
- NBRC Neonatal Pediatric Specialty (NPS)
- NBRC Sleep Disorders Specialty (SDS)
Equivalent Roles in Other Branches
Data sourced from official Navy publications and public military occupational references. Descriptions may be summarized for clarity. Verify all information with your branch career counselor or official military documentation before making career decisions.