Will The RRT Credential Be A Requirement?

This has been an ongoing debate for quite some time. Will respiratory therapists be required to have an RRT credential? The answer is, yes and It depends, but eventually, yes! If California is any indication as to what will take place, the California Society of Respiratory Care (CSRC) wrote a letter to the Respiratory Care Board of California (RCB) to take “immediate action in implementing the RRT credential.”[1]

Did the RCB comply? Yes. California is mandating RRT credentialing beginning 2015. 

In addition, have you read about the change to the NBRC exam for 2015? Here is a snippet:

Changes will include a single multiple choice examination with separate passing points for the CRT credential and eligibility for the Clinical Simulation Examination which will include a larger number of shorter simulation problems.[2]

In other words, if you score high enough on the CRT exam, you will be eligible to take the simulation exam, and if you pass, you will be given the RRT credential. Currently, the process is that students must

1. Pass the CRT exam
2. Pass the RRT multiple choice (written) exam
3. Pass the RRT clinical simulation exam

That’s all changing by 2015.



[1] CSRC Open Letter

[2] NBRC Change6 

What Does The Future Hold?

What is the future of a Respiratory Therapist? Well, it depends on whom you ask. The skeptic will say that the current market is saturated with respiratory therapists and that the outlook is dim. Unfortunately, this contradicts the report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS)[1]. BLS predicts a 19% positive job change between 2012-2022. This is faster than the average occupation.

The median pay in 2012 was $26.86 per hour. The entry level position currently requires an Associates degree. Some hold a bachelor’s degree. 

The duty of a respiratory therapist includes:

• Interviewing and assessing patients with breathing difficulty
• Help physicians develop a plan of care
• Perform diagnostic tests to measure the lung function
• Treat patients through various therapies
• Monitor and make changes to treatment
• Educate patients on disease process and proper use of treatments
• Manage the life-support machine

If you’re ready to contribute to the needs of others, and selflessly enter a profession that requires skill and compassion, the respiratory field is for you!

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[1] http://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/respiratory-therapists.htm#tab-1