Assess, treat, and care for patients with breathing disorders. Assume primary responsibility for all respiratory care modalities, including the supervision of respiratory therapy technicians. Initiate and conduct therapeutic procedures; maintain patient records; and select, assemble, check, and operate equipment. F

Set up and operate devices such as mechanical ventilators, therapeutic gas administration apparatus, environmental control systems, and aerosol generators, following specified parameters of treatment. Provide emergency care, including artificial respiration, external cardiac massage and assistance with cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Determine requirements for treatment, such as type, method and duration of therapy, precautions to be taken, and medication and dosages, compatible with physicians' orders. Monitor patient's physiological responses to therapy, such as vital signs, arterial blood gases, and blood chemistry changes, and consult with physician if adverse reactions occur. Read prescription, measure arterial blood gases, and review patient information to assess patient condition. Work as part of a team of physicians, nurses and other health care professionals to manage patient care. Enforce safety rules and ensure careful adherence to physicians' orders. Maintain charts that contain patients' pertinent identification and therapy information. Inspect, clean, test and maintain respiratory therapy equipment to ensure equipment is functioning safely and efficiently, ordering repairs when necessary. Educate patients and their families about their conditions and teach appropriate disease management techniques, such as breathing exercises and the use of medications and respiratory equipment. Explain treatment procedures to patients to gain cooperation and allay fears. Relay blood analysis results to a physician. Perform pulmonary function and adjust equipment to obtain optimum results in therapy. Perform bronchopulmonary drainage and assist or instruct patients in performance of breathing exercises. Demonstrate respiratory care procedures to trainees and other health care personnel. Teach, train, supervise, and utilize the assistance of students, respiratory therapy technicians, and assistants. Use a variety of testing techniques to assist doctors in cardiac and pulmonary research and to diagnose disorders. Make emergency visits to resolve equipment problems. Conduct tests, such as electrocardiograms, stress testing, and lung capacity tests, to evaluate patients' cardiopulmonary functions.

Medicine and Dentistry -- Knowledge of the information and techniques needed to diagnose and treat human injuries, diseases, and deformities. This includes symptoms, treatment alternatives, drug properties and interactions, and preventive health-care measures. Customer and Personal Service -- Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction. Psychology -- Knowledge of human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders. Education and Training -- Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects. English Language -- Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar. Chemistry -- Knowledge of the chemical composition, structure, and properties of substances and of the chemical processes and transformations that they undergo. This includes uses of chemicals and their interactions, danger signs, production techniques, and disposal methods. Biology -- Knowledge of plant and animal organisms, their tissues, cells, functions, interdependencies, and interactions with each other and the environment. Mechanical -- Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance. Mathematics -- Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications. Physics -- Knowledge and prediction of physical principles, laws, their interrelationships, and applications to understanding fluid, material, and atmospheric dynamics, and mechanical, electrical, atomic and sub- atomic structures and processes.

Active Listening -- Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times. Instructing -- Teaching others how to do something. Reading Comprehension -- Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents. Monitoring -- Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action. Critical Thinking -- Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems. Time Management -- Managing one's own time and the time of others. Speaking -- Talking to others to convey information effectively. Operation Monitoring -- Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly. Active Learning -- Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making. Troubleshooting -- Determining causes of operating errors and deciding what to do about it.

Oral Expression -- The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand. Oral Comprehension -- The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences. Problem Sensitivity -- The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem. Speech Clarity -- The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you. Speech Recognition -- The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person. Information Ordering -- The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations). Near Vision -- The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer). Written Comprehension -- The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing. Inductive Reasoning -- The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events). Deductive Reasoning -- The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.

Assisting and Caring for Others -- Providing personal assistance, medical attention, emotional support, or other personal care to others such as coworkers, customers, or patients. Documenting/Recording Information -- Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form. Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates -- Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person. Getting Information -- Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources. Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work -- Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work. Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events -- Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events. Monitor Processes, Materials, or Surroundings -- Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems. Making Decisions and Solving Problems -- Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems. Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge -- Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job. Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships -- Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.