Respiratory Therapist resume examples
This page has 10 one-page respiratory therapist resume examples, from a respiratory therapy student and a respiratory care assistant to a Respiratory Therapist I, a certified and a registered respiratory therapist, a Respiratory Therapist II, a respiratory care practitioner, a lead therapist and a supervisor. Each one is checked against 8,369 US postings from 1,097 employers, and the note under each sample explains which credentials, ventilator work and patient volumes it puts first.
Respiratory Therapy Student Resume Example
Student respiratory therapist roles go to people enrolled in an accredited respiratory therapy program with current BLS, and this resume puts both up front along with 640 clinical hours. The rotation bullets show oxygen and aerosol therapy, ventilator checks and blood gases with counts, so a manager can see exactly what the student can already do.
Why this resume works:
- Delivered 350 aerosol therapy and oxygen therapy treatments plus incentive spirometry under a registered therapist's supervision.
- Performed chest physiotherapy and airway clearance for 40 cystic fibrosis and post-surgical patients on the step-down unit.
- Completed 120 ventilator checks on mechanical ventilation patients in the ICU, recording settings, alarms and tolerance.
Respiratory Care Assistant Resume Example
Respiratory care assistant postings center on aerosol therapy, equipment setup and cleaning, and support for licensed therapists, and each of these appears here with weekly counts. The EMT background, current BLS and enrollment in a respiratory care program show a clear path toward the therapist role these employers often promote into.
Why this resume works:
- Delivered aerosol therapy and oxygen therapy setups to 30 stable floor patients a shift under therapist protocols.
- Disinfected 45 ventilators, BiPAP and CPAP units a week per infection control policy, logging quality control checks.
- Tracked oxygen cylinders and supply par levels across 9 units, ending weekend stock-outs within 2 months.
Respiratory Therapist I Resume Example
Respiratory Therapist I postings ask first for the NBRC RRT credential, a respiratory therapy degree, BLS and about one year of clinical work, and all four sit where a recruiter looks first. The bullets then show the core duties employers list, from oxygen and aerosol therapy to ventilators, blood gases and codes, each with a number.
Why this resume works:
- Treated 14 to 18 patients a shift with oxygen therapy, aerosol medications, airway clearance and incentive spirometry.
- Handle ventilator management and BiPAP for up to 6 ICU patients, recording settings and weaning progress at each check.
- Drew and analyzed 300 arterial blood gases, calling critical values to physicians within 10 minutes.
Certified Respiratory Therapist Resume Example
Certified respiratory therapist postings name oxygen therapy, airway management, pulmonary function testing, CPR, ventilator management, aerosol treatments and quality control, and every one of them is tied here to a count from a real shift. The CRT credential, state license and accredited associate degree cover the requirements employers list before anything else.
Why this resume works:
- Administered 2,400 aerosol treatments and oxygen therapy setups in 2025 across medical and surgical floors.
- Performed 180 pulmonary function tests a year, including spirometry, lung volumes and DLCO, with 97% acceptable sessions.
- Ran daily quality control on 2 blood gas analyzers and the PFT system, logging results for lab inspections.
Respiratory Therapist Resume Example
Respiratory therapist postings ask for the RRT credential, an accredited associate degree, BLS and skills in oxygen therapy, airway management, ventilator management, BiPAP, CPAP and chest physiotherapy, and each appears here in ICU or floor work with numbers. Working alone as the overnight therapist also shows the ability to work independently that many employers list.
Why this resume works:
- Handle ventilator management for 8 ICU patients a shift, adjusting settings with intensivists during daily rounds.
- Started BiPAP and CPAP on 25 emergency patients a month, helping cut COPD intubations on the unit by 15%.
- Performed airway management during 70 intubations and 40 codes as the respiratory member of the response team.
Registered Respiratory Therapist Resume Example
Registered respiratory therapist postings ask for the NBRC RRT credential first, then airway management, ventilator management, oxygen therapy, blood gas analysis and patient assessment, and each of these is tied here to ICU volumes or turnaround times. The Florida license and BLS, ACLS and PALS cover the other requirements employers list most.
Why this resume works:
- Manage mechanical ventilation for 6 to 8 ICU patients a shift, including prone positioning and lung-protective settings.
- Ran blood gas analysis on 2,000 samples a year and reported critical results to physicians within 10 minutes.
- Prepared equipment and suctioned for 90 intubations and 35 bedside bronchoscopies with the pulmonology team.
Respiratory Therapist II Resume Example
Respiratory Therapist II postings ask for airway management, ventilator management, solid clinical experience, critical thinking and customer service, and this resume shows each with ICU volumes, delivery counts and survey scores. Precepting, competency ownership and the RRT with NRP set this candidate a level above a new therapist.
Why this resume works:
- Manage mechanical ventilation for 8 adult or neonatal ICU patients a shift, including high-frequency oscillatory ventilation.
- Attended 120 high-risk deliveries as the NICU therapist, providing neonatal resuscitation and CPAP stabilization.
- Precepted 9 new therapists through 12-week orientation, with every preceptee signed off on schedule.
Respiratory Care Practitioner Resume Example
Respiratory care practitioner postings ask for ventilator management, oxygen therapy, patient assessments, EKGs, pulmonary function testing, bronchoscopy and patient education, and each of these is tied here to monthly or yearly volumes. The California RCP license and RRT credential sit at the top of the certificates, where these employers check first.
Why this resume works:
- Complete patient assessments on 20 patients a shift and adjust oxygen therapy and treatments under RT protocols.
- Performed 900 pulmonary function tests a year, including spirometry, lung volumes and diffusion studies.
- Prepared equipment and monitored patients during 150 bronchoscopy procedures with the interventional pulmonology team.
Lead Respiratory Therapist Resume Example
Lead respiratory therapist roles need the RRT, state licensure and strong ventilator and airway skills plus the ability to run a shift, and this resume shows assignments, scheduling and a measured quality improvement result. Eight years of practice, three as lead, and the RRT-ACCS specialty credential fit the senior level of the title.
Why this resume works:
- Assign 12 therapists a shift across 4 ICUs, the emergency department and floors, balancing workload by acuity.
- Built the monthly staff scheduling grid for 34 therapists, cutting overtime hours by 22% in the first year.
- Led a quality improvement project on ventilator weaning that shortened average ventilator days from 5.1 to 4.3.
Respiratory Therapy Supervisor Resume Example
Respiratory therapy supervisor postings ask for an RRT, state licensure, clinical depth and problem solving, plus the ability to run staffing, budgets and regulatory readiness, and this resume shows each with department size, budget and survey results. Thirteen years with five as supervisor and a bachelor's degree in respiratory therapy fit the lead level of the role.
Why this resume works:
- Direct 48 therapists and 4 lead therapists across 2 hospitals, covering 3 shifts and 5 ICUs.
- Handle budget management for a $6.2 million operating budget, cutting supply costs 14% by standardizing ventilator circuits.
- Prepared the department for 2 Joint Commission surveys that closed with zero respiratory findings.
What employers ask for in respiratory therapist job postings
Respiratory Therapist job postings in the US, October 2026
- 8,369
- active US job postings
- 1,097
- employers hiring
- 1 yr
- median experience asked
- 56%
- ask for 1 year or less
Technical skills and tools employers name
| Skill | Share of postings |
|---|---|
| oxygen therapy | 9% |
| ventilator management | 9% |
| airway management | 9% |
| blood gas analysis | 5% |
| critical thinking skills | 6% |
| critical thinking | 5% |
Make sure your resume shows
- Current RRT credential from the NBRC (50% of employers)
- Associate degree in respiratory therapy from an accredited program (39% of employers)
- At least 1 year of clinical respiratory therapy experience (20% of employers)
- Good communication and organization (19% of employers)
- Current BLS certification (18% of employers)
- Strong clinical assessment and critical thinking (8% of employers)
- ACLS, PALS and NRP certifications (7% of employers)
- Experience in a hospital, skilled nursing, long-term care or rehab setting (6% of employers)
Duties to build your bullet points around
What employers write most often under responsibilities. Show each one with a result (numbers, scale, outcome), not a copy of the duty.
- Give respiratory treatments and check the patient's response against the plan of care (26%)
- Communicate with physicians, nurses and the rest of the care team (17%)
- Keep accurate records of patient care and progress (13%)
- Prepare, check and maintain respiratory care equipment (13%)
- Teach patients and families about treatments, equipment and medications (13%)
- Deliver oxygen, aerosol medications, mechanical ventilation and airway management (9%)
The examples on this page, in job postings
| Example | US postings | Median years asked |
|---|---|---|
| Respiratory Therapy Student | 31 | 3 |
| Respiratory Care Assistant | 31 | – |
| Respiratory Therapist I | 67 | 1.5 |
| Certified Respiratory Therapist | 117 | 1 |
| Respiratory Therapist | 2,620 | 1 |
| Registered Respiratory Therapist | 893 | 1 |
| Respiratory Therapist II | 90 | 1 |
| Respiratory Care Practitioner | 425 | 1 |
| Lead Respiratory Therapist | 30 | 2 |
| Respiratory Therapy Supervisor | 18 | 3 |
Which job title to put on your resume: the titles employers use most, so recruiters and applicant tracking systems search for them: Respiratory Therapist (648 employers), Registered Respiratory Therapist (180 employers), Respiratory Care Practitioner (79 employers), RRT (69 employers), Respiratory Therapist (RT) (51 employers).
Source: Owlapply analysis of active US job postings, October 2026. Requirements and duties are grouped by meaning from the postings' own bullet lists and counted once per employer.
Advertised pay, experience and the skills employers ask for: Respiratory Therapist pay and requirements.
Check your respiratory therapist resume against a real job posting
- Paste a respiratory therapist job posting into the job match score tool to see which of its skills your resume is missing.
- Upload your resume to the ATS resume checker to read the text an applicant tracking system gets from it.
Respiratory Therapist resume sample (text you can copy)
This is the text of the Respiratory Therapist example above. Paste it into the resume builder and replace the details with your own.
Respiratory Therapist resume sample
MEGAN O'CONNELL
Respiratory Therapist
Pittsburgh, PA · (412) 555-0129 · [email protected] · linkedin.com/in/meganoconnell
SUMMARY
Respiratory Therapist with 4 years of respiratory care in adult ICU, emergency and pulmonary rehab settings at Pittsburgh hospitals. Manages mechanical ventilation, BiPAP and CPAP, delivers oxygen therapy and chest physiotherapy, and works independently on night shift as the sole therapist for 2 units. Holds the RRT credential and a Pennsylvania license.
EXPERIENCE
Respiratory Therapist, Three Rivers University Hospital, Pittsburgh, PA | 03/2024 - Present
- Handle ventilator management for 8 ICU patients a shift, adjusting settings with intensivists during daily rounds.
- Started BiPAP and CPAP on 25 emergency patients a month, helping cut COPD intubations on the unit by 15%.
- Performed airway management during 70 intubations and 40 codes as the respiratory member of the response team.
- Precepted 6 respiratory therapy students from 2 local programs through their ICU rotations.
Respiratory Therapist, Riverside Ridge Hospital, Monroeville, PA | 07/2022 - 02/2024
- Delivered oxygen therapy, aerosol therapy and chest physiotherapy to 16 floor patients a shift.
- Performed 220 pulmonary function tests and 6-minute walk tests for the outpatient pulmonary clinic.
- Led 3 weekly pulmonary rehab classes, teaching inhaler technique and breathing exercises to COPD patients.
- Covered 2 units as the only overnight therapist, using critical thinking to triage rapid responses and treatments.
Patient Care Technician, Penn Hills Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA | 08/2020 - 06/2022
- Measured vital signs and SpO2 for 20 patients a shift.
- Set up oxygen equipment for 6 to 8 patients a shift and alerted nurses to breathing changes.
- Charted intake, output and mobility in the electronic record.
EDUCATION
Associate of Applied Science, Respiratory Therapy, Community College of Allegheny County, Pittsburgh, PA | 05/2022
SKILLS
Respiratory Care, Mechanical Ventilation, Ventilator Management, Oxygen Therapy, Airway Management, BiPAP, CPAP, Chest Physiotherapy, Pulmonary Function Testing, Critical Thinking
CERTIFICATIONS
Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT), National Board for Respiratory Care (06/2022)
Respiratory Care Practitioner License, Pennsylvania State Board of Medicine (07/2022)
BLS and ACLS Provider, American Heart Association (02/2025)
How to write a respiratory therapist resume
Write a respiratory therapist resume summary
- Open with your credential and state license, such as RRT with a Pennsylvania license, since about 50% of employers ask for the RRT.
- Name the units you work in, such as adult ICU, NICU, emergency, step-down, pulmonary diagnostics or long-term acute care.
- List the therapies you handle most: mechanical ventilation, BiPAP and CPAP, blood gases, airway management or pulmonary function testing.
- Add your life support cards, such as BLS, ACLS, PALS and NRP, and say if you work nights or as the only therapist on a unit.
Respiratory Therapy Student summary (entry level)
Respiratory Therapy Student in the final year of an accredited associate degree program, with 640 clinical hours in adult ICU, emergency and neonatal units. Delivers oxygen therapy, aerosol therapy and chest physiotherapy under RRT supervision and documents every treatment in Epic. Current BLS and on track for the NBRC TMC exam in 2027.
Respiratory Therapist summary (mid level)
Respiratory Therapist with 4 years of respiratory care in adult ICU, emergency and pulmonary rehab settings at Pittsburgh hospitals. Manages mechanical ventilation, BiPAP and CPAP, delivers oxygen therapy and chest physiotherapy, and works independently on night shift as the sole therapist for 2 units. Holds the RRT credential and a Pennsylvania license.
Lead Respiratory Therapist summary (senior level)
Lead Respiratory Therapist with 8 years of respiratory care, including 3 years as lead for a 34-therapist department. Runs shift assignments, staff scheduling and equipment readiness for 4 ICUs, handles ventilator management on the most complex patients, and leads the department's quality improvement work. RRT-ACCS credentialed with a bachelor's degree in respiratory therapy.
Write respiratory therapist experience bullets
- Give patient load per shift, such as 8 ICU ventilator patients or 14 to 18 floor patients with oxygen and aerosol therapy.
- Count high-acuity work: codes and rapid responses, intubations you set up for, high-risk deliveries or bronchoscopies.
- Show results that tie to care quality, such as fewer intubations, shorter ventilator days or critical gas values called within 10 minutes.
- For lead and supervisor roles, add therapists you assign or precept, scheduling and overtime results and survey outcomes.
Respiratory Therapist experience bullets
- Handle ventilator management for 8 ICU patients a shift, adjusting settings with intensivists during daily rounds.
- Started BiPAP and CPAP on 25 emergency patients a month, helping cut COPD intubations on the unit by 15%.
- Performed airway management during 70 intubations and 40 codes as the respiratory member of the response team.
- Precepted 6 respiratory therapy students from 2 local programs through their ICU rotations.
Pick the skills for a respiratory therapist resume
- The skills most specific to this job are airway management, oxygen therapy and ventilator management (about 9% of postings each), blood gas analysis (about 5%) and critical thinking (about 5%); list them and show each in a bullet.
- Communication (about 21%) and interpersonal skills (about 12%) are the skills named most; show them through handoffs, rounds and patient teaching.
Do's and don'ts
Do this
- Write the full credential and issuing body, such as RRT from the NBRC, plus your state license.
- Put your degree and accredited program on the page; about 39% of employers ask for an associate degree in respiratory therapy.
- List clinical rotation hours and units if you are a student or new graduate.
- Include patient education and equipment work; employers list both among the main duties.
Avoid this
- Don't write "provided respiratory care" without the therapies, units and patient counts.
- Don't leave out expiring or missing life support cards; list BLS and the others with dates.
- Don't skip documentation; accurate charting is one of the duties employers name most.
- Don't include patient names or identifying details in your bullets.
Related resume examples
- Nurse Anesthetist
- EMT
- Neurodiagnostic Technologist
- Physician Assistant
- Nurse Practitioner
- Athletic Trainer
- Registered Nurse
- Medical Assistant
Respiratory Therapist resume questions
What should a respiratory therapist resume include?
Your credential and state license, a short summary of the units and therapies you know, jobs with patient loads and high-acuity counts, a skills list and your life support cards. About 50% of employers ask for the RRT, about 39% for an accredited associate degree and about 18% for current BLS. The duty they name most is giving respiratory treatments and checking the patient's response.
How much experience do respiratory therapist jobs ask for?
Of the 1,719 postings that state experience, the median ask is 1 year, and about 56% ask for a year or less. About 20% of employers write at least 1 year of clinical respiratory therapy experience. Lead respiratory therapist examples on this page ask for about 2 years and supervisor examples for about 3.
How do I write a registered respiratory therapist resume?
Put the RRT and license first, then show ventilator management, blood gas analysis, airway management and patient assessment with ICU volumes. Registered Respiratory Therapist is used by 180 employers in this data, and Respiratory Therapist by 648, so match the title in the posting. Add ACLS and PALS if you work in critical care.
How do I write a respiratory therapy student or new grad resume?
Lead with your accredited program, expected graduation and clinical hours by unit, then rotation bullets with counts of treatments, ventilator checks and blood gases done under supervision. List current BLS and when you plan to sit the NBRC exams. Many jobs are open to new therapists, since about 56% of postings that state experience ask for a year or less.
What is the difference between a CRT and an RRT on a resume?
The CRT is the entry credential from the NBRC and the RRT is the advanced one, and employers ask for the RRT far more often. If you hold the CRT, list it with the date you plan to take the RRT clinical simulation exam. Certified Respiratory Therapist is used by 49 employers in this data.
What should a lead respiratory therapist resume show?
Show the department and shift you run: therapists assigned, units covered, scheduling and overtime results and quality projects with outcomes, such as shorter ventilator days. Keep your hardest clinical work on the page too. List the RRT and any specialty credential, such as RRT-ACCS.