Respiratory therapist assistants are healthcare professionals who help respiratory therapists to care for patients who struggle with heart and breathing issues. An individual who wishes to become a respiratory therapy assistant needs to complete two years of post-secondary training to gain the best job opportunities in the industry. These professionals must handle pressure well, be organized, and be willing to take direction from supervisors, who include physicians.
If you want to become a respiratory therapy assistant, you should consider completing a two-year associate degree program at a vocational school or technical college. Getting into this type of program requires submission of your high school diploma or the equivalent certification. Your school additionally will ask you to fill out an admissions form and might require that you provide a copy of your high school transcript before you can begin learning how to become a respiratory therapist assistant.
A variety of medical classes will teach you how different body systems work during respiratory care aide training. You should specifically study the anatomy and function of the respiratory system as well as that of the closely involved cardiovascular system, which includes the heart. Airway management additionally is an important course that explains how to use industry devices to successfully complete cardiopulmonary resuscitation. This process involves giving a victim chest compressions and mouth-to-mouth breathing if the person is not taking in air correctly and his or her blood circulation is poor. Most employers require that a person who wishes to become a respiratory therapy assistant be certified in this skill area.
Clinical opportunities during a training program to become a respiratory health assistant will give you firsthand experience in this field. You are often required to successfully complete these practicums before you can graduate. They help you to sharpen your skills on maintaining data on patients’ health statuses and demonstrating to patients how to use respiratory equipment at home. Your responsibilities also include regularly assisting respiratory therapists, who are responsible for monitoring patients with breathing difficulties and administering medications to them as indicated.
After completing real-world learning opportunities during a respiratory training program, you must begin looking for jobs in this field. You need to contact your training institution to find out about hospitals near you that are searching for someone who wants to become a respiratory therapy assistant. During interviews with potential supervisors, you should emphasize your skills with setting up respiratory equipment and completing administrative tasks to help to keep track of vital patient data.