Respiratory therapist job description template: unit, CRT or RRT, state license and the 2027 NBRC exam change
On this page
"Respiratory therapist, all shifts, RRT preferred." That line hides almost everything a therapist uses to decide: whether the job is adult ICU ventilator management or neonatal transport, how many patients and treatments fill a shift, whether the therapist intubates or runs the ABG lab, and whether "preferred" means a CRT can actually get the offer. Respiratory care is also in the middle of an exam change, which makes vague credential lines riskier than usual. A useful respiratory therapist job description names the unit and patient population, the procedures the therapist performs on their own protocols, the license and credential in your state's terms, the shift pattern and coverage, and the onboarding. Below are the seat types, the credential lines with sources, a copy-ready template, screening and scorecard rows, and common mistakes. For the call itself, use the respiratory therapist screening questions.
Not legal advice. The licensing and credential points below were checked against the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, the National Board for Respiratory Care (NBRC) and the Respiratory Care Board of California as of October 2026. State rules differ and change; confirm with your state board before posting.
Name the unit and the patient mix
| Seat | What the shift looks like | Must-have that separates it |
|---|---|---|
| Adult critical care | Ventilator management, weaning protocols, ABGs, rapid responses and codes, transport to CT | Recent ICU ventilator experience; comfort leading airway care in a code |
| Neonatal and pediatric (NICU, PICU) | Neonatal ventilators and noninvasive support, delivery room attendance, surfactant, transport | NICU or PICU experience; NRP and PALS; the NBRC Neonatal/Pediatric Specialist (NPS) credential where required |
| General floors and emergency department | Treatments and assessments on a large patient list, BiPAP starts, ED airway support | Prioritizing a long treatment list; protocol-driven assessment |
| Pulmonary function or sleep lab | Scheduled testing, quality control, reporting to physicians, outpatient hours | PFT or sleep testing experience; the NBRC CPFT or RPFT, or the Sleep Disorders Specialist (SDS) credential, if the lab requires it |
| Long-term acute care, skilled nursing or home care | Chronic ventilator and tracheostomy patients, family teaching, equipment setup at home | Long-term vent and trach care; teaching families; driving for home visits |
Then settle with the department manager: the typical patient or treatment load per shift (as an estimate), the procedures your protocols let therapists perform without a separate order, whether therapists intubate or place arterial lines, whether they cover the ED and transport, and the schedule (for example, three 12-hour shifts with every third weekend, labelled as your actual pattern). Those details decide fit far better than "one year of experience."
License and credential lines
Education and licensure. The BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook profile for respiratory therapists (last modified August 27, 2026) says respiratory therapists typically need at least an associate's degree from an accredited respiratory therapy program, that they are licensed in every state except Alaska, and that some employers require the RRT before hire or within a set time on the job.
CRT and RRT today. Both credentials come from the NBRC. Through 2026, the Therapist Multiple-Choice Examination has two cut scores: the low cut earns the CRT, and the high cut earns the CRT and makes the candidate eligible for the Clinical Simulation Examination; passing that earns the RRT.
What changes in January 2027. The NBRC says it will replace both exams with a single Respiratory Therapy Examination, where the low cut score earns the CRT and the high cut score earns the RRT. The Clinical Simulation Examination stays available through December 31, 2027, for candidates who passed the TMC at the high cut before December 31, 2026 (NBRC announcement). For a posting, that means a recent graduate may hold the CRT and be partway through the old route or about to take the new exam; ask where they are rather than assuming.
A state example. California shows how specific state rules can be. The Respiratory Care Board of California requires completion of a program accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care, at least an associate degree, the RRT (unless the applicant earned the CRT before January 1, 2015) and a board-approved law and professional ethics course. Write "active California respiratory care practitioner license" rather than "licensed."
The respiratory therapist job description template
Respiratory Therapist — [Adult ICU / NICU-PICU / General and ED /
PFT Lab / LTACH / Home Care] — [Days / Nights / Rotating], [N]-hour
shifts
[Organization], [city, state]
Pay: $[min]–$[max] per hour, plus [night, weekend and on-call
differentials]. [Benefits summary, if required.]
SUMMARY
You will care for [patient population] in [unit], with a typical
load of about [N] patients or [N] treatments a shift (an estimate).
Schedule: [pattern, weekends, holidays]. You will report to the
[respiratory care manager / lead therapist] and work with [N]
therapists per shift.
WHAT YOU WILL DO
- Assess patients and deliver therapy under our protocols:
[aerosol, airway clearance, oxygen titration].
- Set up, manage and wean [invasive / noninvasive] ventilation;
document ventilator checks every [N] hours.
- Draw and analyze arterial blood gases [and run the blood gas
analyzer].
- Respond to rapid responses, codes [and deliveries]; manage the
airway with the team.
- [Intubate / assist with intubation], per credentialing.
- [Transport ventilated patients within the hospital / by
ground or air.]
- Teach patients and families [inhaler use, home equipment].
YOU MUST HAVE
- Graduation from an accredited respiratory care program
[associate degree or higher].
- [RRT / CRT, with RRT within (N) months of hire.]
- Active [state] respiratory care license [or eligible before
start].
- Current BLS and [ACLS / PALS / NRP].
- [N] [months / years] in [unit], or new graduates welcome with a
[N]-week orientation.
NICE TO HAVE
- NBRC specialty credential for the unit [ACCS / NPS / SDS].
- Experience with [ventilator models], [ECMO / nitric oxide].
If you meet the must-haves and none of these, please apply.
ONBOARDING
[N]-week orientation with a preceptor. Respirator fit testing and
required immunizations are completed after the offer.
[EEO STATEMENT]
To request an adjustment to apply or interview, contact [contact].Pay and EEO
Post the hourly range and every differential. The BLS profile linked above publishes pay data for respiratory therapists; this page does not quote figures. Close with a short EEO statement and an accommodation contact. Fit testing, immunization records and other health information belong after a conditional offer; see pre-employment medical exams and the ADA.
From must-haves to screening questions and scorecard rows
| Must-have | Screening question | Scorecard competency | Evidence of a strong answer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Credential and license | "Do you hold the CRT or the RRT, and which state licenses are active now?" | Not scored: verified with the NBRC and the state board | Exact credentials and license states; a date for the RRT if still pending |
| Ventilator management | "Your patient on volume control has rising peak pressures with a stable plateau. What are you thinking and what do you check?" | Clinical reasoning | Recognizes an airway resistance problem; checks the tube, secretions and bronchospasm before changing settings |
| ABG interpretation | "pH 7.28, PaCO2 58, HCO3 26 on a COPD patient on BiPAP. What does it show and what do you do?" | Clinical reasoning | Acute respiratory acidosis; adjusts support, reassesses and escalates per protocol |
| Workload | "On your last unit, how many patients or treatments did you carry, and how did you prioritize when two codes hit?" | Prioritization | A real number, a triage approach, asks for help early |
| Communication | "Tell me about a time you disagreed with a physician's ventilator order. What happened?" | Collaboration and safety | Raised the concern with data, used the chain of command if needed, documented |
To find candidates for hard-to-fill shifts, the boolean search strings for respiratory therapists cover CRT, RRT and unit terms. For panel rounds and consistent scoring across clinical roles, see the interview guide for healthcare roles.
Common mistakes in respiratory therapist job descriptions
"RRT preferred" without a decision
If a CRT can get the job, say so and give the deadline to earn the RRT. If they cannot, write "RRT required." In a state that requires the RRT for licensure, "preferred" is simply wrong.
Ignoring the 2027 exam change
Candidates finishing school now may follow either route. A posting that names only the CSE will confuse them by spring.
No unit or load
An adult ICU therapist and a NICU therapist are rarely interchangeable on day one. Name the unit and the typical load.
Health questions on the application
Fit testing and immunizations are real requirements, but they belong after the offer.
Before you publish
- The unit, patient population and typical load are in the summary.
- The credential line says CRT or RRT, with any deadline.
- The license line uses your state's term.
- Procedures, transport and code duties match your protocols.
- Shift pattern, differentials, EEO statement and accommodation contact are present.
Questions people ask
Should a respiratory therapist posting require the RRT?
It depends on the unit and the state. BLS notes that some employers require the RRT before hire or within a set time on the job, and some states require it for licensure: California, for example, requires the RRT unless the applicant earned the CRT before January 1, 2015. If you accept the CRT with a deadline to earn the RRT, say how long the candidate has.
What changes with the NBRC exams in 2027?
The NBRC says that in January 2027 it replaces the Therapist Multiple-Choice Examination and the Clinical Simulation Examination with a single Respiratory Therapy Examination. A candidate who reaches the low cut score earns the CRT and one who reaches the high cut score earns the RRT. Candidates who passed the TMC at the high cut before December 31, 2026 can still take the CSE through December 31, 2027.
Do all states license respiratory therapists?
BLS says respiratory therapists are licensed in every state except Alaska, where national certification is recommended. Requirements vary, so write the license line for your state and check the state respiratory care board or medical board before posting.
Can the posting ask about vaccinations or N95 fit?
The posting can say that fit testing and the vaccines your policy requires are part of onboarding. Questions about health status or medical conditions belong after a conditional offer, under the ADA's rules for medical inquiries, so leave them off the application.