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Why We Need More RTs – and How to Help
Respiratory therapists are essential to the health of so many. As our country’s population grows increasingly older, hospitals and physician practices face a critical need for specialized, high-quality respiratory care. The numbers for both current and aspiring respiratory therapists are decreasing, however, causing serious concern about meeting the high demand.
A survey of respiratory care leaders, conducted by the American Association for Respiratory Care (AARC), shows that almost nine in 10 (87 percent) agree or strongly agree there is a current, local shortage of RTs, and 84 percent think a shortage of RTs in the future is likely or very likely. Even before the effects of the pandemic caused a crisis in the field of respiratory care, the RT shortage was becoming a challenge.
Meanwhile, despite the lower numbers of RTs, survey responses from the AARC show widespread agreement that the following factors will continue to drive even higher demand:
While COVID-19 accentuated the need for more RTs, it also complicated and intensified the challenges we face. The sudden increase of respiratory patients led to extremely long hours and high stress levels for RTs. Some decided to leave the profession. Others left full-time employment to join more lucrative traveling respiratory teams that were contracted to treat patients throughout the country.
What key factors are driving the shortage of RTs and the need to improve recruitment and retention?
With more RTs, not only can we work to meet the higher demand, but we also can increase specialization in critical care and provide respiratory care in emergency departments, intensive care units or other hospital areas. RTs make an invaluable impact in managing life support or ventilation systems, administering aerosol-based medications, managing artificial airways, assessing lung capacity, and many other key functions to help keep patients breathing.
Our Efforts to Deliver Solutions
As part of our goal to bring more respiratory therapists into the profession and advance specialization, the National Board for Respiratory Care (NBRC), the American Association for Respiratory Care (AARC) and the Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care (CoARC) have jointly launched a multi-year, national campaign to:
- Raise public awareness of the value of the respiratory care profession
- Recruit and retain more respiratory therapists
- Identify, shape and inspire new leadership in the profession
How You Can Help
Each of us has something unique to offer this effort to raise awareness and overcome the RT shortage, and we welcome all types of support:
Are you thinking about entering the respiratory care field?
Check out our resources on Becoming an RT to learn more and get started.
Are you an experienced respiratory therapist who wants to help educate new generations of RTs?
Explore more about how you can start that path today.
Do you have a story about the impact of respiratory therapy?
If you are a respiratory therapist, a physician or clinical colleague, a respiratory care educator or student, a patient, or anyone else whose life is affected by the work of RTs, tell us that story to join our collective voice and bolster our power to make a difference.
Do you know an organization that may be interested in funding our effort?
Contact us to introduce potential financial contributors so we can make the most of our campaign.
If we are united in this shared purpose of growing interest, awareness and numbers in the profession, we will strengthen the future by ensuring access to high-quality respiratory care for everyone who needs it. Join us!
How to Make a TikTok Video
- Create or log in to your personal TikTok account.
- If you wish to include music in your video, search for the audio you’d like to use (do not upload copywritten or profane material). Click on the song next to the music icon to open the template, then select “Use this sound” at the bottom of the screen. Note: the use of available explicit (profane) lyrics may result in disqualification.
- Record your video.
- When you have the recorded version you like, select the red check mark to continue.
- Use the “Text” button at the bottom to add your text bubbles to the video. To adjust the timing of the text, click on the text bubble you’ve created, select “Edit” and drag the clip to the chosen length.
- Create a caption to include the following:
- Hashtags: Use #ChooseRT and #MoreRTs
- Disclaimer (use this language): This video content is solely my own and does not necessarily represent the views and perspectives of my employer.
- Once the video is complete, click “Next” to publish it.
As always, patient privacy is extremely important. Please protect patient information appropriately and follow all privacy and social media policies required by your institution. The NBRC is not responsible for your content or its adherence to your institution’s rules and guidelines.
Sources:
1 2020 CoARC Report on Accreditation
2 2021 AARC Human Resources Study
3 Resilience and Burnout Resources in Respiratory Care Departments | Respiratory Care (rcjournal.com)
4 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics 2021-2031