Respiratory Therapy vs Physical Therapy
What is a respiratory therapist (RT)?
Respiratory therapists assess people for lung and breathing disorders and provide appropriate treatment modalities, perform physical exams of the chest, analyze breath sounds, manage breathing-assistance equipment like ventilators and artificial airways, respond to code blues in hospitals, and educate patients, families, and caregivers about lung disease and patient-specific treatments. They can practice at 2 levels: certified (national multiple choice exam) and registered (national clinical simulation exam, only taken after passing certification).
"Respiratory Therapy 2015" by Skyline College PR & Marketing is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0.
What are the big differences between RT and PT?
There is some overlap in what respiratory and physical therapists are able to do but RTs really focus on a patient’s breathing capabilities and may have concerns about how exercise from PT may impact lung function, while PTs really focus on a patient’s overall movement capabilities and how someone’s lung function may be limiting their ability to be active.
There are also differences in educational requirements. The minimum level of education required to be a respiratory therapist is an associate’s degree. However, the field is advancing and required skills are becoming more complex, so a bachelor’s or master’s is recommended if you want to pursue this career. The minimum level of education required to be a physical therapist is a doctorate degree.
Licensing for both RTs and PTs is tested at the national level and awarded at the state level, with the exception of no license requirement for respiratory therapists to practice in Alaska.
"Respiratory Therapy 2015" by Skyline College PR & Marketing is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0.
How do respiratory therapists and physical therapists work together?
Typically, this occurs in the hospital setting. Physical therapists are often the first healthcare professional to get people up and out of bed or to challenge a patient’s cardiopulmonary system. Titrating oxygen (within physician orders), educating in breathing and coughing techniques, performing skills to clear airways, and a basic lung exam are all within a PT’s scope of practice, so they can do a lot but having a conversation with a patient’s RT can provide additional insight into a specific individual’s circumstances. Sometimes, especially for patients with complex pulmonary equipment setups, physical therapists may request assistance from respiratory therapists during a treatment session because there’s a lot to manage and it’s safer for the patient to have more hands on deck. Movement and activity usually improves independent cardiopulmonary function, so I hope that respiratory therapists get excited about their patients getting PT!
To sum it up, there’s a lot of differences between these 2 professions, some overlap, and they can make a great team when working together!
If you’d like to learn more, try these pages:
National Board for Respiratory Care - Certified RT
