respiratory therapy technician
Key facts
Are you passionate about helping people breathe easier? As a respiratory therapy technician, you’ll play a vital role in patient care, working alongside medical professionals to treat respiratory illnesses and support patients during surgical procedures.
Respiratory therapy technicians are essential members of healthcare teams, providing direct support to doctors and surgeons in the treatment of respiratory conditions. Your daily work involves operating specialized medical equipment to assess patients’ lung function, administering therapeutic treatments, and ensuring the proper functioning of breathing apparatus during surgeries. You’ll be working in hospitals and other medical facilities, constantly monitoring and adjusting treatments to optimize patient outcomes.
- • Administering respiratory treatments, such as oxygen therapy and nebulizer treatments.
- • Monitoring patients' vital signs and respiratory function during procedures and treatments.
- • Operating and maintaining medical equipment, including ventilators and pulse oximeters.
Where this occupation is in demand
Reported labour shortages and surpluses, by year. Published for occupation groups, not for individual job titles.
Deeper colour: reported the same way in more consecutive years.
Figures cover Health associate professionals — 49 jobs including this one.
In shortage: Bulgaria, Germany, Greece, Italy and 1 more.
Longest-running shortage: Norway, 3 years.
Where it is regulated, your qualification would need formal recognition before you could practise.
Select a place on the map to see its figures.
About this source›
Source: ELA/EURES labour shortages and surpluses. Readings are published at occupation-group level, and cover Europe. Editions differ in annex layout and country coverage, so a change between years does not always mean the labour market changed. Countries in grey were not reported, which is not the same as being in balance.
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Could respiratory therapy technician fit you?
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Future Outlook for respiratory therapy technician
The outlook for respiratory therapy technician is exceptionally stable. While AI tools will assist with daily tasks, the core of this role relies on human judgment, resulting in a high resilience score of 82%.
How are these scores calculated?
The Resilience Score (0–100) estimates how structurally protected this occupation is from automation and AI disruption, based on task-level analysis. Higher scores mean more human-judgment-intensive tasks. AI Exposure shows the estimated percentage of task hours that current AI capabilities could affect. These are model-derived structural indicators, not predictions about individual job security.
How could respiratory therapy technician change as AI adoption grows?
Human judgement, trust, and context remain strong protectors for this role.
Illustrative scenario based on task automatability — not a forecast. Values are rounded the further ahead you look.
How could respiratory therapy technician change as AI adoption grows?
Human judgement, trust, and context remain strong protectors for this role.
Illustrative scenario based on task automatability — not a forecast. Values are rounded the further ahead you look.
How AI may change this role
Deterministic, model-based interpretation of current role signals — not a guarantee of replacement.
What still depends on people
- contribute to continuity of health care
- comply with quality standards related to healthcare practice
- comply with legislation related to health care
Where AI may become a co-pilot
- operate breathing equipment
- operate heart-lung machines
Tasks most exposed to automation
No single task here is highly automatable yet.
Vital Signs & AI Vectors
AI Exposure Vectors
0-100%Exposure to AI-assisted analysis, pattern recognition, and predictive modelling tasks
Exposure to content generation, creative augmentation, and large language model tools
Exposure to physical automation, robotics, and sensor-driven task displacement
Exposure to workflow automation, decision-support software, and process digitisation
Technical Details
NexFuture v3.0 estimates automation exposure natively from ESCO essential-skill groups, weighted by skill mass and calibrated against expert anchors. Scores are probabilistic estimates, not guarantees. See the NexFuture Methodology White Paper for full details.
Measures automation exposure. It does not measure pay, demand, or how many jobs exist near you.
What people in this role usually do
Healthcare & Human Services
A typical day as a respiratory therapy technician
09 09:00 · Morning apply context specific clinical competences
10 10:30 · Mid-morning carry out invasive cardiovascular procedures
12 12:00 · Midday comply with quality standards related to healthcare practice
14 14:00 · Afternoon contribute to continuity of health care
15 15:30 · Late afternoon ensure safety of healthcare users
17 17:00 · Wrap-up operate breathing equipment
Task order is illustrative. Individual days vary.
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clinical perfusion
The health science related to the artificial pumping of blood and oxygen in a person's body, also known as extra-corporeal circulation.
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respiratory medicine
Respiratory medicine is a medical specialty mentioned in the EU Directive 2005/36/EC.
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respiratory therapy
Treatment focused on the management of the airways in various medical conditions or situations such as emergency or trauma.
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emergency surgery
The characteristics and methods of a surgical intervention performed in emergency cases.
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rehabilitation of all organ systems
The principles of physical medicine and rehabilitation of all organ systems as related to physiotherapy.
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surgery
The essential procedures in surgical practice such as the principle of safe surgery, the pathophysiology of wound healing, knot tying, tissue handling, retraction and any other instruments and procedures used in the operating room.
- health care legislation
- human anatomy
- hygiene in a health care setting
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comply with quality standards related to healthcare practice
Apply quality standards related to risk management, safety procedures, patients feedback, screening and medical devices in daily practice, as they are recognized by the national professional associations and authorities.
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comply with legislation related to health care
Comply with the regional and national health legislation which regulates relations between suppliers, payers, vendors of the healthcare industry and patients, and the delivery of healthcare services.
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ensure safety of healthcare users
Make sure that healthcare users are being treated professionally, effectively and safe from harm, adapting techniques and procedures according to the person's needs, abilities or the prevailing conditions.
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operate breathing equipment
Operate breathing equipment and machines to ensure the patient is administred oxygen during surgery.
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operate heart-lung machines
Utilise heart-lung machines to pump blood and oxygen through the patient's body. Ensure patients are safe and correctly connected to the machine before surgery. Operate the heart-lung machine during surgery and monitor the patients vital functions. Disconnect the equipment after surgery.
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contribute to continuity of health care
Contribute to the delivery of coordinated and continuous healthcare.
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communicate in healthcare
Communicate effectively with patients, families and other caregivers, health care professionals, and community partners.
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apply context specific clinical competences
Apply professional and evidence based assessment, goal setting, delivery of intervention and evaluation of clients, taking into account the developmental and contextual history of the clients, within one`s own scope of practice.
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work in multidisciplinary health teams
Participate in the delivery of multidisciplinary health care, and understand the rules and competences of other healthcare related professions.
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carry out invasive cardiovascular procedures
Carry out invasive procedures on the thoracic area, such as cardiac catheterisations, defibrillator implants, and pacemaker insertion.
Skill DNA
Work personality traits and values that define this role
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Where does respiratory therapy technician fit?
Similarity scores based on skill overlap from ESCO data.
Frequently asked questions
- What kind of education or training is required to become a respiratory therapy technician?
- Typically, respiratory therapy technicians complete a certificate or associate’s degree program in respiratory therapy. These programs include coursework in anatomy, physiology, and respiratory care techniques, alongside clinical practice.
- What are the typical working conditions for a respiratory therapy technician?
- You’ll primarily work in hospital settings, surgical suites, and other medical facilities. The work can be physically demanding, requiring you to stand for extended periods and assist patients with mobility. Exposure to infectious diseases is a potential occupational hazard, so adherence to safety protocols is crucial.
- What skills are important for success as a respiratory therapy technician?
- Strong attention to detail, excellent communication skills, and the ability to work effectively under pressure are vital. Technical proficiency in operating and maintaining respiratory equipment, along with a compassionate and patient-focused approach, are also essential.
- Respiratory Therapy Technician — is there a shortage in Europe?
- Both, depending where. Of the 10 European countries that assessed this occupation group in 2025, 5 reported a shortage and 5 a surplus. These assessments are published per occupation group rather than per job title.
- Respiratory Therapy Technician — what does it pay in the United States?
- $80,450 a year at the median, as of 2025-05. State medians run from $35,000 to $111,950. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics. This is a United States figure and not a projection for Europe.
- Respiratory Therapy Technician — is it a regulated profession?
- It is listed as a regulated profession in 5 European countries: Germany, Italy, Switzerland, Portugal and 1 more. The lowest qualification level required among them is EQF 3. Where a profession is regulated, a qualification earned elsewhere has to be formally recognised before you can practise. Source: EU Regulated Professions Database.