Travel RT assignments suit therapists who like vent management, fast-moving critical care and variety between hospitals. Here is what the work is really like, what facilities expect, what it tends to pay, and how to land your first contract.
You usually sign a 13-week contract, most often three 12-hour shifts a week, covering a respiratory department that is short staffed. Expect vent management, breathing treatments, ABGs, code and rapid response calls, and a short orientation before you take a full assignment.
Hospitals differ a lot. A large academic center may have dedicated ICU, neonatal and ED therapists, while a community hospital often expects you to cover the whole house. Ask which areas you would cover and how many ventilated patients you would typically carry.
Most facilities want an RRT credential and one to two years of recent hospital experience. BLS and ACLS are standard, and NRP or PALS may be required for neonatal and pediatric coverage. Facilities also run license verification, background checks and health clearance, so having your records organized speeds up your start date.
Travel RT packages commonly land in the range of roughly $2,000 to $2,500 gross per week, with night shifts, critical care coverage, high-demand markets and short-notice starts paying above that. The package mixes taxable hourly wages with, where you qualify, non-taxable stipends, so compare the full breakdown rather than the headline.
Our guide to how a weekly travel package is built explains the pieces, and the same structure applies to respiratory therapy.
Employment of respiratory therapists is projected to grow about 12% from 2024 to 2034, much faster than average, with roughly 8,800 openings a year. Chronic lung disease, an aging population and winter respiratory season keep hospital departments stretched, and many hospitals fill gaps with contract therapists, especially for nights and ICU coverage.
Tell a recruiter what you have actually managed: unit types, vent modes, ECMO or transport exposure and typical patient loads. Keep your credentials and immunization records ready and stay flexible on start date. To compare options, browse the critical care respiratory specialties, the travel ICU nurse guide to see how neighboring teams work, and the full jobs overview.
Most are 13 weeks, with some at 8 or 26 weeks. Hospitals often offer extensions if the department is still short and you want to stay.
Most travel contracts ask for an RRT. Some facilities will consider a CRT, usually for narrower roles, so tell your recruiter which credential you hold.
Usually a shift or two covering the EMR, equipment and protocols. You are expected to take a full assignment quickly, so ask what orientation looks like before you accept.
Often yes within what the department needs. Nights carry a differential. Confirm the schedule and any guaranteed hours in writing.
No. Placement is free to you. The facility pays our fee.
Two minutes now saves a dozen irrelevant calls later. We only get in touch when something genuinely matches your specialty, your states and the schedule you actually want.
Tell us your experience, the states you will work and the schedule you want. We only reach out when a role matches.