ICU Respiratory Therapist

Who these therapists care for

Ventilated and critically ill adults — vent management, weaning, ABG interpretation and rapid response.

What the shift actually looks like

Six to ten ventilated patients, with rounds, weaning trials, ABG interpretation and every code and rapid response in the building. Therapists in protocol-driven units carry substantially more autonomy.

Credentials and certifications

Typically required

NBRC RRT; ACLS; RRT-ACCS strongly preferred

Typical assignment

Typically 1:6 to 1:10 ventilated patients

What to specify when you send the req

Vent platform, whether therapists drive weaning protocols, and rapid response participation.

Why this role is hard to fill

ACCS is the credential that separates an ICU therapist from a floor therapist, and it is chronically under-specified.

What candidates ask before accepting

Answering these in the req itself shortens the process considerably, because they are the questions that otherwise surface at offer stage and cause declines: Vent platform, whether therapists drive weaning protocols, code team role, and patient load per therapist.

Contract or permanent?

Contract works well for seasonal respiratory volume, which is predictable enough to book ahead at a lower rate. Permanent is the right call for structural gaps — given the growth projections and pipeline constraints, this market is not going to loosen.

Licensure

Respiratory therapists are licensed in 49 states and there is no interstate compact, nor one in progress. Alaska becomes the fiftieth when its licensing provisions take effect in January 2027. Every cross-state hire therefore begins with a fresh application, which is why respiratory fill timelines vary far more by state than nursing timelines do.

How we work this req

Every candidate is spoken to before you see them, with licensure for your state, certifications and unit-specific competency confirmed before submittal. We screen to the credential the unit actually needs rather than the title on the posting. Rates sit inside the ranges on our published cost breakdown.