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NICU Respiratory Therapist

Premature and critically ill neonates — conventional and high-frequency ventilation, surfactant, delivery attendance.

Who these therapists care for

Premature and critically ill neonates — conventional and high-frequency ventilation, surfactant, delivery attendance.

What the shift actually looks like

Conventional and high-frequency ventilation on neonates, surfactant administration, and delivery attendance at short notice. Margins are measured in millilitres.

Credentials and certifications

Typically required
RRT with RRT-NPS; NRP; STABLE
Typical assignment
Typically 1:4 to 1:8 depending on level

What to specify when you send the req

NICU level, high-frequency and nitric oxide use, and delivery room attendance expectations.

Why this role is hard to fill

NPS is effectively mandatory for Level III and IV units and roughly a third of applicants who apply do not hold it.

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: NICU level, high-frequency and nitric oxide use, delivery attendance, and therapist-to-patient load.

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.

Common questions

What certifications does a NICU Respiratory therapist need?

RRT with RRT-NPS; NRP; STABLE.

What is the typical typical assignment in NICU Respiratory?

Typically 1:4 to 1:8 depending on level.

Why is NICU Respiratory hard to fill?

NPS is effectively mandatory for Level III and IV units and roughly a third of applicants who apply do not hold it.

What do candidates ask before accepting a NICU Respiratory assignment?

NICU level, high-frequency and nitric oxide use, delivery attendance, and therapist-to-patient load.

Other units in Neonatal & Pediatric Respiratory

See all respiratory care specialties or our respiratory care staffing overview.

Need NICU Respiratory coverage?

Tell us the ratio, the equipment and the start date, and we will tell you the realistic fill window.