Interviewing and Preparing to Enter the Respiratory Care Profession



Interviewing and Preparing to Enter the Respiratory Care Profession



Objectives


Upon the completion of the chapter activities and content review topics, the student should be able to:


1. Explain the credentialing process.


2. Identify specialty credentials.


3. Explain the licensure process.


4. Write a resume.


5. Construct a cover letter.


6. Identify the difference between a resumé and a curriculum vitae.


7. Prepare effectively for the interview process.


8. Use communication strategies during the interview process.



Key Terms












Content Review Topics




In the last few years, you have prepared, developed, and implemented a plan to become a successful respiratory therapist (RT). The positive attitude and the time management skills you applied toward school and clinical education can now be implemented to obtain a position as an RT. The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines a profession as “a calling requiring specialized knowledge and often long and intensive academic preparation.” As you prepare to enter your new profession, you must remember that just because school is over, it does not mean that you can stop learning. Journals such as Respiratory Care are great resources. Also, becoming a member of the American Association for Respiratory Care (AARC) and your state respiratory care society is critical to your success and longevity as an RT.



Preparing to Enter the Field of Respiratory Care


Credentials and Licensure


Before you apply for a job as an RT, you must obtain your credentials. The National Board for Respiratory Care, Inc. (NBRC) is the certifying board that evaluates the professional competence of an RT. A list of all the NBRC examinations, as well as an examination awarded by the National Asthma Educator Certification Board (NAECB), is provided in Box 30-1.



Box 30-1   NBRC Examinations




• Certified Respiratory Therapist (CRT)


    The Entry Level CRT Examination is designed to objectively measure essential knowledge, skills, and abilities required of entry-level respiratory therapists.


• Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT)


    The Registry Examination System was developed to objectively measure essential knowledge, skills, and abilities required of advanced respiratory therapists and to set uniform standards for measuring such knowledge.


• Certified Pulmonary Function Technologist (CPFT)


    The Entry Level CPFT Examination is designed to objectively measure essential knowledge, skills, and abilities required of entry-level pulmonary function technologists at beginning practice.


• Registered Pulmonary Function Technologist (RPFT)


    The RPFT Examination is designed to objectively measure essential knowledge, skills, and abilities required of an advanced pulmonary function technologist.


• Neonatal/Pediatric Respiratory Care Specialist (CRT-NPS or RRT-NPS)


    The Neonatal/Pediatric Respiratory Care Specialty Examination is designed to objectively measure essential knowledge, skills, and abilities required of respiratory therapists in this specialty area.


• Adult Critical Care Specialty Examination (RRT-ACCS)


    The Adult Critical Care Specialty Examination is designed to objectively measure essential knowledge, skills, and abilities required of respiratory therapists in this specialty area.


• Sleep Disorders Testing and Therapeutic Intervention Respiratory Care Specialist (CRT-SDS or RRT-SDS)


    The Specialty Examination for Respiratory Therapists Performing Sleep Disorders Testing and Therapeutic Intervention is designed to objectively measure essential knowledge, skills, and abilities required of respiratory therapists in this specialty area.


• Credential awarded by the National Asthma Educator Certification Board (NAECB)



First, you must obtain your credential as a certified respiratory therapist (CRT). This 3-hour entry-level examination consists of 160 multiple-choice questions. Twenty of these questions are pretest items and are not graded, and the other 140 questions are scored. The major content areas include clinical data, equipment, and therapeutic procedures. Presently, the cost to take this examination is $190, and the examination eligibility criteria are listed in Box 30-2.



Box 30-2   Admission Requirements for CRT Examination Eligibility




1. Applicants shall be 18 years of age or older.


2. Applicants shall satisfy ONE of the following educational requirements:



a. Applicants shall have a minimum of an associate degree from a respiratory therapist education program (1) supported or accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care (CoARC), or (2) accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) and graduated on or before November 11, 2009.


b. Applicants enrolled in an accredited respiratory therapy program in an institution offering a baccalaureate degree may be admitted to the CRT Examination with a “special certificate of completion” issued by a sponsoring educational institution. The CoARC will authorize such institutions to issue the “special certificate of completion” at the advanced-level following completion of the science, general academic, and respiratory therapy coursework commensurate with the requirements for accreditation.



image Tip Make sure you have a valid form of identification with you when you take your examination.



image Reality Check Calculators cannot be used in credentialing examinations.

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  1. Quality and Evidence-based Respiratory Care
  2. Humidity and Bland Aerosol Therapy
  3. Pulmonary Rehabilitation
  4. Polysomnography Technology

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Jun 12, 2016 | Posted by in RESPIRATORY | Comments Off on Interviewing and Preparing to Enter the Respiratory Care Profession

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