New roles for respiratory therapists: expanding the scope of practice.

With diverse training and experience, respiratory therapists enjoy a wide variety of employment opportunities. The profession is moving beyond the traditional acute-care facility, such as a hospital, into extended care, sleep medicine, disease management, patient transport, and even fields beyond health care delivery, such as education and research. Respiratory therapists will survive in these changing times if they possess the ability to recognize change as an opportunity for growth. As the baby boomer generation ages, and the incidence of chronic illness increases, respiratory therapists will be in even greater demand.