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Respiratory Therapist Resume Examples & Templates

Compare 4 Respiratory Therapist resume examples from New Grad Respiratory Therapist to Lead Respiratory Therapist, with salary benchmarks ($58,000 - $140,000) and the exact skills hiring managers screen for.

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New Grad Respiratory Therapist$58,000 - $72,000

Professional New Grad Respiratory Therapist resume example. Get hired faster with our ATS-optimized template.

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Respiratory Therapist$72,000 - $90,000

Professional Respiratory Therapist resume example. Get hired faster with our ATS-optimized template.

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Senior Respiratory Therapist$90,000 - $110,000

Professional Senior Respiratory Therapist resume example. Get hired faster with our ATS-optimized template.

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Lead Respiratory Therapist$110,000 - $140,000

Professional Lead Respiratory Therapist resume example. Get hired faster with our ATS-optimized template.

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Why This Resume Works

Quantified caseload from day one

Most new grads list duties with no numbers. Stating exact patient and sample volumes per shift makes this resume read like an experienced therapist's, not a beginner's.

Every bullet opens with a strong verb

Delivered, Set up and monitored, Performed. Action verbs prove you drove the work rather than observed it, which matters most when experience is thin.

Ownership through early escalation

Catching deterioration and escalating before intubation shows clinical judgment and accountability, the exact instincts hiring managers want from a new RRT.

Collaboration signals even at entry level

Working alongside the ICU team and learning under licensed preceptors shows you function inside a care team, not in isolation.

Domain depth in context, not a keyword list

ABG analysis and oxygen therapy appear inside real tasks with volumes and outcomes, proving genuine competence rather than a skills dump.

Switch between levels for specific recommendations

Key Skills

  • Mechanical ventilation setup and monitoring
  • Arterial blood gas (ABG) sampling and analysis
  • Oxygen therapy and delivery devices
  • Airway management and suctioning
  • Nebulizer and bronchodilator therapy
  • BLS/CPR certification
  • Electronic health record charting (Epic, Cerner)
  • ACLS certification
  • BiPAP and CPAP setup
  • Pulmonary function testing basics
  • Patient and family education
  • ICU ventilator management
  • ABG analysis and interpretation
  • Intubation support and airway management
  • BiPAP/CPAP and noninvasive ventilation
  • High-flow nasal cannula therapy
  • Tracheostomy care
  • Pulmonary function tests (PFT)
  • Bronchoscopy assistance
  • Ventilator weaning protocols
  • PALS certification
  • RRT credential
  • Advanced ventilator management and weaning protocols
  • ECMO support and management
  • ABG analysis and acid-base interpretation
  • Difficult airway and intubation support
  • Precepting and clinical mentorship
  • Quality improvement and protocol development
  • Adult Critical Care Specialty (ACCS) competency
  • Neonatal and pediatric ventilation (NPS)
  • Advanced pulmonary function testing
  • Research and evidence-based practice
  • Charge and shift leadership
  • Respiratory care department operations
  • Staffing and scheduling
  • Ventilator and equipment capital planning
  • Policy and protocol development
  • Regulatory compliance and accreditation (Joint Commission)
  • Budget and resource management
  • Clinical leadership and team development
  • ECMO program oversight
  • Quality and patient safety metrics
  • Interdisciplinary collaboration with physicians
  • Data analysis and operational reporting

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Salary Ranges (US)

New Grad Respiratory Therapist
$58,000 - $72,000
Respiratory Therapist
$72,000 - $90,000
Senior Respiratory Therapist
$90,000 - $110,000
Lead Respiratory Therapist
$110,000 - $140,000

Frequently Asked Questions

Lead with your clinical rotations: name the units (ICU, ED, NICU), hours completed, and patient populations. Highlight your NBRC exam status (CRT or RRT), your license number and state, and BLS/ACLS certifications. Detail the modalities you practiced (mechanical ventilation setup, ABG sampling, oxygen therapy, nebulizer therapy) and the equipment and EHR systems you trained on. Quantify student work wherever you can, such as patients per shift or treatments performed.

Put your RRT after your name in the header (for example, Jordan Lee, RRT) and repeat it in a dedicated credentials section with your NBRC credential, license number, state, and expiry. Add BLS, ACLS, and any specialty credentials (ACCS, NPS) on separate lines with dates. Keeping credentials visible at the top helps both the recruiter and the ATS confirm you are qualified in seconds.

If you hold the RRT, lead with it: it is the advanced NBRC credential most ICU and acute care employers prefer, and many postings list it as required. List the CRT as well if it is your only credential, but prioritize earning the RRT. If you hold both, the RRT is the one to feature after your name; you can note the CRT in your credentials section for completeness.

Weave in the terms recruiters and ATS filters search for: mechanical ventilation, ventilator management, ABG analysis, oxygen therapy, airway management, intubation support, BiPAP/CPAP, high-flow nasal cannula, nebulizer and bronchodilator therapy, tracheostomy care, pulmonary function tests, ECMO, weaning protocols, ICU experience, and your credentials (RRT, CRT, NBRC, BLS, ACLS). Only include terms that match real experience, and integrate them into bullets rather than stuffing a keyword list.

Build a Clinical Experience section that treats each rotation like a job: site, unit (ICU, ED, NICU), hours, and the modalities you ran (mechanical ventilation setup, ABG sampling, oxygen therapy, nebulizer therapy). Add a credentials block with your CRT or RRT, license, BLS, and ACLS. Include your degree, clinical GPA, and any student society or volunteer leadership. Quantify whatever you can and name the ventilator brands and EHR you used.

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