Overview
Respiratory Care Technology is an allied health speciality that includes the provision of support in examination, testing, diagnosis, treatment, and monitoring of people with cardiopulmonary inadequacies and abnormalities. It is practised under the supervision of a licenced physician who specialises in acute respiratory failure and acute respiratory distress syndrome in intensive care, as well as interventional procedures such as bronchial thermoplasty and the placement of stents and chest drains.
Diagnostic modalities assisted by Respiratory Care Technologists include bronchoscopy, thoracoscopy, ultrasonography, and lung function tests. Technologists are involved in the diagnostic testing and sample collection of patients suffering from respiratory diseases or disorders such as asthma, chronic bronchitis, and pneumonia.
The profession is in high demand at medical and surgical centres due to the advanced skills required to operate and monitor patients while under treatment. The demand for trained and skilled Respiratory Care technologists is growing quickly in clinics, physician's private offices, medical colleges, hospitals, nursing homes, critical care centres and super specialty hospitals.