As a respiratory therapist, you know a thing or two about adapting: You may work with patients both young and old, and think on your feet to treat diverse pulmonary and breathing issues. If you’re itching to introduce even more variation into your career, you may consider practicing in a new place. 

Can respiratory therapists travel? The answer is yes.

As a travel respiratory therapist, you can deliver respiratory care to patients from various demographics while exploring interesting locations and forming lifelong career connections. Learn how to become a travel respiratory therapist with the support of Host Healthcare. 

Understanding the Role of a Travel Respiratory Therapist

What is a travel respiratory therapist? Like all travel healthcare providers, travel respiratory therapists bring their expertise on the road to patients in need. Depending on experience, travel respiratory therapists can take positions in a variety of clinical settings across the country, including:

  • Hospitals
  • Cardiopulmonary diagnostic labs
  • Cardiopulmonary rehabilitation centers
  • Nursing homes
  • Home health agencies 

Ultimately, patients nationwide require the specialized care of a respiratory therapist like you. During each travel assignment, you can expect to:

  • Evaluate patients with breathing issues
  • Collect and analyze blood and sputum samples
  • Help physicians diagnose lung and breathing disorders
  • Develop individualized respiratory treatment and therapy plans for patients

As a travel respiratory therapist, you can provide essential care to patients in need—while enjoying all the added perks that come with traveling.

The Benefits of Becoming a Travel Respiratory Therapist

Can you travel as a respiratory therapist? Yes, of course. However, you may still be wondering if this path aligns with your overall career goals. Here’s why respiratory therapists like you may pursue travel therapy careers:

  1. Visit exciting places – Becoming a travel respiratory therapist allows you to see the country while improving lives. You won’t feel like a tourist, either. Working with and treating people from the area will help you quickly feel like a local yourself. 
  2. Meet new people – As a travel respiratory therapist, you get to make lasting connections with new patients and coworkers during each assignment.
  3. Improve skills – By working in many different places alongside people with different skill sets, you’ll learn new approaches to respiratory therapy even faster than you would in a stationary position. 
  4. Competitive pay – Travel respiratory therapists often enjoy higher pay rates compared to staff positions, plus benefits like housing stipends and travel reimbursements that can make the financial rewards even more appealing.

Once you decide that becoming a travel respiratory therapist is the right career move for you, take action to make your dream a reality. 

Educational Requirements for Travel Respiratory Therapists

To begin your journey as a travel respiratory therapist, you first need to graduate from an accredited two- or four-year respiratory therapy degree program. 

Healthcare employers will hire respiratory therapists with either an associate’s or bachelor’s degree, though they increasingly seek those with their bachelor’s. 

Respiratory Therapy Certification and Licensing

In addition to your respiratory therapy degree, you need to acquire your respiratory therapy certification. You have two options:

  1. Certified respiratory therapist (CRT) – CRTs have graduated from an accredited degree program and passed the Therapist Multiple-Choice (TMC) Examination. 
  2. Registered respiratory therapist (RRT) – CRTs who earned a high TMC Examination score can then take the Clinical Simulation Examination (CSE) to become an RRT. While both CRTs and RRTs can obtain their state license, most employers regard an RRT credential as the “standard of excellence.”

Additionally, all respiratory therapists must obtain a state license. What does this mean for travel therapists who want to practice outside their primary state? Fortunately, a majority of states participate in the Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC). This pact allows healthcare providers to practice in any NLC state with a multi-state license. 

If you’re interested in specializing in a specific area of respiratory therapy, you’ll need additional licensing to practice it during your travel assignments. Common specializations include:

  • Age-specific care – Want to treat breathing issues exclusively for babies, children, or older adults? Obtain your license in neonatal, pediatric, or geriatric respiratory therapy.
  • Polysomnography – Also known as a sleep study, polysomnography can be used to diagnose breathing-related sleep disorders. 

To continue practicing as a travel respiratory therapist, you must renew your certifications and licenses every five years. 

Gaining Experience in Respiratory Therapy

To confidently and effectively practice respiratory therapy—in your home state or others—you first need some practice. 

Becoming a travel respiratory therapist presents some unique and motivating challenges to your field, including:

  • Joining a new work team
  • Adapting to unfamiliar work practices and policies
  • Treating people from different demographics 
  • Adjusting to life in a new place

To successfully navigate these challenges, consider practicing in a familiar area before taking your skills across the country. Complete a respiratory therapy internship or apprenticeship to gain hands-on experience in a clinical setting, or take a temporary part- or full-time position to further strengthen your practice. 

Once you’re ready, you’ll gain experience in more ways than one by becoming a travel respiratory therapist. 

How to Transition to a Travel Respiratory Therapist Role

Becoming a travel respiratory therapist presents unique career and lifestyle opportunities—where do you start?

  • Obtain your multi-state license – Hurdle some hiring barriers to becoming a travel respiratory therapist by securing your right to practice outside of your primary state of residence. 
  • Consider your travel and career goals – Do you have a specific destination in mind, or do you simply want to hit the road? Is being a travel respiratory therapist your ultimate career goal or a stepping stone? Think about why you want to pursue this path and what you wish to gain from it. 
  • Connect with a knowledgeable travel therapist recruiter – If you need guidance for finding and applying to travel roles, meet with a travel therapist recruiter—that’s their exact job description. You can find some of the highest-rated recruiters through Host Healthcare. 

Your core duties as a respiratory therapist will remain the same whether you work in your state or elsewhere. With that in mind, you can transition smoothly into any role.

Finding Travel Respiratory Therapist Job Opportunities

Job hunting can feel daunting, especially when seeking positions in other states. Luckily, you can partner with a recruiter from Host Healthcare to help you navigate the highly in-demand respiratory therapist job market. Here’s how it works:

  1. Apply to be a traveler with Host Healthcare – Complete our short and sweet application form. Answer a few quick questions regarding your experience as a respiratory therapist as well as your personal goals for your first travel assignment. 
  2. Meet with a Host Healthcare recruiter – After applying, we’ll connect you with an experienced recruiter. During the meeting, your recruiter will ask for more details about your travel needs and preferences to match you with ideal positions. 
  3. Review your hand-picked job options – Expect your recruiter to send you a comprehensive list of job options that you’ll love. 
  4. Apply to your dream travel assignment with our help – Your recruiter can also guide you through the complete job application process, from perfecting your respiratory therapist resume to landing interviews, setting you up for success.
  5. Accept your first offer and launch the next phase of your career – We know that accepting your first job offer is only the beginning of your travel therapist journey. You’ll have access to 24/7 support throughout this assignment and every assignment after. 

Host Healthcare grants travelers exclusive access to top-choice travel assignments in any state, making us an essential resource for aspiring travel therapists like you. With us, your dream positions—and dream work locations—are always within reach. 

Preparing for Life as a Travel Respiratory Therapist

Moving somewhere new presents exciting opportunities along with many uncertainties. Throw in the anticipation of starting a new job, and you may feel the worries creeping in. Fortunately, there are several ways to prepare and alleviate stress before beginning your travel respiratory therapist assignment:

  • Secure housing – Host Healthcare removes the stresses of finding housing for travel therapist assignments. That way you can prepare for the most important part of your job: helping people. Connect with one of our dedicated Housing Specialists to receive a personalized list of housing options. If you’d prefer to live in corporate housing, we can help you narrow down your options and book your hotel.  
  • Learn about your assignment location – Researching your temporary new home can help you feel more confident and excited to live there. Brush up on local news to better connect with patients and coworkers. And bookmark the top restaurants, public parks, and historical landmarks you want to visit after your shifts. 

With each travel assignment you take, you’ll build the resilience to take your practice anywhere you wish to go. 

Host Healthcare: Your Ticket to Travel Therapy

A successful career as a travel respiratory therapist requires the proper education, experience, and drive. Take the final leap by applying to be a traveler with Host Healthcare. 

As the #1 rated travel nursing agency, you can trust that we’ll always have your back. You’ll enjoy priority access to positions across the country, desirable day-one health benefits, around-the-clock support, and more.

With Host Healthcare, your first travel assignment is only a plane, train, or car ride away. Apply today to begin your journey. 

 

Sources: 

“Respiratory Therapist.” Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science. https://college.mayo.edu/academics/explore-health-care-careers/careers-a-z/respiratory-therapist/. Accessed August 29, 2024. 

“Understanding Credentials.” American Association for Respiratory Care. https://www.aarc.org/your-rt-career/understanding-credentials/. Accessed August 29, 2024. 

“Interstate Nurse Licensure Compact.” American Nurses Association. https://www.nursingworld.org/practice-policy/advocacy/state/interstate-nurse-compact2/. Accessed August 29, 2024.