HealthcareO*NET: 29-1126.00
Will AI Replace Respiratory Therapists?
Assess, treat, and care for patients with breathing disorders. Assume primary responsibility for all respiratory care modalities, including the supervision of respiratory therapy technicians. Initiate and conduct therapeutic procedures; maintain patient records; and select, assemble, check, and operate equipment.
29out of 100
Low Risk
AI Risk Score
29/100
Risk Level
Low
Job Zone
3/5
Medium
Total Tasks Analyzed
20
🤖 What AI Can Do
- â–¸Monitor patient's physiological responses to therapy, such as vital signs, arterial blood gases, or blood chemistry changes, and consult with physician if adverse reactions occur.
- â–¸Maintain charts that contain patients' pertinent identification and therapy information.
- â–¸Read prescription, measure arterial blood gases, and review patient information to assess patient condition.
- â–¸Determine requirements for treatment, such as type, method and duration of therapy, precautions to be taken, or medication and dosages, compatible with physicians' orders.
👤 What Requires Humans
- â–¸Provide emergency care, such as artificial respiration, external cardiac massage, or assistance with cardiopulmonary resuscitation.
- â–¸Set up and operate devices, such as mechanical ventilators, therapeutic gas administration apparatus, environmental control systems, or aerosol generators, following specified parameters of treatment.
- â–¸Work as part of a team of physicians, nurses, or other healthcare professionals to manage patient care by assisting with medical procedures or related duties.
- â–¸Inspect, clean, test, and maintain respiratory therapy equipment to ensure equipment is functioning safely and efficiently, ordering repairs when necessary.
- â–¸Make emergency visits to resolve equipment problems.
- â–¸Educate patients and their families about their conditions and teach appropriate disease management techniques, such as breathing exercises or the use of medications or respiratory equipment.
Task Breakdown
🤖AI Can Automate (4)
- Monitor patient's physiological responses to therapy, such as vital signs, arterial blood gases, or blood chemistry changes, and consult with physician if adverse reactions occur.
- Maintain charts that contain patients' pertinent identification and therapy information.
- Read prescription, measure arterial blood gases, and review patient information to assess patient condition.
- Determine requirements for treatment, such as type, method and duration of therapy, precautions to be taken, or medication and dosages, compatible with physicians' orders.
👤Requires Humans (11)
- Provide emergency care, such as artificial respiration, external cardiac massage, or assistance with cardiopulmonary resuscitation.
- Set up and operate devices, such as mechanical ventilators, therapeutic gas administration apparatus, environmental control systems, or aerosol generators, following specified parameters of treatment.
- Work as part of a team of physicians, nurses, or other healthcare professionals to manage patient care by assisting with medical procedures or related duties.
- Inspect, clean, test, and maintain respiratory therapy equipment to ensure equipment is functioning safely and efficiently, ordering repairs when necessary.
- Make emergency visits to resolve equipment problems.
- Educate patients and their families about their conditions and teach appropriate disease management techniques, such as breathing exercises or the use of medications or respiratory equipment.
- Perform bronchopulmonary drainage and assist or instruct patients in performance of breathing exercises.
- Perform pulmonary function and adjust equipment to obtain optimum results in therapy.
- Demonstrate respiratory care procedures to trainees or other healthcare personnel.
- Use a variety of testing techniques to assist doctors in cardiac or pulmonary research or to diagnose disorders.
- Teach, train, supervise, or use the assistance of students, respiratory therapy technicians, or assistants.
âš¡AI-Assisted (5)
- Relay blood analysis results to a physician.
- Explain treatment procedures to patients to gain cooperation and allay fears.
- Enforce safety rules and ensure careful adherence to physicians' orders.
- Conduct tests, such as electrocardiograms (EKGs), stress testing, or lung capacity tests, to evaluate patients' cardiopulmonary functions.
- Transport patients to the hospital or within the hospital.
Key Skills Analysis
Active Listening
Importance: 3.88/5.00
Critical ThinkingAI-Resistant
Importance: 3.88/5.00
Monitoring
Importance: 3.88/5.00
Speaking
Importance: 3.75/5.00
Reading ComprehensionAI-Vulnerable
Importance: 3.62/5.00
Active LearningAI-Resistant
Importance: 3.62/5.00
Social PerceptivenessAI-Resistant
Importance: 3.62/5.00
Service OrientationAI-Resistant
Importance: 3.62/5.00
CoordinationAI-Resistant
Importance: 3.38/5.00
Complex Problem SolvingAI-Resistant
Importance: 3.38/5.00
Judgment and Decision MakingAI-Resistant
Importance: 3.38/5.00
InstructingAI-Resistant
Importance: 3.25/5.00
WritingAI-Vulnerable
Importance: 3.12/5.00
Learning Strategies
Importance: 3.12/5.00
Time ManagementAI-Resistant
Importance: 3.12/5.00
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Frequently Asked Questions
Based on our analysis, Respiratory Therapists have a low risk of AI replacement with a score of 29/100. This role requires significant human skills like creativity, empathy, and complex decision-making that AI cannot easily replicate.
Last updated: 2026-03-28· Data from O*NET 30.2 & Frey/Osborne automation research