How to Become a Respiratory Therapist in Missouri – MO

By an allied health world contributing writer
Published: January, 23 2010

Respiratory Therapists, known in some states as Respiratory Care Practitioners, treat and evaluate patients with breathing and other cardiopulmonary problems. They usually practice under a physician and help in diagnosing patients with such problems. This helps in referring the patient to appropriate health plan that could benefit them to the fullest.

Steps to Become a Respiratory Therapist in Missouri

1. Respiratory Therapists treat a wide range of patients from children to adults. The necessary steps in becoming a Respiratory Therapist in the state of Missouri are as follows:
   
   • Prepare students to engage in leadership.
   • Provide work like situations for the students to participate in.
   • Educating students in sleep medicine
   • Pulmonary Rehabilitation
   • Asthma Education
   • Smoking Cessation
   • Practical Experience (externship or Practicum)
2. The candidate must first obtain an Associate Degree to become a respiratory therapist. This can be achieved by enrolling in a college, university or medical school to receive the required training at the postsecondary level.
3. The program has to be completed at an institution that is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care (CoARC). Meeting this requirement would ensure the candidate in landing a stable long time career in the field of Respiratory Care. Some of the program's features that the candidate would become familiar with are as follows:
4. Some schools offer a practicum or an externship with a hospital or clinic in which the candidate obtains practical work experience. This can be helpful for the candidate if they wish to advance in the field of Respiratory Therapy.
5. Advancing in the field of Respiratory Therapy involves obtaining a Bachelor's or Master's degree at an accredited college. This would ensure that the candidate obtains a license to continue practicing as a respiratory therapist.
6. If the above steps are followed, candidate could have the opportunity to pursue Missouri respiratory therapists careers.