Respiratory Therapist CV Examples
Updated 23 June 2026
A strong respiratory therapist CV proves bedside competence through the devices you run, the patient volumes you handle, and the outcomes you deliver. This guide shows you how to structure your RT CV for UK and US markets, lead with the right credentials, and write achievement bullets that pass ATS screens and impress ICU hiring managers.
Respiratory Therapist CV examples
Entry-Level Respiratory Therapist
entryLeads with fresh RRT credential and clinical rotations as real experience, naming units, patient populations, and hands-on procedures.
Senior Respiratory Therapist
seniorDemonstrates leadership, specialty credentials (RRT-ACCS), and quantified outcomes including VAP reduction, patient volumes, and protocol implementation across multiple ICU settings.
How to write a respiratory therapist CV
CV structure and length
A respiratory therapist CV should run one page for new graduates and up to two pages for senior RTs with specialty credentials and leadership experience. Use reverse-chronological order: contact details and credentials at the top, then experience, education, certifications, and a clinical skills section.
What to include in each section
| Section | What to include |
|---|---|
| Header | Name with credential (RRT, CRT, RRT-NPS, RRT-ACCS), contact details, state RCP license |
| Personal statement | 2-3 sentences: years of experience, care settings (ICU, NICU, ED), key credential, one standout outcome |
| Experience | Job title, employer, dates, location, 3-5 bullets with patient volumes, devices, and metrics |
| Skills | Clinical skills block covering ventilation, ABG, PFT, airway management, oxygen therapy, EHR |
| Education | Degree, institution, dates. For new grads: clinical rotations with units and procedures |
| Certifications | NBRC credentials, state license, BLS/ACLS/PALS/NRP with expiry dates |
Personal statement
Your personal statement should name your credential (RRT or CRT), your care settings (adult ICU, NICU, ED, pulmonary rehab, sleep lab), and one quantified outcome. Avoid generic claims about being "dedicated" or "passionate" without evidence.
Experience bullets
Each bullet needs a procedure or intervention, a patient volume or frequency, and an outcome. Name the actual ventilator models you've used (Servo-i, Puritan Bennett 840, Drager Evita, Respironics V60) rather than just "mechanical ventilation". Hiring managers read device names as proof of real bedside experience.
Clinical skills
Build a dedicated skills section covering the full RT scope so your CV survives ATS keyword screens: oxygen therapy, aerosol medication administration, invasive and non-invasive mechanical ventilation, ventilator weaning protocols, ABG analysis, PFT/spirometry, airway management (intubation, suctioning), bronchial hygiene, and EHR documentation.
Education and certifications
List your respiratory care degree, then your NBRC credential (RRT or CRT), state RCP license, and life-support certifications (BLS, ACLS, PALS, NRP). Include expiry or renewal dates for certifications. Specialty credentials (RRT-NPS for NICU/pediatric, RRT-ACCS for adult ICU, CPFT for PFT labs) should match your target setting.
UK respiratory roles
In the UK, "respiratory therapist" has no direct NHS equivalent. The work splits across respiratory physiologist (diagnostics: PFT, sleep studies, CPET), respiratory physiotherapist (bedside ventilation, airway clearance), and respiratory nurse specialist. Frame your CV for the right role. UK respiratory physiologists should lead with ARTP Practitioner exam, HCPC registration, and their training route (STP, PTP, or AHCS equivalence).
Personal statement examples
Registered Respiratory Therapist with six years managing mechanical ventilation and airway support across adult ICU and emergency departments. RRT-ACCS certified with experience on Servo-i, Drager Evita, and Respironics V60 platforms. Reduced ventilator-associated pneumonia rates by 28% through protocol-driven weaning and sedation management.
Dedicated and compassionate respiratory therapist looking for a challenging role where I can use my skills to help patients. Strong communicator with a passion for respiratory care and a commitment to excellence in all areas of patient treatment.
Writing your experience
The result-plus-metric pattern
Every experience bullet should follow this structure: action verb + specific procedure/device + patient volume or frequency + outcome or metric. Avoid duty-listing ("responsible for providing respiratory treatments") with no devices, settings, or numbers.
Before and after examples
| Weak (duty-listing) | Strong (result + metric) |
|---|---|
| Provided respiratory care to ICU patients | Managed ventilator settings and weaning for 22 ICU patients per shift, achieving a 76% successful extubation rate |
| Assisted with intubations | Assisted with intubation and airway management for 85 Code Blue and rapid response calls annually, maintaining first-pass success rate of 89% |
| Performed arterial blood gas analysis | Performed and interpreted 18+ arterial blood gas draws daily, adjusting FiO2 and PEEP based on ABG results to maintain target SpO2 >92% |
| Set up non-invasive ventilation | Set up BiPAP/CPAP for 64 acute respiratory failure patients, avoiding intubation in 81% of cases through early non-invasive intervention |
Action verbs for respiratory therapists
Use verbs that reflect RT scope: managed, titrated, performed, interpreted, administered, implemented, assisted, monitored, reduced, achieved, collaborated, developed, mentored, led. Pair them with specific procedures (ABG draws, ventilator weaning, intubation assistance, PFT interpretation, aerosol therapy) and patient populations (neonatal, pediatric, adult, geriatric, trauma, post-surgical).
Quantify clinical workload and outcomes
The numbers RT employers respond to: patient volume per shift, VAP rates, weaning success or extubation rates, intubation first-pass success, BiPAP/CPAP avoidance-of-intubation rates, ABG draws per day, PFTs performed per week, and code response frequency. If you implemented a protocol, state the outcome (e.g. "reduced average ICU length of stay by 1.6 days" or "cut VAP incidence by 30%").
Key skills & ATS keywords
Hard skills
Soft skills
ATS keywords
Education & certifications
Education
List your respiratory care degree (Bachelor of Science in Respiratory Care or Associate Degree in Respiratory Therapy) with the institution name and graduation year. If you completed advanced coursework in neonatal/pediatric or adult critical care, note it.
New graduates: treat clinical rotations as real experience. For each rotation, state the site, unit (ICU, NICU, ED, pulmonary/sleep lab), patient population, and the procedures you performed hands-on (ABG draws, ventilator setup, intubation assists, PFT administration). A functional or hybrid CV format that puts education, certifications, and rotations ahead of thin work history works best.
Certifications that matter
NBRC credentials (required):
- CRT (Certified Respiratory Therapist): entry-level credential, earned by passing the TMC exam at the lower cut score.
- RRT (Registered Respiratory Therapist): the gold standard, requires passing both the TMC and the Clinical Simulation Examination (CSE). Always list RRT if you have it.
Specialty credentials (match to your target setting):
- RRT-NPS (Neonatal/Pediatric Specialist): for NICU, PICU, and pediatric roles.
- RRT-ACCS (Adult Critical Care Specialist): for adult ICU and critical care.
- CPFT (Certified Pulmonary Function Technologist): for diagnostic and PFT lab roles.
State license (required in the US): List your state Respiratory Care Practitioner (RCP) license alongside your NBRC credential. All US states except Alaska require RTs to hold a state license. Note multi-state or compact licensure if you have it, especially for travel RT roles.
Life-support certifications (required): Hospitals expect BLS, ACLS, PALS, and NRP (Neonatal Resuscitation Program). NRP is specifically required for NICU and labour/delivery RT roles; PALS for pediatric units. Include expiry or renewal dates. Expired certifications are a common silent rejection.
UK respiratory credentials
For UK respiratory physiologist roles, lead with:
- ARTP Practitioner exam (or equivalent)
- HCPC registration as a clinical scientist or AHCS clinical physiologist registration
- Your training route: STP (Scientist Training Programme), PTP (Practitioner Training Programme), or AHCS equivalence for international applicants
- A degree in Respiratory Clinical Physiology or health science
Common mistakes to avoid
Generic duty-listing with no devices, patient volumes, or outcomes (e.g. "provided respiratory treatments to patients of all ages")
Name the devices (Servo-i, Respironics V60), state patient volume per shift, and quantify the result: "Managed ventilator settings for 20+ ICU patients per shift, achieving 78% successful weaning rate."
Omitting your NBRC credential from the header or burying it in the certifications section
Put your credential in your name at the top: "Riley Sample, RRT" or "Jordan Sample, RRT-ACCS". Hiring managers scan for this first.
Listing "mechanical ventilation" without naming the actual ventilator models you've run
State the specific platforms: Servo-i, Puritan Bennett 840, Drager Evita for invasive; Respironics V60, Philips Trilogy for non-invasive. Device names prove real bedside experience.
Missing or expired life-support certifications (BLS, ACLS, PALS, NRP) or no expiry dates listed
List all required certifications with current expiry dates: "ACLS - Expires June 2027". Expired cards are a common silent rejection.
No state RCP license listed, or listing the wrong state for the role you're applying to
Always list your state Respiratory Care Practitioner license alongside your NBRC credential. Note multi-state compact licensure if you have it.
Specialty credential mismatch: listing RRT-NPS when applying for adult ICU roles, or no specialty credential at all
Match your specialty to the target setting: RRT-ACCS for adult ICU, RRT-NPS for NICU/pediatric, CPFT for PFT labs. If you don't have the specialty yet, state you're pursuing it.
Junior vs senior: what changes
| Aspect | Junior | Senior |
|---|---|---|
| Personal statement | Leads with fresh RRT credential, clinical rotations, and foundational skills (ABG, ventilator setup, airway management) | Leads with years of experience, specialty credential (RRT-ACCS, RRT-NPS), quantified outcomes (VAP reduction, weaning success), and leadership or mentoring |
| Experience bullets | Focuses on procedures performed during rotations: "Performed 12+ ABG draws daily", "Assisted with 18 intubations", "Set up BiPAP for 34 patients" | Emphasises patient volumes per shift, protocol implementation, and outcomes: "Managed ventilator weaning for 25+ ICU patients per shift", "Reduced VAP rates by 32%", "Led 140+ Code Blue responses annually" |
| Certifications | RRT (or CRT if newly qualified), state RCP license, BLS, ACLS, PALS, NRP | RRT plus specialty credential (RRT-ACCS, RRT-NPS, CPFT), multi-state RCP license, BLS/ACLS Instructor, additional certifications (e.g. ECMO, transport ventilation) |
| Clinical settings | Names rotation sites and units (adult ICU, NICU, ED, PFT lab) with supervised experience | States multiple care settings worked independently (ICU, NICU, PICU, ED, OR, pulmonary rehab, sleep lab, home health) and patient populations (neonatal, pediatric, adult, geriatric) |
| Leadership and mentoring | None, or participation in student groups or volunteer respiratory education | Mentors junior RTs and students, leads Code Blue or rapid response teams, develops or implements protocols, serves as ACLS/BLS instructor or preceptor |
| Ventilator platforms | Lists 2-3 common models from rotations (e.g. Servo-i, Respironics V60) | Lists 4-6+ platforms across invasive, non-invasive, and specialty modes (Servo-i, Drager Evita, Puritan Bennett 840, Respironics V60, Philips Trilogy, HFOV for neonatal) |