Editing Respiratory therapist (section)

=== United States and Canada ===
In the [[United States]] and [[Canada]], respiratory therapists are healthcare practitioners who, after receiving their education, complete a credentialing process and become a certified respiratory therapists (CRT) or registered respiratory therapists (RRTs).

After satisfactorily completing the required examinations and being added to a registry, the practitioner is then eligible to apply for a license to practice in the region governed by their respective licensing body.

In the [[United States]], specialist respiratory therapists are clinicians who hold National Board for Respiratory Care specialty credentials, which may include neonatal/pediatric specialist (CRT-NPS or RRT-NPS), adult critical care specialist (RRT-ACCS), sleep disorder specialist (CRT-SDS or RRT-SDS), and pulmonary function technologist (CPFT or RPFT). The NBRC's RRT-ACCS examination is the newest NBRC examination: it was introduced in 2012.

In the [[United States]], one must obtain a degree in respiratory care and must then sit for the board exams to become a RRT. RRT is issued by the [[National Board for Respiratory Care]] after passing the Therapist Multiple-Choice Examination [[NBRC-TMC]] and Clinical Simulation Examination [[NBRC-CSE]] examinations.<ref name="pmid21276324">{{cite journal|vauthors=Barnes TA, Kacmarek RM, Kageler WV, Morris MJ, Durbin CG | title=Transitioning the respiratory therapy workforce for 2015 and beyond. | journal=Respir Care | year= 2011 | volume= 56 | issue= 5 | pages= 681–90 | pmid=21276324 | doi=10.4187/respcare.01169 | doi-access=free }}</ref> Eligibility for the NBRC-CSE examination is based on scoring high enough on the NBRC-TMC, and holding at least an [[Associate of Science in Respiratory Care]]. Professional credentials denoted as a Certified Asthma Educator (AE-C) may also be earned by passing the National Asthma Educator Certification Board <ref>{{Cite web |title=National Asthma Educator Certification Board |url=https://naecb.com/ |access-date=2022-05-10 |website=NAECB |language=en-US}}</ref>(NAECB) exam.

In some parts of Canada, one may practice as a provisional respiratory therapist after graduating, until writing and passing the CBRC exam. The RRT certification is granted by examination from the [[Canadian Society of Respiratory Therapists]].

====Scope of practice====
The registered respiratory therapist is typically governed by their medical director for clinical services and their licensing body for laboratory, rehabilitation and home-health services.<ref>Kacmarek RM, Durbin CG, Barnes TA, Kageler WV, Walton JR, O'Neil EH. Creating a vision for respiratory care in 2015 and beyond. Respir Care 2009;54(3):375-389.</ref> Trained in cardiology and pulmonology medicine. The registered respiratory therapist is prepared didactically and clinically to perform advanced procedures and emergency management.<ref>Barnes TA, Gale DD, Kacmarek RM, Kageler WV. Competencies needed by graduate respiratory therapists in 2015 and beyond. Respir Care 2010;55(5):601-616.</ref> Actual scope of practice varies by region and institution.<ref>American Association for Respiratory Care. AARC 2009 respiratory therapist human resource study. Irving, Texas: AARC; June 2009.</ref>