Respiratory Therapist Jobs in Portland, OR
Respiratory therapists in Portland keep ICU, newborn and emergency patients breathing at OHSU on Marquam Hill, Legacy Emanuel in North Portland and Kaiser Sunnyside in Clackamas. Posted hospital pay runs from about $35 to $60 an hour. Here are the current openings, then who hires and how to get licensed in Oregon.
Current respiratory therapist Openings in Portland, OR
Listings marked External are sponsored openings provided by the Jobs2Careers network.
Respiratory Therapist Work in Portland
Respiratory care in the Portland metro is concentrated in the big acute-care hospitals. OHSU Hospital and Doernbecher Children's on Marquam Hill run adult and pediatric respiratory teams, including pediatric and neonatal intensive care. Legacy's Emanuel campus on N Gantenbein Ave, home to Randall Children's Hospital, posts respiratory care practitioner, transport and adult charge lead roles, and the Portland VA Medical Center next to OHSU hires registered respiratory therapists for veterans. Kaiser Sunnyside Medical Center off Sunnyside Rd covers the Clackamas side.
Many hospital respiratory jobs here are unionized, so posted ranges are wide and pay climbs on a step scale. Twelve-hour day and night shifts are standard, and pediatric and neonatal experience is in demand because the region's children's hospitals sit in Portland.
Top Portland Employers for Respiratory Therapists
These Portland-area hospitals hire respiratory therapists:
- OHSU - hires Respiratory Care Practitioners for adult, pediatric and neonatal units on Marquam Hill, AFSCME-represented.
- Legacy Health - staffs respiratory care practitioners, leads and transport therapists at Emanuel and its other metro hospitals.
- Kaiser Permanente - hires respiratory care practitioners at Kaiser Sunnyside Medical Center in Clackamas, represented by AFT Local 5017.
- VA Portland Health Care System - the Portland VA Medical Center on Marquam Hill hires registered respiratory therapists on the federal GS scale.
Respiratory Therapist Salaries in Portland
- Entry level: about $35 to $42 per hour for newly licensed therapists.
- Experienced: roughly $42 to $57 per hour at OHSU and Legacy.
- Senior / lead: about $57 to $61 per hour for charge and lead therapists at the top of hospital scales.
These are estimates based on employers' posted ranges. The RRT credential, critical care specialty credentials such as NBRC ACCS or neonatal-pediatric, night and weekend differentials, and union step increases move pay the most. VA roles are posted as annual salaries on the federal GS scale.
How to Become a Respiratory Therapist in Portland
You need at least an associate degree from a CoARC-accredited respiratory care program, the NBRC credential, and an Oregon license. Mt. Hood Community College in Gresham offers a limited-entry Respiratory Care AAS that admits up to 30 students each fall and runs six quarters after prerequisites. Oregon licenses respiratory therapists through the Respiratory Therapist and Polysomnographic Technologist Licensing Board, administered by the Health Licensing Office; applicants need the NBRC credential and must pass an Oregon laws exam. Most Portland hospitals want the Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT) credential at hire.
What the Job Involves
Respiratory therapists assess breathing, set up and manage ventilators and high-flow oxygen, give nebulized medications, draw and run arterial blood gases, and respond to rapid responses and codes. They help with intubations, care for premature newborns, transport critical patients, and teach patients with asthma or COPD how to manage their condition at home.
Skills Employers Look For
- NBRC RRT credential and an Oregon respiratory therapist license
- Ventilator management in adult, pediatric or neonatal ICUs
- Arterial blood gas sampling and analysis
- BLS, ACLS, PALS and NRP certifications
- Calm judgment during codes and rapid responses
- Clear teamwork with nurses and physicians
Career Path and Advancement
Most Portland therapists start as staff Respiratory Care Practitioners, often on nights or relief, then specialize in adult critical care, neonatal and pediatric intensive care, or transport. From there, the ladder runs to charge and lead therapist, clinical specialist and educator roles, and respiratory department manager at OHSU, Legacy or Kaiser. A bachelor's degree helps for leadership.
Related Careers in Portland
If respiratory care interests you, these related Portland roles are close matches:
- Registered Nurse Jobs
- Radiologic Technologist Jobs
- Surgical Technologist Jobs
- Medical Laboratory Technician Jobs
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you need a license to be a respiratory therapist in Portland?
Yes. Oregon licenses respiratory therapists through the Respiratory Therapist and Polysomnographic Technologist Licensing Board at the Health Licensing Office. You need an NBRC credential and must pass the Oregon laws exam, and most hospitals want the RRT.
How much do respiratory therapists make in Portland?
Posted hospital ranges run from about $35 an hour at the low end of Kaiser's scale to about $57 at the top of OHSU's, and lead roles at Legacy reach about $60. Night and weekend differentials add more.
Where can I study respiratory therapy near Portland?
Mt. Hood Community College in Gresham offers a CoARC-accredited Respiratory Care AAS. It is limited entry, with up to 30 students admitted each fall through a point system.
How long does it take to become a respiratory therapist in Oregon?
Plan on about two years after prerequisites for an associate degree program like the six-quarter Mt. Hood sequence, then the NBRC exams and an Oregon license application.
Can a Washington respiratory therapist work in Portland?
Not on a Washington license alone. Oregon requires its own respiratory therapist license, so therapists who live in Vancouver or Clark County need to apply to the Oregon Health Licensing Office before working at a Portland hospital.
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