Mercy Medical Center logo
Mercy Medical Center
Aurora, Illinois

Respiratory Therapist

Respiratory TherapistPer Diem

Listed compensation

$37.50/hr

The week · per this posting

Schedule not stated in this posting — no days, weekends, call or nights given.

Ask the employer about the work setting, call expectations, weekend coverage and time off.

Posted 1h ago · Verified live

Job Description

  • Department: Respiratory Therapy
  • Shift: Per Diem; 3 shifts per 6 weeks
  • Facility: Mercy Medical Center
  • Location: Aurora, IL

Responsibilities

Under the direction and authorization of the medical director and cardiopulmonary director/manager, the RCP I is responsible for performing respiratory therapeutic and pulmonary diagnostic procedures as ordered by the physician.

Emphasis will be toward the assessment, planning, implementation and documentation of care, with consideration of age and population specific needs and requirements of the patient.

In the absence of a supervisor, may be assigned/identified as Lead RCP, having responsibility for the section or department during their shift.

Qualifications

EDUCATION, EXPERIENCE, TRAINING

1. Current State Respiratory Care Practitioner (RCP) license required.

2. Current Certified Respiratory Therapist (CRT) from the National Board of Respiratory Care (NBRC) required. Hired before March 2026, are exempt

3. Basic Life Support (BLS) certified from the American Heart Association (AHA) or American Red Cross (ARC) upon hire and maintain current.

4. Adult Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) from the AHA or ARC certification within 60 days of hire and maintain current.

5. Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) from the AHA certification within 60 days of hire and maintain current.

6. Associate Degree or Bachelor of Science degree preferred.

7. Neonatal Resuscitation Program certificate is upon hire and maintain current or obtained within 60 days of hire.

8. High School Diploma or equivalent is required.

9. Two (2) years of acute care experience required.

Pay Transparency

Mercy Medical Center offers competitive compensation and a reasonable compensation estimate for this role is $37.50. The exact starting compensation to be offered will be determined at the time of selecting an applicant for hire, in which a wide range of factors will be considered, including but not limited to, skillset, years of applicable experience, education, credentials and licensure.

The company is dedicated to empowering its staff with a comprehensive, competitive benefits package, allowing them the freedom to customize their benefits to fit their unique needs. Our abundant resources, programs, and voluntary options serve as a foundation for individual growth and well-being. Learn more here: primehealthcare.com

Employment Status: Per Diem

Shift: Variable

Equal Employment Opportunity

Company is an equal employment opportunity employer.

Company prohibits discrimination against any applicant or employee based on race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, national origin, age (subject to applicable law), disability, military status, genetic information or any other basis protected by applicable federal, state, or local laws.

The Company also prohibits harassment of applicants or employees based on any of these protected categories. Know Your Rights: eeoc.gov

Qualifications

Education
Bachelor degree
Experience
2+ years of experience

Certifications

NRP

Key Skills

Respiratory Therapeutic ProceduresPatient AssessmentCare PlanningCare ImplementationClinical DocumentationAge-Specific Patient CareAdvanced Cardiac Life Support

Respiratory Therapy Career Context

Of the 40 active Respiratory Therapy listings this role was benchmarked against, 55% have no call, 45% require no weekends.

The cost-of-living index for Illinois is 100.0 (US average = 100; BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)), so the posted ~$79k midpoint carries the purchasing power of roughly $79k in an average-cost state. 62.6% of Illinois clinicians report burnout symptoms in WeekdayDoc's Burnout Index (2026-01 data).

Top contract/1099 Respiratory Therapist Jobs

39 matches · ranked by pay

Salary Distribution27 jobs · 21 employers

8
<$90k
9
$90k-105k
7
$105k-120k
2
$120k-135k
1
$139k

Annual compensation range

Benefits & Perks28 jobs · 21 employers

401k / retirement match
86%
Sign-on bonus
39%
Loan repayment
18%
PSLF eligible
11%
Relocation assistance
7%

Share of similar jobs offering each benefit

#1

Respiratory Therapist System Float

MultiCare Health System · Auburn, Washington

$41.44-$68.5/hr
#2

Respiratory Therapist - per diem, day shiftPer Diem

Beth Israel Lahey Health · Danvers, Minnesota

$39.59-$58.83/hr
#3

Respiratory Therapist

$37.61-$55.27/hr
#4

Respiratory Therapist

$35.5-$53.25/hr
+ 37 more · ranked by pay

Work-life snapshot

median 3.0this job 3.0
Better work-life than 50% of Respiratory Therapy listings

Listing-based score, 0–10, across 3,875 comparable listings. Shaded area = the share scoring below this one.

Living in Aurora

Typical 3-bedroom home value
$321k
Typical market rent
$2,253/mo
Residents’ average commute
27 min
State income tax
Up to 5%
Sources & methodology

Sources: Zillow home values (Aug 2026), Zillow market rents (Aug 2026), U.S. Census ACS 2024 five-year.

City-level figures. Not a cost-of-living guarantee.

Mercy Medical Center logo

About Mercy Medical Center

Hospitals and Health Care
Baltimore, MD
1,001-5,000 employees

Benefits & Perks

Competitive compensation
Comprehensive benefits package