Respiratory Therapist
Listed compensation
$29.25-$44/hr
The week · per this posting · weekdays assumed
Ask the employer about the work setting, weekend coverage and time off.
Job Description
Location: Avera Milbank Area Hospital
Worker Type
Regular
Work Shift
Day Shift (United States of America)
Pay Range
The pay range for this position is listed below. Actual pay rate dependent upon experience.
$29.25 - $44.00
Position Highlights
schedule telemedicine visits, attend visits and discharge follow up.
You Belong at Avera
Be part of a multidisciplinary team built with compassion and the goal of Moving Health Forward for you and our patients. Work where you matter.
A Brief Overview
Responsible for the assessment, treatment, and management, diagnostic and therapeutic interventions affecting the cardiopulmonary system for neonates, pediatrics, adolescents, and adults.
The individual must demonstrate proficiency in all modalities of respiratory care, which may include, but not limited to oxygen therapy, breathing treatments, airway clearance, blood gases, airway management, non-invasive and invasive ventilator setup and monitoring. This position may also be required to work in the sleep lab.
What You Will Do
Evaluates patients in order to receive, review, interpret, and administer the prescribing orders regarding respiratory and cardiopulmonary treatments and tests. Accurately documents patient assessment, interventions, and progress in the electronic medical record, as well as submits charges in an accurate and timely manner.
Evaluates the effectiveness of the plan of care. Initiates and implements respiratory care plans and interventions to meet the needs of the patient in conjunction with the entire healthcare team to ensure full understanding and cooperation to improve patient outcomes.
Performs administration, set-up, titration, maintenance, evaluations and documentation of supplemental oxygen, aerosol therapy, airway clearance techniques, mechanical invasive or non-invasive ventilator management, and preparation and administration of respiratory medications.
Ensures airway patency including various means of suctioning. (tracheal, nasal, and oral). Attends and assists to patients in respiratory or cardiac arrest by performing cardiopulmonary resuscitation and emergency airway care.
Performs arterial and capillary punctures, runs venous, arterial and capillary blood gas samples, electrolytes and lactic acid tests and maintains and operates the Blood Gas analyzer.
May assist in Pulmonary Rehab by providing appropriate exercises and education to participants.
May assist in outpatient clinic as needed and may schedule sleep studies and obtains prior authorizations for the sleep studies when applicable.
Performs diagnostic testing through pulmonary function, stress exercise, electrocardiograms, electroencephalograms, oximetry, holter and cardiac event monitoring.
Instructs clinical staff on the use of respiratory therapy equipment and the use of the EKG equipment.
Assists with implementing and updating policies and procedures, maintenance of quality assurance reports and records, and maintenance of equipment and ordering of supplies.
Essential Qualifications
The individual must be able to work the hours specified.
To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential job function satisfactorily including having visual acuity adequate to perform position duties and the ability to communicate effectively with others, hear, understand and distinguish speech and other sounds.
These requirements and those listed above are representative of the knowledge, skills, and abilities required to perform the essential job functions.
Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential job functions, as long as the accommodations do not cause undue hardship to the employer.
Required Education, License/Certification, or Work Experience:
- Respiratory Therapist - Licensing Board An active license in the state of practice Upon Hire and
- Certified Respiratory Therapist (CRT) - National Board for Respiratory Care (NBRC) Upon Hire or
- Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT) - National Board for Respiratory Care (NBRC) Upon Hire
Preferred Education, License/Certification, or Work Experience:
Bachelor's
1-3 years
Expectations and Standards
Commitment to the daily application of Avera’s mission, vision, core values, and social principles to serve patients, their families, and our community.
- Promote Avera’s values of compassion, hospitality, and stewardship.
- Uphold Avera’s standards of Communication, Attitude, Responsiveness, and Engagement (CARE) with enthusiasm and sincerity.
- Maintain confidentiality.
Work effectively in a team environment, coordinating work flow with other team members and ensuring a productive and efficient environment.
Comply with safety principles, laws, regulations, and standards associated with, but not limited to, CMS, The Joint Commission, DHHS, and OSHA if applicable.
Benefits You Need & Then Some
Avera is proud to offer a wide range of benefits to qualifying part-time and full-time employees. We support you with opportunities to help live balanced, healthy lives. Benefits are designed to meet needs of today and into the future.
- PTO available day 1 for eligible hires.
- Up to 5% employer matching contribution for retirement
- Career development guided by hands-on training and mentorship
Avera is an Equal Opportunity Employer - Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, Veteran Status, or other categories protected by law. If you are an individual with a disability and would like to request an accommodation for help with your online application, please call 1-605-504-4444 or send an email to talent@avera.org.
Online Privacy Policy
At Avera, we are committed to protecting your online privacy. For more information, please visit avera.org
Key Responsibilities
The respiratory therapist is responsible for assessing, treating, and managing cardiopulmonary interventions for patients across all age groups. They perform diagnostic testing, manage ventilator setups, and provide emergency airway care as part of a multidisciplinary healthcare team.
Requirements
Candidates must hold an active state license and be certified as a CRT or RRT by the NBRC. Proficiency in respiratory care modalities and the ability to work effectively in a clinical team environment are essential.
Qualifications
- Experience
- 2+ years of experience
Certifications
Key Skills
Work-Life Balance Analysis
WeekdayDoc's proprietary algorithm rates Respiratory Therapist at Avera Health a 6.9 out of 10 for work-life balance — classified as good. This places the position in the top 10% in Respiratory Therapy — ranked against 4,000 active Respiratory Therapy listings on WeekdayDoc. Contributing factors include no on-call duties, no night shifts.
Respiratory Therapy Career Context
Of the 40 active Respiratory Therapy listings this role was benchmarked against, 3% are remote, 63% have no call, 48% require no weekends.
Respiratory Therapy pay on WeekdayDoc is down 2.6% vs. the prior quarter (through Oct 2026).
| Measure | This job | Market |
|---|---|---|
| Work-life score | 6.9 / 10 · top 10% in respiratory therapy | ranked against 4,000 Respiratory Therapy listingslisting-based score, 0–10 |
| Listed pay | $61k–$92k | Respiratory Therapy median $86k (middle half $79k–$96k)575 comparable listings, Nov 2026 |
| Cost-of-living adjusted pay | ~$86k in purchasing power | South Dakota index 88.6 (US = 100)BEA Regional Price Parities (2024) |
| Respiratory Therapy listings in South Dakota | 14 active | 3,968 nationallylive on WeekdayDoc, Nov 2026 |
| Work setting | on-site | peers: 3% remote · 63% no call · 48% no weekends40 benchmarked listings |
| Sign-on & loan repayment | not stated | US healthcare professional listings (all specialties): 24% state a sign-on bonus (median $10k) · 8% offer loan repayment1,000 active listings, Nov 2026 |
| New Respiratory Therapy listings | 1,233 in the last 30 days | 754 the 30 days before (+64%)U.S., first seen on WeekdayDoc, Nov 2026 |
| Respiratory Therapy pay trend | −2.6% vs prior quarter | —through Oct 2026 |
Location & Logistics
South Dakota has no state income tax, which can significantly increase take-home pay compared to high-tax states. At the posted ~$76k midpoint, that is roughly $3k–$5k a year versus a typical 4–7% state rate.
Top Respiratory Therapist Jobs
25 matches · ranked by paySalary Distribution
25 jobs · 15 employersAnnual compensation range
Benefits & Perks
14 jobsShare of similar jobs offering each benefit
Respiratory Therapist II
Olympic Medical Center · Port Angeles, Washington
Senior Respiratory Therapist -Dayshift
Sentara Health · Norfolk, Virginia
Respiratory Therapist
$34-$56.1/hrRespiratory Therapist
$37.61-$55.27/hr