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Duke University
Durham, North Carolina

Advanced Respiratory Therapist - Pediatric - Duke Life Flight

Respiratory TherapistFull-Time

Compensation

Pay not listed

The week · per this posting · weekdays assumed

Ask the employer about the pay range, the work setting, call expectations and time off.

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Job Description

At Duke Health, we're driven by a commitment to compassionate care that changes the lives of patients, their loved ones, and the greater community. No matter where your talents lie, join us and discover how we can advance health together.

About Duke Life Flight

Pursue your passion for caring with Duke Life Flight, which is Duke Health's critical care and emergency air and ground transport team, accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Medical Transport Systems.

The team includes paramedics, nurses, respiratory therapists, emergency medical technicians, and communications specialists who work quickly to provide compassionate care and transport services to critically ill patients of all ages.

Duke Life Flight also maintains a Code Blue Response Team and helps support event medicine needs.

Occ Summary Independently plan and provide professional nursing care for patientsin accordance withphysicianorders and established policies a nd procedures. Provide nursingservices topatients andfamilies inaccorda nce with the scope of the RN as defined by the North CarolinaBoard of Nu rsing.

Work Performed Plan, provide, supervise and document professional nursing careutilizing the nursing processforpatients in accordance with physician orders and established policiesand procedures.

Useprofessiona lnursing judgement to individualize the plan of care basedon assessment of thepatient'sbaseline needs and response to care. Delegate tasksand su pervises the activities of other licensed and unlicensed careproviders.

Assist other nursing personnel in the delivery ofnursing care and act as team leader or charge nurse for a group ofpatients or an entire unitasa ssigned. Monitor and initiatecorrective action to maintain the environm ent of care includingequipment and materialresources.

Participate in o wnprofessional development by maintaining required competencies, identify ing learning needsandseeking appropriate assistance or educational offer ings. Act aspreceptor and supports thedevelopment of other staff and for mal learners.

Participate in the formalevaluation process of peers and o ther careproviders. Participate in the identification of clinical orope rational performance improvement opportunities and in performanceimprove mentactivities. May participate in the interview processand make hirin g recommendations.

Perform other related dutiesincidental to the work described herein.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities *Knowledge of scope of the registered nurse, licensed practicalnurse and NCA *Knowledge of and appropriate application of the nursingprocess *Knowledge of professiona l theory, practice andprocedure *Ability to assess nursing needs of acut e andchronically ill patients and their families *Able to independentlys eek outresources and work collaboratively *Ability to establishand main tain effective working relationships*Able to communicateclearly with pat ients, families, visitors, healthcare team, physicians, administrators, l eadershipandothers *Able to teach patients andfamilies in accordance wit h the nursing plan of care *Able to usesensory and cognitive functions t o process and prioritize information, treatment, and follow-up *Able to u se fine motor skills *Competent in BLS and/or other specialized life su pport requirementsdesignated by work area *Able to record activities, do cumentassessments, plan of care, interventions, evaluation and re-evalua tionof patient status *Able to use computer and learn new softwareprogra ms *Able to navigate the entity to provide clinical care forpatients *Ab le to withstand prolonged standing and walking withthe ability to move o r lift at least fifty pounds*Ableto remainfocused and organized *Workin g knowledge of procedures and techniquesinvolved inadministeringroutine and special treatments topatients*Working knowledge of infection control procedures andsafety precautions *Working knowledge and completion ofap propriate JCAHO and other regulatory requirements Level Characteristics N/A Minimum

Qualifications

Education Completion of a 2 year AMA approved respiratory care program requirements (Associates Degree or the equivalent).

Must maintain annual skill maintenance requirements Must maintain annual safety/compliance Must maintain North Carolina annual license requirements for CEUs Experience Six months to one year of clinical experience following graduation from a respiratory care program.

Degrees, Licensures, Certifications North Carolina State Licensure Registry ( RRT) by the National Association for Respiratory Care (NBRC) Certification in Basic Life Support (BLS) Certification in Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) Certification in Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) Certification in Neonatal Resuscitation (NRPS) if applicable to institution Duke is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer committed to providing employment opportunity without regard to an individual's age, color, disability, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, or veteran status.

Duke aspires to create a community built on collaboration, innovation, creativity, and belonging. Our collective success depends on the robust exchange of ideas—an exchange that is best when the rich diversity of our perspectives, backgrounds, and experiences flourishes.

To achieve this exchange, it is essential that all members of the community feel secure and welcome, that the contributions of all individuals are respected, and that all voices are heard. All members of our community have a responsibility to uphold these values.

Essential Physical Job Functions: Certain jobs at Duke University and Duke University Health System may include essentialjob functions that require specific physical and/or mental abilities. Additional information and provision for requests for reasonable accommodation will be provided by each hiring department.

Key Responsibilities

Independently plan and provide professional respiratory and nursing care for critically ill patients during air and ground transport. Act as a team leader or charge nurse while maintaining equipment and ensuring compliance with safety and regulatory standards.

Requirements

Requires an associate degree from an AMA-approved respiratory care program and six months to one year of clinical experience. Must hold current North Carolina licensure, RRT certification, and certifications in BLS, ACLS, PALS, and NRPS.

Key Skills

Respiratory therapyEmergency transportPatient assessmentNursing processClinical documentationTeam leadershipPatient educationRegulatory complianceSafety protocols

Pediatrics Career Context

Of the 50 active Respiratory Therapist listings this role was benchmarked against, 2% are remote, 54% have no call, 54% require no weekends.

The cost-of-living index for North Carolina is 94.3 (US average = 100; BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)). 59.2% of North Carolina clinicians report burnout symptoms in WeekdayDoc's Burnout Index (2026-01 data).

Respiratory Therapist pay on WeekdayDoc is up 1.9% vs. the prior quarter (through Sep 2026).

Top Respiratory Therapist Jobs

38 matches · ranked by pay

Salary Distribution28 jobs · 24 employers

10
<$90k
7
$90k-105k
8
$105k-120k
3
$120k-135k

Annual compensation range

Benefits & Perks27 jobs · 24 employers

401k / retirement match
85%
Sign-on bonus
41%
Relocation assistance
11%
PSLF eligible
11%
Loan repayment
7%

Share of similar jobs offering each benefit

#1

Respiratory Therapist II

Marian Regional Medical Center · Santa Maria, California

$52.03-$64.05/hr
#2

Respiratory Therapist – CRT/RRT

Garnet Health · Middletown, New York

$45.05 - $63.70/hr
#3

Respiratory Therapist II

$41.41-$62.92/hr
#4

Respiratory Therapist - Providence Kodiak Island

$37.08-$55.62/hr
+ 36 more · ranked by pay

Work-life snapshot

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

Listing-based score, 0–10, across 48 comparable listings. Shaded area = the share scoring below this one.

Living in Durham

Typical 3-bedroom home value
$363k
Typical market rent
$1,659/mo
Residents’ average commute
22 min
Metro price indexU.S. average = 100
97.6
State income tax
Up to 4.8%
Sources & methodology

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

BEA 2024 · Durham-Chapel Hill, NC metro prices. Housing figures are city-level.

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