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MUSC
Charleston, South Carolina

Respiratory Therapist II

Respiratory TherapistPer Diem

Compensation

Pay not disclosed

Listing transparency1 of 6 stated

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

Employment & setting
Per Diem
Call expectations
Not specified
Weekends
Not specified
Posted 1h ago · Verified live

Job Description

Job Description Summary

The Respiratory Therapist 2 reports to the RTSL and Adult Respiratory Manager. The RT2 provides a variety of respiratory therapy modalities to adolescent and adult patients with cardio-pulmonary dysfunction, including but not limited to mechanical ventilation, respiratory treatments, and oxygen and specialty gases. The RT2 possesses extensive patient assessment skills and performs at a high level in emergency situations.

  • Entity
  • Medical University Hospital Authority (MUHA)
  • Worker Type
  • Employee
  • Worker Sub-Type​
  • PRN
  • Cost Center
  • CC000707 CHS - Therapy - Respiratory (Main)
  • Pay Rate Type
  • Hourly
  • Pay Grade
  • Health-28
  • Scheduled Weekly Hours
  • 12

Work Shift

Job Description

Assists in the diagnosis, treatment, and management of patients with pulmonary disorders. Collects and analyzes sputum, blood, and breath specimens to determine levels of oxygen, carbon dioxide, and other gases. Also measures the lung capacity of a patient to determine if there is impaired function. Administers treatment prescribed by a physician for the care of patients with abnormalities associated with the process of breathing. Assumes primary responsibility for respiratory care treatments, including oversight of respiratory therapy technicians.

Minimum Training and Education: Graduation from a program approved by CoArc (Committee on Accreditation for Respiratory Care) or a successor accrediting authority. Required years of work experience as a Respiratory Therapist: 2-4 years.

Required Licensure, Certifications, Registrations: Licensed as a respiratory care practitioner by the South Carolina Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulations Board of Medical Examiners. Credentialed as a Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT) by the National Board for Respiratory Care. Current Basic Life Support (BLS) required, either a certification from an American Heart Association (AHA) BLS for Healthcare Providers (or AHA recognized equivalent) or an American Red Cross CPR/AED for Professional Rescuer and Healthcare Provider.

Physical Requirements

1) (C) Continuous – 6-8 hours per shift; 2) (F) Frequent – 2-6 hours per shift; 3) (I) Infrequent– 0-2 hours per shift Ability to perform job functions while standing. (C) Ability to perform job functions while sitting. (C) Ability to perform job functions while walking. (F) Ability to climb stairs. (I) Ability to work indoors. (C) Ability to work outside in temperature extremes. (I) Ability to work from elevated areas. (F) Ability to work in confined/cramped spaces. (F) Ability to perform job functions from kneeling positions. (I) Ability to bend at the waist. (F) Ability to twist at the waist. (F) Ability to squat and perform job functions. (F) Ability to perform “pinching” operations. (F) Ability to fully use both hands/arms. (C) Ability to perform repetitive motions with hands/wrists/elbows and shoulders. (C) Ability to fully use both legs. (C) Ability to reach in all directions. (C) Possess good finger dexterity. (C) Ability to maintain tactile sensory functions. (C) Ability to maintain good olfactory sensory function. (C) Ability to lift and carry 50 lbs. unassisted. (I) Ability to lift/lower objects 50 lbs. from/to thirty-six inches unassisted. (I) Ability to lift from thirty-six” to overhead 25 lbs. (I) Ability to exert up to 50lbs. of force. (F) Ability to maintain vision 20/40 corrected. (C) Ability to see and recognize objects close at hand or at a distance. (C) Ability to match or discriminate between colors. (C) Ability to determine distance/relationship between objects; depth perception. (C) Good peripheral vision capabilities. (C) Ability to maintain hearing acuity, with correction. (C) Ability to perform gross motor functions with frequent fine motor movements. (C) Ability to deal effectively with stressful situations. (C) Ability to work rotating shifts. (F) Ability to work overtime as required. (F) Ability to learn and use new processes, tools and equipment as required. (F) Ability to work in a latex safe environment. (C) Ability to be qualified physically (by medical pers

Additional Job Description

Education: AAS in Respiratory Care from an AMA approved School of Respiratory Therapy. Work Experience: 2-4 years Current American Heart Association (AHA) Basic Life Support (BLS) certification or American Red Cross BLS for Healthcare Providers certification is required

If you like working with energetic enthusiastic individuals, you will enjoy your career with us!

The Medical University of South Carolina is an Equal Opportunity Employer. MUSC does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion or belief, age, sex, national origin, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, protected veteran status, family or parental status, or any other status protected by state laws and/or federal regulations. All qualified applicants are encouraged to apply and will receive consideration for employment based upon applicable qualifications, merit and business need.

Medical University of South Carolina participates in the federal E-Verify program to confirm the identity and employment authorization of all newly hired employees. For further information about the E-Verify program, please click here: http://www.uscis.gov/e-verify/employees

Key Responsibilities

The Respiratory Therapist provides various respiratory modalities to adolescent and adult patients, including mechanical ventilation and oxygen therapy. They are responsible for assessing patients, managing pulmonary disorders, and overseeing respiratory therapy technicians.

Requirements

Candidates must have an Associate degree in Respiratory Care and 2-4 years of relevant work experience. Required credentials include a South Carolina respiratory care practitioner license, RRT certification, and current BLS certification.

Qualifications

Experience
2+ years of experience

Key Skills

Pulmonary disorder managementSpecimen collectionLung capacity measurementEmergency responseSpecialty gases administrationClinical documentationCritical careTeam leadership

Respiratory Therapy Career Context

Of the 50 active Respiratory Therapy listings this role was benchmarked against, 2% are remote, 72% have no call, 44% require no weekends.

Respiratory Therapy pay on WeekdayDoc is up 3.3% vs. the prior quarter (through Aug 2026).

The cost-of-living index for South Carolina is 93.7 (US average = 100; BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)). 60.6% of South Carolina clinicians report burnout symptoms in WeekdayDoc's Burnout Index (2026-01 data).

Top Respiratory Therapist Jobs

22 matches · ranked by pay

Salary Distribution17 jobs

5
<$90k
5
$90k-105k
4
$105k-120k
1
$131k
2
$135k+

Annual compensation range

Benefits & Perks14 jobs

401k / retirement match
64%
Sign-on bonus
21%
CME allowance
14%
Loan repayment
7%
Relocation assistance
7%

Share of similar jobs offering each benefit

#1

Respiratory Therapist

Sutter Health · Sacramento, California

$47.68-$66.75/hr
#2

Respiratory Therapist

Northwell · Terryville, New York

$80k-$136k
#3

RRT - Registered Respiratory Therapist

$58-$63/hr
#4

Respiratory Therapist 1

$34.2-$55.75/hr
+ 20 more · ranked by pay

Work-life snapshot

3.0/ 10
Listing-based score

Living in Charleston

Typical 3-bedroom home value
$534k
Typical market rent
$2,312/mo
Residents’ average commute
24 min
Metro price indexU.S. average = 100
101.0
State income tax
Up to 6.5%
Sources & methodology

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

BEA 2024 · Charleston-North Charleston, SC metro prices. Housing figures are city-level.

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