Certified Respiratory Therapist - Level I
Listed compensation
$35.06-$69.55/hr
The week · per this posting · weekdays assumed
Ask the employer about the work setting, call expectations, weekend coverage and time off.
Job Description
111 Michigan Avenue Northwest Washington, DC 20010
Kids Are Our Everything.
Department: 10168 Respiratory Therapy
Pay Range
$35.06 - $69.55
Sign on Bonus - Up to $20,000
Shift - Day or Night
Informational Video: Join Our Team: Hiring Respiratory Therapists at Children's National
Who We Are
Children's National Hospital is seeking dedicated Respiratory Care Practitioners to join our team at our 323-bed Level 1 Pediatric Trauma Center.
Our Respiratory Department offers exciting growth opportunities through our career ladder program, allowing you to advance your career while working in various high-level care units.
These include the Heart and Kidney Unit, Short Stay Unit, Medical Surgical Units, Level IV NICU, PICU, Cardiac ICU, Emergency Department, and critical care transport via ambulance and helicopter and other units.
About the Role
Under general supervision, according to departmental and hospital standards, the Certified Respiratory Therapist I (CRT I), is responsible for administering acute and emergency department-levels of Respiratory Care to treat patients with cardiopulmonary dysfunction and/or disabilities. The CRT I performs respiratory assessments, delivers prescribed therapies, monitors patient response, maintains respiratory equipment, and documents care in accordance with organizational policies and professional standards.
What You''ll Bring
Minimum Education
- Associate’s degree in respiratory therapy from an accredited program (Required)
Minimum Work Experience
- Prior experience in respiratory care (Preferred)
Required Licenses and Certifications
- Certified Respiratory Therapist (CRT) in the District of Columbia (Required)
- RCP license from District of Columbia DOH Health Regulation & Licensing Administration (Required)
- Basic Life Support for Healthcare Providers (BLS) (Required)
- Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) (Required)
Functional Accountabilities
- Performs respiratory assessments and identifies changes in patients’ respiratory status, escalating concerns appropriately.
- Provides prescribed respiratory treatments and therapies, including oxygen therapy, aerosolized medications, airway clearance, and other routine respiratory interventions.
- Monitors patients before, during, and after respiratory procedures and evaluates response to therapy.
- Performs routine respiratory care procedures in accordance with established protocols, policies, and standards of practice.
- Assists with airway management and emergency respiratory interventions within established competency and scope of practice.
- Performs diagnostic procedures such as pulse oximetry, blood gas sampling, and other respiratory testing as assigned.
- Operates, troubleshoots, cleans, and maintains respiratory care equipment.
- Collaborates with nurses, physicians, and other healthcare professionals regarding patient respiratory needs.
- Documents assessments, interventions, patient response, and other required information accurately and timely.
- Provides patient and family education regarding respiratory treatments, equipment, medications, and disease management.
- Participates in department quality, safety, education, and performance-improvement activities.
- Develops clinical knowledge and skills through orientation, competency validation, continuing education, and experience.
- Seeks guidance from more experienced respiratory therapists or other clinical team members when patient needs exceed current knowledge or competency.
Benefits That Support You
- Comprehensive health coverage, including medical, prescription, infertility, and transgender health services.
- Generous paid time off, including vacation accrual from day one, sick leave, holidays, and a personal day.
- Financial wellness support, including a 401(k) plan and healthcare and dependent care spending accounts.
- Employer-paid life, AD&D, and long-term disability coverage, with optional supplemental plans.
Additional perks, including tuition assistance, fitness resources, employee assistance, commuter benefits, and more.
Why Join Us
Nationally Recognized Excellence – Consistently ranked among the Top 10 Children’s Hospitals in the nation by U.S. News & World Report.
Leading Pediatric Care – One of the largest and most comprehensive children’s hospitals in the country, offering nationally ranked specialties and cutting-edge treatments.
Innovation & Research – A premier academic medical center with a strong commitment to pediatric research, education, and advancing the future of child health.
Mission-Driven Culture – Dedicated to providing family-centered care while fostering a collaborative, supportive environment for clinical teams.
The disclosed salary range includes the minimum and maximum rates within which Children’s National believes an individual’s base pay rate will fall for this position. It is not typical for an individual to be hired at or near the maximum of the pay range.
The exact pay rate for this position will be based on a variety of factors in alignment with the Children’s National compensation philosophy.
These factors are legitimate and non-discriminatory including, but not limited to, the current market conditions; organizational needs; the individual’s combination of prior work experience, level of education, knowledge, skills, and other qualifications.
Children’s National is committed to providing a fair and competitive total rewards package to each of our employees. This base salary range does not include our comprehensive benefits package or any additional compensation for which this position may be eligible.
Childrens National Hospital is an equal opportunity employer that evaluates qualified applicants without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, sex, age, marital status, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender, identity, or other characteristics protected by law. The “Know Your Rights” poster is available here: and the pay transparency policy is available here: Know Your RightsPay Transparency Nondiscrimination Poster.
Please note that it is the policy of Children's National Hospital to ensure a “drug-free” work environment: a workplace free from the illegal use, possession or distribution of controlled substances (as defined in the Controlled Substances Act), or the misuse of legal substances, by all staff (management, employees and contractors). Though recreational and medical marijuana are now legal in the District of Columbia, Children's National and its affiliates maintain the right, in accordance with our policy, to enforce a drug-free workplace, including prohibiting recreational or prescribed marijuana.
Key Responsibilities
The Certified Respiratory Therapist performs respiratory assessments, delivers prescribed therapies, and monitors patient response to treatment. They also assist with airway management, maintain respiratory equipment, and document care in accordance with hospital standards.
Requirements
Candidates must hold an Associate’s degree in respiratory therapy and possess a valid Certified Respiratory Therapist (CRT) license in the District of Columbia. Required certifications include BLS and PALS, along with an RCP license from the District of Columbia DOH.
Key Skills
Respiratory Therapy Career Context
Of the 40 active Respiratory Therapy listings this role was benchmarked against, 3% are remote, 65% have no call, 60% require no weekends.
Respiratory Therapy pay on WeekdayDoc is down 1.2% vs. the prior quarter (through Sep 2026).
The cost-of-living index for District of Columbia is 109.9 (US average = 100; BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)), so the posted ~$109k midpoint carries the purchasing power of roughly $99k in an average-cost state. 64.3% of District of Columbia clinicians report burnout symptoms in WeekdayDoc's Burnout Index (2026-01 data).
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