Altru Health System logo
Altru Health System
Grand Forks, North Dakota

NICU Respiratory Therapist

Respiratory TherapistFull-Time

Listed compensation

$32.19-$48.28/hr

The week · per this posting · weekdays assumed

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

Posted 1h ago · Verified live

Job Description

Everything we do is underscored by a why — and that why is one another.

Location: Altru Hospital 1200 South Columbia Road Grand Forks, ND 58201

Pay Range: $32.19 - $48.28

Summary

The NICU Respiratory Therapist performs and documents evaluations and patient assessments. This position provides diagnostic and therapeutic treatment and appropriate education. The therapist identifies significant changes in patient's condition and documents appropriately.

Essential Job Functions

Provides diagnostic and therapeutic treatment and physician assistance.

Provides appropriate patient education, family teaching and support which correlate to the patient and family needs. Documents appropriately.

Identifies significant changes in patient's condition and takes appropriate action, as evidenced in reporting, staffing and documentation. Communicates pertinent information to appropriate caregivers. Documents appropriately.

Performs pain assessment and takes appropriate action according to standard operating procedure.

Completes all documentation, including order entry, verification, electronic medical record (EMR), medication charting, patient safety/incident variance reports, equipment repair tags, etc. according to standard operating procedure.

Processes patient charges. Runs and verifies reports as needed.

Disassembles, cleans, assembles respiratory equipment and performs preventative maintenance according to standard operating procedure. Properly tags equipment in need of preventative maintenance, safety check or repair and notified appropriate department and/or delivers equipment to them.

Responsible for the transport of infants to/from referral health systems. Provides high quality critical care in accordance with the patient care guidelines established by the organization.

Performs other duties as assigned or needed to meet the needs of the department/organization.

Certification

Respiratory Therapist | North Dakota State Board of Respiratory Care | Prior to Start Date | HR Primary Sources

Respiratory Therapist | Minnesota Board of Medical Practice | Within 6 Months of Start Date | HR Primary Sources

Basic Life Support (BLS) | American Heart Association (AHA) | Within 90 days of Start Date | Learning Management System

Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) & Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) | American Heart Association (AHA) | Within 6 Months of Start Date | Learning Management System

Neonatal Resuscitation Program (NRP) | RQI Partners | Within 6 Months of Start Date | Learning Management System

Notes

New graduates must obtain registry from National Board for Respiratory Care within 12 Months of Start Date (RRT)

Language Requirements

This position requires proficiency in reading, writing, and speaking English to ensure effective communication in the workplace and with patients, families, and team members.

Physical Demands

  • Sit: Occasionally (5-33%)
  • Stand: Frequently (34-66%)
  • Walk: Frequently (34-66%)
  • Stoop/Bend: Frequently (34-66%)
  • Reach: Frequently (34-66%)
  • Crawl: Rarely (1-4%)
  • Squat/Crouch/Kneel: Occasionally (5-33%)
  • Twist: Frequently (34-66%)
  • Handle/Finger/Feel: Continuously (67-100%)
  • See: Continuously (67-100%)
  • Hear: Continuously (67-100%)

Weight Demands

  • Lift -Floor to Waist Level: Medium (20-40 pounds)
  • Carry: Medium (20-40 pounds)
  • Push/Pull: Medium (20-40 pounds)
  • Slide/Transfer: Medium (20-40 pounds)

Working Conditions

  • Indoor: Continuously (67-100%)
  • Outdoor: Not Applicable
  • Extreme Temperature: Not Applicable

Driving Requirement Definitions

Professional Drivers: Persons who drive as their main responsibility OR transport passengers or hazardous materials.

  • Frequent Drivers: Persons whose main responsibility is not driving, but drive daily or almost daily.
  • Occasional Drivers: Persons who drive from once per month to as frequently as once per week.
  • Infrequent Drivers: Persons who are generally not expected to drive.

Driving Requirement for This Position

  • Infrequent Driver
  • Reference ID: R6645

Making a real difference. For one another.

To take the best care of our patients and community — including friends, family, and neighbors — we need people who are committed to growth, excellence, and one another.

At Altru, you’ll find a culture where support and teamwork are at the heart of what we do. You’ll have opportunities to advance your skills, work with the latest technologies, experience the fulfillment that comes from giving back, and take your career wherever you want it to go.

Join our team and be a part of a small community with a big heart.

Altru offers a comprehensive benefits package to its full- and part-time employees. Excellent benefits include a health plan and 401(k) retirement plan. Other benefits include a dental plan, vision plan, life and disability insurance, education assistance, paid time off (PTO)

Key Responsibilities

The NICU Respiratory Therapist performs diagnostic and therapeutic treatments, assesses patient conditions, and provides education to patients and their families. They are also responsible for maintaining respiratory equipment and transporting infants to and from referral health systems.

Requirements

Candidates must hold a Respiratory Therapist certification from the North Dakota State Board of Respiratory Care and obtain Minnesota licensure within six months. Required certifications include BLS, ACLS, PALS, and NRP, with new graduates expected to obtain RRT registry within 12 months.

Qualifications

Education
Professional certificate or licensure

Key Skills

Respiratory therapyPatient assessmentDiagnostic treatmentEquipment maintenanceInfant transport

Respiratory Therapy Career Context

Of the 40 active Respiratory Therapy listings this role was benchmarked against, 3% are remote, 63% have no call, 45% require no weekends.

Respiratory Therapy pay on WeekdayDoc is up 1.3% vs. the prior quarter (through Oct 2026).

Respiratory Therapy by the numbers
MeasureThis jobMarket
Listed pay$67k–$100kRespiratory Therapy median $86k (middle half $79k–$95k)583 comparable listings, Nov 2026
Cost-of-living adjusted pay~$94k in purchasing powerNorth Dakota index 89.0 (US = 100)BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)
Respiratory Therapy listings in North Dakota17 active3,912 nationallylive on WeekdayDoc, Nov 2026
Work settingon-sitepeers: 3% remote · 63% no call · 45% no weekends40 benchmarked listings
Sign-on & loan repaymentnot statedUS healthcare professional listings (all specialties): 24% state a sign-on bonus (median $10k) · 9% offer loan repayment1,000 active listings, Nov 2026
New Respiratory Therapy listings1,246 in the last 30 days727 the 30 days before (+71%)U.S., first seen on WeekdayDoc, Nov 2026
Respiratory Therapy pay trend+1.3% vs prior quarter—through Oct 2026
Sources: WeekdayDoc live listing index, BEA Regional Price Parities (2024); as of Nov 2026. Same values as the Weekday Verdict and Market Insights on this page.

Top Respiratory Therapist Jobs

24 matches · ranked by pay

Salary Distribution

24 jobs · 14 employers
8
<$85k
4
$85k-95k
5
$95k-105k
5
$105k-115k
2
$115k+

Annual compensation range

Benefits & Perks

15 jobs · 14 employers
401k / retirement match
80% this job
Sign-on bonus
60%
Loan repayment
40%
PSLF eligible
20%
CME allowance
7%

Share of similar jobs offering each benefit

#1

Senior Respiratory Therapist -Dayshift

Sentara Health · Norfolk, Virginia

$41.74-$62.48/hr
#2

Respiratory Therapist

St Francis Hospital · Colorado Springs, Colorado

$34-$56.1/hr
#3

Respiratory Therapist

$37.61-$55.27/hr
#4

Respiratory Therapist (RT) - Adults

$35.5-$53.25/hr
+ 22 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 3,922 comparable listings. Shaded area = the share scoring below this one.

Altru Health System logo

About Altru Health System

Hospitals and Health Care
Grand Forks, North Dakota
1,001-5,000 employees

Benefits & Perks

Health plan
401(k) retirement plan
Dental plan
Vision plan
Life and disability insurance
Education assistance
Paid time off (PTO)

Living in Grand Forks

Typical 3-bedroom home value
$277k
Typical market rent
$1,149/mo
Residents’ average commute
15 min
Metro price indexU.S. average = 100
86.7
State income tax
Up to 2.9%
Sources & methodology

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

BEA 2024 · Grand Forks, ND-MN metro prices. Housing figures are city-level.

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