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UChicago Medicine
Chicago, Illinois

Respiratory Care Therapist Student

Respiratory TherapistPer Diem

Compensation

Pay not listed

The week · per this posting

Schedule not stated in this posting — no days, weekends, call or nights given.

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

Posted 1h ago · Verified live

Job Description

Respiratory Therapist Student, PRN

This second-year student in RCS will perform basic respiratory care treatments and procedures under the proximal supervision of a licensed Registered Respiratory Therapist while working Flexible Hours in 12,10 or 8 hour shifts. In this role you will provide for a patient's assessment to determine cardiopulmonary status, implement appropriate patient care protocols, or to maintain/improve cardiopulmonary hemodynamic status.

Essential Job Functions

  • Administers supplemental oxygen as prescribed by direct physician order or via established and approved departmental patient care protocols; documents such procedures appropriately and accurately.
  • Administers intermittent (Small Volume Nebulizer, MDI, etc.) therapy (bronchodilators, steroid therapy, mucolytics, etc.) as prescribed or via established and approved department protocols. Documents such procedures into the EPIC electronic medical record appropriately and accurately; in real-time fashion. Properly assesses and monitors the patient during administration of such modalities.
  • Administers bronchopulmonary hygiene. Implements airway clearance techniques (to include Chest Physiotherapy, coughing/deep breathing techniques, Therapy Vest, EzPap device, Acapella device, & incentive spirometry) per physician order or under the guidelines of established and approved departmental protocols. Documents such procedures into the EPIC electronic medical record appropriately and accurately per hospital policy.

Required Qualifications

  • Second-Year Student in an approved and accredited Respiratory Care Program with evidence of continued enrollment
  • Basic Life Support Healthcare provider certification (American Heart Association)
  • Must demonstrate effective and accurate communication, documentation and technical skills, both verbally and in writing

Preferred Qualifications

  • ACLS/PALS Certification

Job Details

  • Job Type/FTE: 0.10 FTE
  • Shift: Shift – 12-hours "Requirement: four 12hr shifts per six week schedule"
  • Unit/Department: Respiratory Care Services
  • CBA Code: Non-Union

Key Responsibilities

The student will perform basic respiratory care treatments and procedures under the supervision of a licensed therapist. Responsibilities include assessing cardiopulmonary status, administering oxygen and nebulizer therapies, and documenting care in the electronic medical record.

Requirements

Candidates must be a second-year student in an accredited Respiratory Care Program with evidence of continued enrollment. A Basic Life Support certification from the American Heart Association is required.

Qualifications

Education
Professional certificate or licensure

Certifications

BLS

Key Skills

Patient assessmentCardiopulmonary status monitoringOxygen administrationNebulizer therapyBronchodilator administrationElectronic medical record documentationClinical communication

Mental Health Therapy Career Context

Of the 49 active Respiratory Therapist listings this role was benchmarked against, 2% are remote, 51% have no call, 53% require no weekends.

The cost-of-living index for Illinois is 100.0 (US average = 100; BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)). 62.6% of Illinois clinicians report burnout symptoms in WeekdayDoc's Burnout Index (2026-01 data).

What does the Respiratory Therapist market look like in Illinois?
MeasureThis jobMarket
Listed paynot listedRespiratory Therapist median $68k (middle half $57k–$78k)19 comparable listings, Oct 2026
Cost of livingIllinois index 100.0US average = 100BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)
Respiratory Therapist listings in Illinois140 active4,176 nationallylive on WeekdayDoc, Oct 2026
Work settingon-sitepeers: 2% remote · 51% no call · 53% no weekends49 benchmarked listings
Sign-on & loan repaymentnot statedIllinois healthcare professional listings: 30% state a sign-on bonus (median $15k) · 3% offer loan repayment140 active listings, Oct 2026
Sources: WeekdayDoc live listing index, BEA Regional Price Parities (2024); as of Oct 2026. Same values as the Weekday Verdict and Market Insights on this page.

Top contract/1099 Respiratory Therapist Jobs

32 matches · ranked by pay

Salary Distribution

22 jobs · 17 employers
9
<$85k
4
$85k-100k
5
$100k-115k
2
$115k-130k
2
$130k+

Annual compensation range

Benefits & Perks

21 jobs · 17 employers
401k / retirement match
86%
Sign-on bonus
48%
Loan repayment
24%
PSLF eligible
14%
Relocation assistance
10%

Share of similar jobs offering each benefit

#1

Respiratory Therapist – CRT/RRT

Garnet Health · Middletown, New York

$45.05 - $63.70/hr
#2

Respiratory Therapist II

Olympic Medical Center · Port Angeles, Washington

$41.41-$62.92/hr
#3

Respiratory Therapist

$41.35-$58.48/hr
#4

Respiratory Therapist - Providence Kodiak Island

$37.08-$55.62/hr
+ 30 more · ranked by pay

Work-life snapshot

median 3.0this job 2.8
Better work-life than 40% of Mental Health Therapy (Respiratory Therapy) listings

Listing-based score, 0–10, across 41 comparable listings. Shaded area = the share scoring below this one.

Living in Chicago

Typical 3-bedroom home value
$354k
Typical market rent
$2,311/mo
Residents’ average commute
33 min
State income tax
Up to 5%
Sources & methodology

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

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