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Erlanger Health System
Chattanooga, Tennessee

Registered Respiratory Therapist-PRN

Respiratory TherapistIncludes callPer Diem

Compensation

Pay not listed

The week · per this posting

Ask the employer about the pay range, the work setting, weekend coverage and time off.

Posted 4mo ago · Verified live

Job Description

Reports to the team leader. Chief objective of this position is that the employee must be able to demonstrate knowledge and skill in the area of Respiratory Care with the emphasis in critical care.

Education

Required: Associate of Science in Respiratory Care, or graduate of an NBRC and AMA approved Respiratory Program meeting requirement for eligibility of the NBRC Exam.

Preferred: Bachelor degree in Respiratory Therapy or related field.

Experience

Required: One (1) year of clinical experience as a respiratory therapist. Clinical training from an accredited Respiratory Care program is acceptable.

Preferred: Two-Three (2-3) years of critical care experience as a registered therapist.

Position Requirement(s): License/Certification/Registration

Required

(RRT) Registered Respiratory Therapist by the National Board of Respiratory Care. State approved license to practice respiratory care in the state of Tennessee, ABG endorsed. Current AHA BLS completed prior to going to the unit/ department and maintained going forward

Preferred: Current ACLS/PALS/NRP certification

Department Position Summary

Must have an understanding of the principles and practices of respiratory therapy. Computer, time management, analytical and communication skills are a must. Proficient with all equipment utilized in the respiratory care department. Critical Care and general floor care assessment and functional skills are a must.

Must be advanced in critical care and general floor care for the patient population served: school/age to older adults. Therapists will be a part of the CQI team, in data collection for improvements. Must be capable of making recommendations for the most effective utilization of technology available.

Correct and adjust respiratory care and equipment in a timely manner, when needed. Assume preceptor responsibilities for new employees and those peers in advance training as directed within the area of specialty.

Due to this facilities role as a teaching hospital, therapists must also be willing to provide assistance with the clinical training of students from Respiratory Programs that we support.

Assist with clinical based research projects that are related to defining appropriateness and efficiency of respiratory care delivered. Airway management and CPR are required. Organizational and communicational skills are a must in patient care areas.

Key Responsibilities

Provide expert respiratory care with a focus on critical care for patients ranging from school-age to older adults. Responsibilities include managing equipment, assisting with clinical research, and serving as a preceptor for new employees and students.

Requirements

Requires an Associate of Science in Respiratory Care and RRT certification with a Tennessee state license. Candidates must have at least one year of clinical experience and current BLS certification.

Qualifications

Education
Professional certificate or licensure
Experience
2+ years of experience

Certifications

ACLS (preferred)PALS (preferred)NRP (preferred)

Key Skills

Patient AssessmentAnalytical Skills

Critical Care Medicine Career Context

Of the 50 active Respiratory Therapist listings this role was benchmarked against, 4% are remote, 40% have no call, 60% require no weekends.

The cost-of-living index for Tennessee is 91.9 (US average = 100; BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)). 58.6% of Tennessee clinicians report burnout symptoms in WeekdayDoc's Burnout Index (2026-01 data).

Respiratory Therapist by the numbers
MeasureThis jobMarket
Listed paynot listedRespiratory Therapist median $116k (middle half $96k–$124k)24 comparable listings, Nov 2026
Cost of livingTennessee index 91.9US average = 100BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)
Respiratory Therapist listings in Tennessee131 active4,149 nationallylive on WeekdayDoc, Nov 2026
Work settingon-sitepeers: 4% remote · 40% no call · 60% no weekends50 benchmarked listings
Sign-on & loan repaymentnot statedTennessee healthcare professional listings: 11% state a sign-on bonus (median $8k) · 2% offer loan repayment131 active listings, Nov 2026
New Critical Care Medicine listings102 in the last 30 days88 the 30 days before (+16%)U.S., first seen on WeekdayDoc, Nov 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.

Location & Logistics

Tennessee has no state income tax, which can significantly increase take-home pay compared to high-tax states.

Top contract/1099 Respiratory Therapist Jobs

36 matches · ranked by pay

Salary Distribution

30 jobs · 18 employers
17
<$85k
4
$85k-100k
7
$100k-115k
1
$130k
1
$131k

Annual compensation range

Benefits & Perks

19 jobs · 18 employers
401k / retirement match
79%
Sign-on bonus
47%
Loan repayment
26%
CME allowance
5%
Relocation assistance
5%

Share of similar jobs offering each benefit

#1

Respiratory Therapist II

Olympic Medical Center · Port Angeles, Washington

$41.41-$62.92/hr
#2

Senior Respiratory Therapist -Dayshift

Sentara Health · Norfolk, Virginia

$41.74-$62.48/hr
#3

Respiratory Therapist

$37.61-$55.27/hr
#4

Respiratory Therapist RRT - Full Time - Nights

$33.16-$51.4/hr
+ 34 more · ranked by pay

Work-life snapshot

median 3.0this job 1.5
Below most Critical Care Medicine (Respiratory Therapy) listings for work-life

Listing-based score, 0–10, across 33 comparable listings. Shaded area = the share scoring below this one.

  • Includes call

Living in Chattanooga

Typical 3-bedroom home value
$324k
Typical market rent
$1,498/mo
Residents’ average commute
19 min
Metro price indexU.S. average = 100
91.5
State income tax
None
Sources & methodology

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

BEA 2024 · Chattanooga, TN-GA metro prices. Housing figures are city-level.

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