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Duke University
Durham, North Carolina

Pediatric Respiratory Therapist Traveler (Night Shift)

Respiratory TherapistIncludes weekendsContract

Listed compensation

$63-$65/hr

The week · per this posting · weekdays assumed

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

Posted 19m ago · Verified live

Job Description

Join Duke University Hospital through our Internal Traveler Program and bring your pediatric respiratory expertise to a flexible assignment with a nationally recognized academic medical center. You will care for complex pediatric patients across areas such as our Level IV NICU, pediatric cardiac intensive care, and PICU, working with advanced respiratory therapies and interdisciplinary teams to shape patient care.

With 8, 13, and 26 week assignments, you can expand your experience at Duke Health while receiving support from clinical leads and educators as you get familiar with our equipment, practices, and care environment.

Assignment Details

Location: Duke University Hospital, Durham, NC, the largest of Duke Health's four hospitals with 1062 patient beds

Shift: Nights; 12-hour shifts

Schedule: One, two, or three shifts per week, with every-other-weekend coverage

Assignment length: 8, 13, or 26 weeks, with renewal opportunities subject to program limits (26-weeks)

Compensation: $63 or $65 hour based on level (night and weekend premium)

Benefits: Eligible for limited benefits

Eligibility: External candidates, including former Duke team members who have been away for at least 12 months

Pediatric respiratory care experience is required. NICU, PCICU, and PICU experience is highly preferred.

What You Will Do

Assess pediatric patients and deliver respiratory therapies in accordance with care plans, physician orders, and established protocols.

Administer oxygen, aerosolized medications, airway-clearance therapies, and other ordered treatments.

Initiate and manage invasive and non-invasive ventilation and monitor each patient’s response to therapy.

Perform airway suctioning, pulse oximetry, arterial blood gas punctures, bedside pulmonary mechanics, CPR, and bag-mask ventilation.

Recognize urgent or life-threatening changes in condition and initiate an appropriate response.

Support safe transport of pediatric patients within the hospital.

Verify orders and ensure respiratory equipment and supplies are correctly set up, safe, and ready for use.

Document care accurately and communicate relevant clinical information during handoffs and throughout the night shift.

Educate patients and families and collaborate with the interdisciplinary pediatric care team.

Follow infection-prevention, safety, compliance, equipment-care, and quality-improvement standards.

What You Will Bring

Strong clinical judgement, adaptability, and confidence working independently and collaboratively in a complex pediatric care enviroment.

  • Completion of a two-year CoARC-approved respiratory care program, with an associate degree or equivalent.
  • At least one year of experience as a Registered Respiratory Therapist.
  • Pediatric respiratory care experience is required for this pediatric-only assignment.
  • Neonatal Resuscitation Program (NRP) certification and any additional credentials required by the assigned pediatric care area must be current, as applicable.
  • Current bBasic Life Support (BLS) and Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) certifications are required.

Current North Carolina respiratory care license and Registered Therapist credential from the National Board for Respiratory Care (NBRC).

Candidates will be considered for tone of the two traveler levels based on experience, qualifications, and demonstrated clinical competences

Duke University is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer committed to providing employment opportunity without regard to an individual's age, color, disability, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, or veteran status.

Duke aspires to create a community built on collaboration, innovation, creativity, and belonging. Our collective success depends on the robust exchange of ideas—an exchange that is best when the rich diversity of our perspectives, backgrounds, and experiences flourishes.

To achieve this exchange, it is essential that all members of the community feel secure and welcome, that the contributions of all individuals are respected, and that all voices are heard. All members of our community have a responsibility to uphold these values.

Essential Physical Job Functions

Certain jobs at Duke University and Duke University Health System may include essential job functions that require specific physical and/or mental abilities. Additional information and provision for requests for reasonable accommodation will be provided by each hiring department.

Duke is an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to providing employment opportunity without regard to an individual's age, color, disability, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, sex (including pregnancy and pregnancy related conditions), sexual orientation or military status.

Duke aspires to create a community built on collaboration, innovation, creativity, and belonging. Our collective success depends on the robust exchange of ideas—an exchange that is best when the rich diversity of our perspectives, backgrounds, and experiences flourishes.

To achieve this exchange, it is essential that all members of the community feel secure and welcome, that the contributions of all individuals are respected, and that all voices are heard. All members of our community have a responsibility to uphold these values.

Essential Physical Job Functions: Certain jobs at Duke University and Duke University Health System may include essential job functions that require specific physical and/or mental abilities. Additional information and provision for requests for reasonable accommodation will be provided by each hiring department.

Key Responsibilities

Assess pediatric patients and deliver respiratory therapies, including managing invasive and non-invasive ventilation. Collaborate with interdisciplinary teams to monitor patient conditions and document care accurately.

Requirements

Requires a two-year CoARC-approved respiratory care program degree and at least one year of experience as a Registered Respiratory Therapist. Must hold current BLS, PALS, NRP, and North Carolina respiratory care licensure.

Qualifications

Education
Professional certificate or licensure
Experience
2+ years of experience

Key Skills

NICU carePICU carePCICU carePatient assessmentRespiratory therapyInterdisciplinary collaboration

Pediatrics Career Context

Of the 40 active Respiratory Therapist listings this role was benchmarked against, 3% are remote, 50% have no call, 53% require no weekends.

The cost-of-living index for North Carolina is 94.3 (US average = 100; BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)), so the posted ~$133k midpoint carries the purchasing power of roughly $141k in an average-cost state. 59.2% of North Carolina clinicians report burnout symptoms in WeekdayDoc's Burnout Index (2026-01 data).

What does the Respiratory Therapist market look like in North Carolina?
MeasureThis jobMarket
Listed pay$131k–$135kRespiratory Therapist median $80k (middle half $80k–$80k)79 comparable listings, Nov 2026
Cost-of-living adjusted pay~$141k in purchasing powerNorth Carolina index 94.3 (US = 100)BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)
Respiratory Therapist listings in North Carolina116 active4,132 nationallylive on WeekdayDoc, Nov 2026
Work settingon-sitepeers: 3% remote · 50% no call · 53% no weekends40 benchmarked listings
Sign-on & loan repaymentnot statedNorth Carolina healthcare professional listings: 34% state a sign-on bonus (median $15k) · 7% offer loan repayment116 active listings, Nov 2026
New Pediatrics listings1,217 in the last 30 days782 the 30 days before (+56%)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.

Top contract/1099 Respiratory Therapist Jobs

25 matches · ranked by pay

Salary Distribution

25 jobs · 14 employers
9
<$85k
1
$95k
6
$95k-105k
6
$105k-115k
3
$115k+

Annual compensation range

Benefits & Perks

14 jobs
401k / retirement match
86%
Sign-on bonus
64%
Loan repayment
50%
PSLF eligible
29%
CME allowance
7%

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

$34-$56.1/hr
#4

Respiratory Therapist

$37.61-$55.27/hr
+ 23 more · ranked by pay

Work-life snapshot

median 3.0this job 3.0
Better work-life than 50% of Pediatrics (Respiratory Therapy) listings

Listing-based score, 0–10, across 51 comparable listings. Shaded area = the share scoring below this one.

  • Includes weekends

Living in Durham

Typical 3-bedroom home value
$358k
Typical market rent
$1,626/mo
Residents’ average commute
22 min
Metro price indexU.S. average = 100
97.6
State income tax
Up to 4.8%
Sources & methodology

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

BEA 2024 · Durham-Chapel Hill, NC metro prices. Housing figures are city-level.

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