Mercy Medical Center logo
Mercy Medical Center
Aurora, Illinois

Respiratory Therapist

Respiratory TherapistPer Diem

Listed compensation

$37.50/hr

The week · per this posting

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

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

Posted 26m ago · Verified live

Job Description

  • Department: Respiratory Therapy
  • Shift: Per Diem; 3 shifts per 6 weeks
  • Facility: Mercy Medical Center
  • Location: Aurora, IL
  • Compensation: $37.50

Why Join Mercy Medical Center?

Join an award-winning community hospital that is part of the nationally recognized Prime Healthcare network, providing employees with the stability and resources of a large health system

Access comprehensive benefits including medical, dental, vision, and paid time off, designed to support employees at every stage of their careers.

Take advantage of tuition reimbursement programs, continuing education opportunities, and specialized training through the PrimE-Academy professional development platform.

Interview Process

  • Fast, streamlined interview process — no long waits or multiple rounds
  • One interview with quick decision‑making
  • Flexible interview scheduling to fit your availability
  • Apply, interview, and receive an offer quickly!

Responsibilities

Under the direction and authorization of the medical director and cardiopulmonary director/manager, the RCP I is responsible for performing respiratory therapeutic and pulmonary diagnostic procedures as ordered by the physician.

Emphasis will be toward the assessment, planning, implementation and documentation of care, with consideration of age and population specific needs and requirements of the patient.

In the absence of a supervisor, may be assigned/identified as Lead RCP, having responsibility for the section or department during their shift.

Qualifications

EDUCATION, EXPERIENCE, TRAINING

1. Current State Respiratory Care Practitioner (RCP) license required.

2. Current Certified Respiratory Therapist (CRT) from the National Board of Respiratory Care (NBRC) required. Hired before March 2026, are exempt

3. Basic Life Support (BLS) certified from the American Heart Association (AHA) or American Red Cross (ARC) upon hire and maintain current.

4. Adult Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) from the AHA or ARC certification within 60 days of hire and maintain current.

5. Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) from the AHA certification within 60 days of hire and maintain current.

6. Associate Degree or Bachelor of Science degree preferred.

7. Neonatal Resuscitation Program certificate is upon hire and maintain current or obtained within 60 days of hire.

8. High School Diploma or equivalent is required.

9. Two (2) years of acute care experience required.

Pay Transparency

Mercy Medical Center offers competitive compensation and a reasonable compensation estimate for this role is $37.50. The exact starting compensation to be offered will be determined at the time of selecting an applicant for hire, in which a wide range of factors will be considered, including but not limited to, skillset, years of applicable experience, education, credentials and licensure.

The company is dedicated to empowering its staff with a comprehensive, competitive benefits package, allowing them the freedom to customize their benefits to fit their unique needs. Our abundant resources, programs, and voluntary options serve as a foundation for individual growth and well-being. Learn more here: primehealthcare.com

Employment Status: Per Diem

Shift: Variable

Equal Employment Opportunity

Company is an equal employment opportunity employer.

Company prohibits discrimination against any applicant or employee based on race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, national origin, age (subject to applicable law), disability, military status, genetic information or any other basis protected by applicable federal, state, or local laws.

The Company also prohibits harassment of applicants or employees based on any of these protected categories. Know Your Rights: eeoc.gov

Qualifications

Experience
2+ years of experience

Certifications

NRP

Key Skills

Patient assessmentCare planning

Respiratory Therapy Career Context

Of the 40 active Respiratory Therapy listings this role was benchmarked against, 8% are remote, 60% have no call, 53% require no weekends.

Respiratory Therapy pay on WeekdayDoc is up 7.3% vs. the prior quarter (through Oct 2026).

Respiratory Therapy by the numbers
MeasureThis jobMarket
Listed pay$79kRespiratory Therapy median $104k (middle half $104k–$104k)18 comparable listings, Nov 2026
Cost-of-living adjusted pay~$79k in purchasing powerIllinois index 100.0 (US = 100)BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)
Respiratory Therapy listings in Illinois142 active3,952 nationallylive on WeekdayDoc, Nov 2026
Work settingon-sitepeers: 8% remote · 60% no call · 53% no weekends40 benchmarked listings
Sign-on & loan repaymentnot statedIllinois healthcare professional listings (all specialties): 32% state a sign-on bonus (median $20k) · 6% offer loan repayment149 active listings, Nov 2026
New Respiratory Therapy listings1,234 in the last 30 days756 the 30 days before (+63%)U.S., first seen on WeekdayDoc, Nov 2026
Respiratory Therapy pay trend+7.3% 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 contract/1099 Respiratory Therapist Jobs

31 matches · ranked by pay

Salary Distribution

27 jobs · 17 employers
13
<$85k
3
$85k-100k
9
$100k-115k
2
$115k-130k

Annual compensation range

Benefits & Perks

18 jobs · 17 employers
401k / retirement match
72%
Sign-on bonus
61%
Loan repayment
39%
PSLF eligible
17%
CME allowance
11% this job

Share of similar jobs offering each benefit

#1

Respiratory Therapist- RRT PRNPer Diem

Sentara Health · South Boston, Virginia

$37.61-$55.27/hr
#2

Allied Health: Respiratory Therapist Clinical Content Reviewer (Part-time, Remote, PRN Position)Per Diem

Elsevier · Remote - Nationwide

$55/hr
#3

Respiratory Therapist RRT - Part Time - Evenings

$33.16-$51.4/hr
#4

Registered Respiratory Therapist Pulmonary

$34.14-$45.7/hr
+ 29 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 3,886 comparable listings. Shaded area = the share scoring below this one.

Mercy Medical Center logo

About Mercy Medical Center

Hospitals and Health Care
Baltimore, MD
1,001-5,000 employees

Benefits & Perks

Medical, dental, and vision insurance
Paid time off
Tuition reimbursement
Continuing education opportunities
PrimE-Academy professional development platform

Living in Aurora

Typical 3-bedroom home value
$320k
Typical market rent
$2,294/mo
Residents’ average commute
27 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.