Respiratory Therapy as known today did not exist 50 years ago. The field has grown 
greatly since a few oxygen tank technicians began meeting with doctors concerned with lung disease in Chicago, Illinois in the 1940s. This group named itself the Inhalational Therapy Association (“ITA”) in 1946. They gradually put together a series of classes for people administering medical gases to patients. In December, 1950, 31 members of the Association were issued certificates for attending 16 lectures, the first certification of “inhalation therapists.” (Burton, pp. 5-6) This was an on-the-job training system for so-called “oxygen jockies” with little formal education, but a desire to do their jobs better and help patients in the process.
In 1953, the American College of Chest Physicians agreed to sponsor the ITA. By this year, the ITA was holding an annual convention and showed attendees from 14 states and Canada. In 1954 they changed the named to American Association of Inhalation Therapists, elected a board of directors. They elected Sister Borromea as president and appointed Jimmy Young as executive director. By this time the AAIT was putting out a monthly Bulletin, and state chapters began to form. (Burton p. 7)
“During the next few years better equipment and more advanced therapy techniques were introduced. Those practicing in the profession began to adopt the title “inhalation therapist.” Their main function was to ensure safe oxygen use, to administer intermittent positive pressure breathing (IPPB) treatments, to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), and to operate negative pressure (iron lung) ventilators.
Alvin Barach, a leader in discovering the role oxygen therapy played in breathing and health, led a group in publishing in 1950 “Minimum Standards for Inhalation Therapy.” In 1957 the New York delegation to the AMA’s House of Delegates introduced a resolution to develop schools of inhalation therapy, and soon after some schools were set up. In 1960 Articles of Incorporation were filed with the State of Illinois for the American Registry of Inhalation Therapists. Twelve examinees were registered in 1961. In 1972 the Association changed its name to the American Association of Respiratory Therapy, and this was later changed to the American Association of Respiratory Care. By 1983 about 16,000 respiratory therapists had been registered. (Burton, pp. 9-10). About 1969 the organization devised a system for credentialing entry-level practitioners, which became the National Board of Respiratory Care’s system of certifying technicians.
With the advent of positive pressure mechanical ventilators, the more widespread hospital provision of neonatal and pediatric care, more sophistocated pulmonary function testing (PFT), a need for thoroughly trained clinical practitioners presented itself.
Over the years “respiratory technicians” have evolved to being college and University trained personnel who mainly administer inhaled medications. Skills that Respiratory therapists must master include, but are not limited to; intubation, other advanced airway placement, arterial-line insertion, Cardiac Catheter advancement, tracheostomy re-cannulation, naso-tracheal suction, Blood Gas (drawing and interpretation), Waveform analysis, Inhaled medication delivery, other aerosol therapy devices, mechanical ventilation (invasive and non-invasive) among others.
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