Baccalaureate Prepared Respiratory Therapy Students’ Readiness and Workplace Preferences for Entry Into the Respiratory Therapy Workforce

Abstract

Background:

The respiratory therapy (RT) workforce is experiencing a national shortage, as evidenced by an unprecedented number of open staff positions and sign-on bonus incentives. As a result, students prepared at BS-entry RT (BSRT) programs are graduating during a time of an abundance of employment opportunities. Several studies have examined RT managers’ preferences for hiring BSRT graduates to meet the current and future expansion of RT roles and responsibilities. However, this issue has not yet been explored from the graduate’s perspective of workplace selection. Hiring managers may benefit from better understanding the strategies and characteristics that are most attractive to BSRT graduates in order to entice and retain these future employees. This study explored workplace characteristics sought after by graduating BSRT students and their perceptions of preparation for the RT workforce.

Methods:

An online survey was sent to BSRT students to explore the educational impact of the COVID pandemic, perceptions of workforce preparedness, and priorities when selecting a workplace. An email invitation was sent to all BSRT Program Directors to forward to the graduating cohort. The study was approved as exempt by the IRB.

Results:

Ninety-four students completed the survey. The respondents were mostly female (90%) and from the midwest (43%) or southern (37%) regions. The majority of respondents learned about RT from a personal encounter or connection (34%), or an academic counselor (14%). Over 64% of respondents found COVID affected their education. The majority of respondents felt prepared to collaborate as an interprofessional team member, provide evidence-based respiratory care, and read and comprehend research. RT role in decision-making, job advancement, and autonomy were rated as most important workplace selection priorities. When asked what would retain them in the workplace, participants ranked salary/benefits, flexible schedule, and scope of practice highest.

Conclusions:

The results of this study may assist human resource departments and hiring managers. Consideration of the characteristics the students prioritized may be important for hiring managers to contemplate when planning for recruitment and retention. Competitive compensation, advancing the role of RT practice to the top of RT scope, creating clear clinical ladders for career advancement, and RT protocol use are suggested to attract and retain BSRT graduates. Further research is needed to generalize these results to all BSRT students.