Respiratory Therapy Apprentice

Carteret Health Care • Morehead City, NC

8d

About The Position

The Respiratory Therapy Apprentice is a multi-stage healthcare career pathway operated in formal partnership with Carteret Community College (CCC). It combines paid, hands-on clinical experience with academic instruction and progresses through three roles as apprentices build skills and responsibility.

As an Equipment Technician, the apprentice provides technical support to the Cardiopulmonary Department by cleaning, assembling, testing, and maintaining respiratory equipment; managing supplies; delivering equipment to clinical units; and helping respiratory therapists with setup and troubleshooting. Duties at this stage are limited to non-clinical support, simulation activities, and direct clinical observation. Direct patient care and assessment are prohibited.

As a Respiratory Care Assistant (RCA), the apprentice obtains licensure through the North Carolina Respiratory Care Board and supports licensed practitioners with basic patient-care duties and non-invasive cardiopulmonary procedures.

After graduating from CCC’s CoARC-accredited program, earning the NBRC Registered Respiratory Therapist credential, and obtaining active North Carolina RCP licensure, the apprentice may advance to the Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT) role. In that role, the employee directs patient care under provider oversight, including advanced cardiopulmonary evaluations, mechanical ventilation management, diagnostic procedures, and urgent airway interventions.

The position is responsible to the Director of Cardiopulmonary Services for daily operational workflows, equipment management, and patient-care delivery. It also maintains a reporting relationship with the Student Programs Coordinator for apprenticeship coordination, academic progress tracking, and program compliance, in collaboration with Carteret Community College.

Requirements

• Must be actively accepted into or currently enrolled in Carteret Community College’s Respiratory Care Program and remain in good academic standing throughout the apprenticeship.
• High school diploma or GED equivalent.
• Basic knowledge of medical and cardiopulmonary terminology.
• Ability to maintain confidential medical information and comply with HIPAA guidelines.
• Strong communication skills and basic computer literacy.
• Commitment to patient-centered care.
• Ability to balance clinical shifts with CCC academic coursework.
• Current BLS Healthcare Provider Certification.

Responsibilities

• Clean, assemble, test, and maintain respiratory equipment.
• Manage supply inventory and deliver equipment to clinical units.
• Assist respiratory therapists with equipment setup and troubleshooting.
• Perform only non-clinical support, equipment transport, stocking, simulation activities, and direct clinical observation while in the Equipment Technician stage; do not perform direct patient care or assessment at this stage.
• As a licensed Respiratory Care Assistant, support licensed respiratory care practitioners with basic patient-care duties and non-invasive cardiopulmonary procedures, including oxygen systems, equipment processing, manual resuscitation, oxygen/aerosol/humidity therapy, nebulizers, MDIs, incentive spirometry, airway clearance, chest physiotherapy with suctioning, arterial puncture, ECGs, and patient reporting.
• After meeting the stated education, credential, and licensure milestones, direct patient care under provider oversight, including advanced cardiopulmonary evaluations, mechanical ventilation management, diagnostic procedures, and urgent airway interventions.
• Coordinate with the Student Programs Coordinator on apprenticeship coordination, academic progress tracking, and program compliance.
• Carry out daily operational workflows, equipment management, and patient-care delivery under the direction of the Director of Cardiopulmonary Services.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: High school or GED