Registered Respiratory Therapist Jobs in Tennessee
Registered Respiratory Therapist jobs in Tennessee are consistently active, with strong demand concentrated in hospital systems, critical care units, and neonatal and pediatric respiratory care. Nashville, Memphis, and Knoxville are the state's top hiring metros, anchored by large employers like Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare, and Ballad Health. The most in-demand specialties include neonatal respiratory care, ventilator management, and pulmonary rehabilitation, with openings at every level from new graduate to senior therapist. Find a role that fits below and apply directly.
Find JobsOverview
Showing 5 of 105+ Registered Respiratory Therapist jobs
- Location: Nashville, TN
- Facility: Ascension Saint Thomas Midtown
- Department: Respiratory Services
- Schedule: Day Shift | PRN
- Retirement: 403(b) plan
- Well-being support: Employee Assistance Program, counseling and peer support, spiritual care and stress management resources
- Assess, develop, and implement individualized respiratory care plans for adult patients with acute and chronic respiratory insufficiencies, including oxygen therapy, aerosol treatments, and ventilator support.
- Monitor, document, and communicate patient respiratory status, response to therapy, and changes in condition while collaborating with the interdisciplinary healthcare team.
- Perform advanced respiratory care procedures including mechanical ventilation management, arterial blood gas analysis, airway management, and emergency respiratory interventions.
- Educate patients and families on respiratory conditions, treatment plans, equipment use, and available community resources while responding as an active member of emergency resuscitation/code teams.
- BLS Provider obtained within 1 Month (30 days) of hire date or job transfer date required. American Heart Association or American Red Cross accepted.
- One or more of the following required:
- Respiratory Therapist specializing in Registered credentialed from the National Board for Respiratory Care (NBRC) obtained within 6 Months (180 days) of hire date or job transfer date.
- Respiratory Therapist credentialed from the Tennessee Board of Respiratory Care obtained within 6 Months (180 days) of hire date or job transfer date.
- High School diploma equivalency with 2 years of cumulative experience OR Associate's degree/Technical degree OR 4 years of applicable cumulative job specific experience required.
Ascension is a leading nonprofit Catholic health system with a culture and associate experience grounded in service, growth, care and connection. We empower our 99,000+ associates to bring their skills and expertise every day to reimagining healthcare, together. Recognized as one of the Best 150+ Places to Work in Healthcare and a Military-Friendly Gold Employer, you'll find an inclusive and supportive environment where your contributions truly matter.
Equal employment opportunity employer
Ascension provides Equal Employment Opportunities (EEO) to all associates and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex/gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, childbirth, and related medical conditions, lactation, breastfeeding, national origin, citizenship, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, marital status, all as defined by applicable law, and any other legally protected status or characteristic in accordance with applicable federal, state and local laws. For further information, view the EEO Know Your Rights (English) poster or EEO Know Your Rights (Spanish) poster.
Fraud prevention notice
Prospective applicants should be vigilant against fraudulent job offers and interview requests. Scammers may use sophisticated tactics to impersonate Ascension employees. To ensure your safety, please remember: Ascension will never ask for payment or to provide banking or financial information as part of the job application or hiring process, our legitimate email communications will always come from an @ascension.org email address; do not trust other domains, and an official offer will only be extended to candidates who have completed a job application through our authorized applicant tracking system.
E-Verify statement
Employer participates in the Electronic Employment Verification Program. Please click here for more information.
- Location: Nashville, TN
- Facility: Ascension Saint Thomas Midtown
- Department: Respiratory Services
- Schedule: Day Shift | PRN
- Retirement: 403(b) plan
- Well-being support: Employee Assistance Program, counseling and peer support, spiritual care and stress management resources
- Assess, develop, and implement individualized respiratory care plans for adult patients with acute and chronic respiratory insufficiencies, including oxygen therapy, aerosol treatments, and ventilator support.
- Monitor, document, and communicate patient respiratory status, response to therapy, and changes in condition while collaborating with the interdisciplinary healthcare team.
- Perform advanced respiratory care procedures including mechanical ventilation management, arterial blood gas analysis, airway management, and emergency respiratory interventions.
- Educate patients and families on respiratory conditions, treatment plans, equipment use, and available community resources while responding as an active member of emergency resuscitation/code teams.
- BLS Provider obtained within 1 Month (30 days) of hire date or job transfer date required. American Heart Association or American Red Cross accepted.
- One or more of the following required:
- Respiratory Therapist specializing in Registered credentialed from the National Board for Respiratory Care (NBRC) obtained within 6 Months (180 days) of hire date or job transfer date.
- Respiratory Therapist credentialed from the Tennessee Board of Respiratory Care obtained within 6 Months (180 days) of hire date or job transfer date.
- High School diploma equivalency with 2 years of cumulative experience OR Associate's degree/Technical degree OR 4 years of applicable cumulative job specific experience required.
Ascension is a leading nonprofit Catholic health system with a culture and associate experience grounded in service, growth, care and connection. We empower our 99,000+ associates to bring their skills and expertise every day to reimagining healthcare, together. Recognized as one of the Best 150+ Places to Work in Healthcare and a Military-Friendly Gold Employer, you'll find an inclusive and supportive environment where your contributions truly matter.
Equal employment opportunity employer
Ascension provides Equal Employment Opportunities (EEO) to all associates and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex/gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, childbirth, and related medical conditions, lactation, breastfeeding, national origin, citizenship, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, marital status, all as defined by applicable law, and any other legally protected status or characteristic in accordance with applicable federal, state and local laws. For further information, view the EEO Know Your Rights (English) poster or EEO Know Your Rights (Spanish) poster.
Fraud prevention notice
Prospective applicants should be vigilant against fraudulent job offers and interview requests. Scammers may use sophisticated tactics to impersonate Ascension employees. To ensure your safety, please remember: Ascension will never ask for payment or to provide banking or financial information as part of the job application or hiring process, our legitimate email communications will always come from an @ascension.org email address; do not trust other domains, and an official offer will only be extended to candidates who have completed a job application through our authorized applicant tracking system.
E-Verify statement
Employer participates in the Electronic Employment Verification Program. Please click here for more information.
See All 105+ Registered Respiratory Therapist Jobs in Tennessee
Find roles in Tennessee that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find JobsRegistered Respiratory Therapist Jobs by City in Tennessee
Where Tennessee roles are concentrated, by current openings.
Registered Respiratory Therapist Job Market in Tennessee
A snapshot from current Tennessee openings, updated as new roles post.
Who's Hiring
- TriStar Health10
- Lincare7
- Ascension7
- Select Specialty Hospital7
- HealthTrust Workforce Solutions7
Top Industries Hiring
- Healthcare & Medical Services
- Education
- Automotive
What Tennessee Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in registered respiratory therapist jobs across Tennessee.
- Active Tennessee registered respiratory therapist license issued by the Tennessee Board of Medical Examiners
- Certified Respiratory Therapist or Registered Respiratory Therapist credential from the National Board for Respiratory Care
- Associate or bachelor's degree in respiratory therapy from a CoARC-accredited program
- Demonstrated clinical experience with mechanical ventilation and critical care patient populations
- Current BLS certification required with ACLS preferred for intensive care positions
- Strong familiarity with electronic health records systems used in Tennessee hospital environments
Registered Respiratory Therapist Jobs in Tennessee: Frequently Asked Questions
How do you become a registered respiratory therapist in Tennessee?
To become a registered respiratory therapist in Tennessee, you must complete an accredited respiratory therapy program, pass the National Board for Respiratory Care examinations to earn your Registered Respiratory Therapist credential, and then obtain an active license through the Tennessee Board of Medical Examiners, which is the state body that oversees respiratory therapy licensure. Tennessee requires this license before you can practice, and licensees must meet continuing education requirements to renew.
How much do registered respiratory therapists make in Tennessee?
Registered respiratory therapists in Tennessee earn a median of about $72,140 a year, based on May 2025 Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data, ranging from around $57,860 for the lowest 10% to over $88,060 for the top 10%. Pay rises with experience, specialty, and employer.
Which companies hire registered respiratory therapists in Tennessee?
Employers hiring registered respiratory therapists in Tennessee right now include TriStar Health, Lincare, and Ascension, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of October 2026. Tennessee's concentration of large regional health systems and academic medical centers means demand is particularly consistent across hospital-based positions in both urban centers and rural community hospitals throughout the state.
Which Tennessee cities have the most registered respiratory therapist jobs?
The Tennessee cities with the most registered respiratory therapist openings are Nashville, Memphis, and Knoxville. Nashville leads because of its dense cluster of major hospital systems and academic medical centers, Memphis follows given the presence of large regional health networks and children's hospital facilities, and Knoxville draws volume from the health system activity anchored by the University of Tennessee Medical Center and surrounding regional hospitals.
Are there remote registered respiratory therapist jobs in Tennessee?
Yes, but they're rare. Respiratory therapy is a hands-on clinical role that requires direct patient contact for the vast majority of duties, making it one of the least remote-friendly healthcare positions. About 0% of registered respiratory therapist openings tied to Tennessee are remote or hybrid as of October 2026, and those positions are almost exclusively in areas like telehealth respiratory monitoring, case management, or clinical education rather than direct bedside care.
How can I get hired as a registered respiratory therapist in Tennessee with little or no experience?
The most realistic entry path is applying to new graduate positions at large Tennessee hospital systems, which often run structured respiratory therapy residency or orientation programs designed for candidates just out of accredited programs. Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Ballad Health, and regional community hospitals across the state regularly bring on new graduates and provide supervised clinical onboarding. Candidates who have completed clinical rotations in Tennessee facilities, hold both CRT and RRT credentials, and have BLS certification in hand before applying move through hiring processes noticeably faster than those still completing credentialing.
Where can I find and apply to registered respiratory therapist jobs in Tennessee?
You can find and apply to registered respiratory therapist jobs in Tennessee on Migrate Mate, which lists current openings from Tennessee employers. Find the roles that fit your experience and credentials and apply directly through each listing.
See All 105+ Registered Respiratory Therapist Jobs in Tennessee
Find roles in Tennessee that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find Jobs