CRT and RRT are different credentials from different certifying bodies: the CRT (Certified Respiratory Therapist) is administered by NBRC, while the RRT (Registered Respiratory Therapist) is administered by NBRC. Which one fits depends on your role and career direction — the official eligibility rules and exam outlines (linked below) are the deciding documents. Here is a side-by-side view, plus free practice questions for both so you can feel the difference yourself.
| CRT | RRT | |
|---|---|---|
| Full credential name | Certified Respiratory Therapist | Registered Respiratory Therapist |
| Certifying body | NBRC | NBRC |
| Practice deck on MedFlashCard | 1040 flashcards | 1040 flashcards |
| Free preview | 30 free CRT cards | 30 free RRT cards |
The quickest way to judge which exam fits you is to answer real questions from each. These are genuine cards from both decks:
An RT refuses to perform an arterial puncture on a combative patient who is clearly refusing the procedure, despite a physician's order. Which ethical principle is the RT upholding?
Show answer →Autonomy. This principle recognizes the patient's right to self-determination and to refuse medical treatment. Even with a physician's order, performing a procedure against a competent patient's will constitutes battery. NBRC Tip: Autonomy often trumps Beneficence (acting in the patient's best interest) when the patient is competent and refuses care.
An RT administers high-dose opioids to a terminal patient to relieve severe dyspnea, knowing it may suppress respiratory drive. Which ethical principle justifies this action?
Show answer →The Rule of Double Effect. This principle states that an action with a good intended effect (relieving suffering) is permissible even if it has a foreseeable but unintended bad effect (respiratory depression/death). The intent must be the good effect. NBRC focuses on this in the context of end-of-life comfort care and palliative sedation.
A family requests terminal weaning for a patient with a terminal illness and poor prognosis. What is the Respiratory Therapist's primary clinical and ethical responsibility during this process?
Show answer →Ensure patient comfort and prevent air hunger. RTs must coordinate with the nurse and physician to ensure that opioids (e.g., morphine) or benzodiazepines are titrated to effect BEFORE and DURING the reduction of ventilator support. The goal of terminal weaning or terminal extubation is to remove burdensome interventions while maintaining dignity. NBRC Tip: The focus is on symptom management, not hastening death.
A 22-year-old patient reports vaping daily for 4 years but never smoking combustible cigarettes. How should the RT document this in the Pack-Year section of the medical record?
Show answer →Pack-years should be documented as zero, but the vaping history must be recorded separately. Pack-year calculations are specific to combustible tobacco. Vaping history should include device type, nicotine concentration, and frequency to assess risk for EVALI (E-cigarette or Vaping Use-Associated Lung Injury). NBRC Tip: Do not attempt to convert vape pods to pack-years; they are distinct exposures.
They are independent credentials from NBRC and NBRC respectively; many professionals hold more than one certification. Check each body's eligibility requirements on the official sites linked above.
They test different bodies of knowledge, so difficulty depends on your background. Try free practice questions for both on this page — the one that feels further from your daily work will need more prep time.
Always use the certifying bodies directly: NBRC for the CRT and NBRC for the RRT. Links to both official sites are on this page.
Eligibility rules, fees, question counts and passing standards are set by the certifying body and change over time. Always confirm them at the source before you apply or schedule your exam — our flashcards are practice material, not the official handbook.