The Neonatal Pediatric Specialty (NPS) credential can be obtained by any CRT or RRT credentialed respiratory therapist by simply taking the NPS (Neonatal Pediatric Specialty) examination offered by the National Board of Respiratory Care (NBRC). This will be especially true in markets that are over-saturated with respiratory therapists and among employers who wish to differentiate between different levels of respiratory therapist in the employment pool.Ī little more education seems to pay off, particularly the NPS credential.Ĭredentials for Respiratory Therapists How do I get my NPS? Bearing on employability remains to be seen but emphasais on the ACCS degree is expected to rise sharply over the next five years. The NBRC, the agency who is responsible for administering the ACCS exam, only started testing in mid-2012. One new credential that appears to be attractive to employers, though very few respiratory therapists have yet to attain it, is the Adult Critical Care Specialist credential (ACCS). The national mean increase in pay found among NPS credentialed therapists is $2.05 per hour more than the mean RRT or CRT pay.

In addition to greater employability, those respiratory care practitioners who hold the NPS certification, CRT-NPS or RRT-NPS, enjoy greater pay. The Neonatal Pediatric Specialist (NPS) credential is one of the most sought after credentials by employers, even when neonatal or pediatric care is not part of the job description. This compares to CRTs at 72% and RRTs at 85%. Of those who are not retired, approximately 96% of all NPS practitioners are employed. NPS Neonatal / Pediatric Specialty ExaminationĪccording to the Bureau of Vital Statistics, Neonatal Pediatric Specialists (NPS) are the most employed of all specialty credentials among respiratory therapists.

Nbrc accs exam study guide