Respiratory theripist

I heard their wait list is a bit shorter. Rumor has it pay starts off the same as an RN but generally stays the same where RN goes up. I don't know if it is harder or easier but there was a good deal of people in my anatomy class that decided not to go to nursing school (not for them, thought it would be to hard, ect) and went to respiratory.

I can't comment on any particular school, however the prereqs are usually the same for both programs. An RT program is very technical, lots of math, gas physics, chemistry ect. As a student you will study advanced cardiopulmonary A&P, advanced airway anatomy, mechanical ventilation, blood gas interpretation, pharmacology, pulmonary fuction and more. It is an extremely intense program, you may have an exam on cardiac catheder pressure tracings one day and the electronic schematics on a microproseser ventilator the next day. Asking if its harder than a nursing program is like asking if its harder to climb a mountain or write a book, different people excel in different areas. Respiratory therapy is a growing proffession and has come a long way especially in the last 10 - 15 years. As far as pay goes it's usually within a dollar or two of RN pay and does go up accordingly. An RRT NPS working in a large NICU, or a flight RT could expect to be paid at the high end of the spectrum. I worked in a SICU in a large cardiac center where the RT's and RN's earned the same amount. Nursing however holds more opportunity for clinical advancement, due primarily to its professional advocacy. There are approx 2.5 million nurses in the U.S. and 125,000 RT's (thats less then half the amount of members on this forum!) A liscensed RRT has the same legal "scope of practice" as an RN, however we're usually trained and utilized differently.
Check out these sites, and good luck.
www.AARC.org

www.NBRC.org

Just to add to PageRespiratory!'s advice...we also have three board examinations compared to one for nursing. The program I graduated from was 5 semesters of clinicals, one more than the nursing program offered at the same school. I am so happy with my decision to become an RT! Good luck with your decision.

Yasy21 you might want to contact Charles Dunlap at HFCC he's the head honcho for the Resp. program I talked to him and he hooked me up with Michelle England at Oakwood main in Dearborn and I shadowed an RRT there.I finally passed my NET at HFCC and will start nursing in fall '09,it was tough to decide which is best cause RRT was definitely rewarding and you work the hospital wide not just one floor like a nurse does.Go with your true desire I wanted to become a nurse and I'm gonna pursue that but I really enjoyed shadowing an RRT,good luck

Yas, I also wanted to add that I too shadowed a couple of RT's. They were both very professional and seemed as though they loved their jobs. I was on an ICU floor both times. It is a very difficult decision deciding between the two careers. I turned down a spot at MCC's RT program and am hoping to get into Bakers nursing program in the spring. As I said, it is a difficult decision. Respiratory seems as thought it would be a great and rewarding career.