resp therapy vs RN

Specialties Pulmonary

Published

Hi I am a student and am lookng for some opinions/advice. Our local ADN program is impacted to the gills (even with top grades, still a minimum of two year wait to enter the program). Our local RT program is wide open and recruiting (with CAs filthy air, lots of need for RTs) THe prereqs are the same, the programs are the same length, the starting wages/bonuses are the same (roughly). My question is, do you think this might be a good option? The RT instructors have been visiitng the prereq classes and touting how much faster their program is becuase they have no impaction, plus smaller class sizes and student/teacher ratios.

Laura

The bridge is Resp Therapy to RN.

I was a practicing Pediatric/Neonatal RT for 20 years and then 10 years ago moved over into Clinical Research. I was a victim of the healthcare reform cut backs in RT

In addition to Respiratory Therapy, I continued my studies and completed an MS in Respiratory Physiology.

I now work in Pediatric Pharmaceutical research and am a consultant to the Pharmaceutical industry and work on clinical trials of new medications and also on regimen optimization in the Pediatric clinical setting.

In the past 10 years working in a research setting, I came to find that global patient assessment is a crucial tool in research, and I feel these skills will be optimized by dual creditials.

I would encourage all of my allied health colleagues to broaden their knowledge base and diversify their skills, if they sense burn out or the development of complanency in their present profession.

I'm also a strong advocate of improving the relationship between nursing and the other professions. The end result is improved delivery of both modes of care and mutual respect and acceptance of the many great professionals that make healthcare delivery work at its best.

During healthcare reform in the early 90s Respiratory Therapy was the hardest hit, and those practioners, who were packing a heavy CV were deemed too expensive and had to face pay cuts and drastic cuts in the work force.

We now live with the consequences of the downsizing, ventilator borne nosicimial infection has shot up 300% in the past 10 years, placement of ventilator dependant patients into chronic care facilities instead of controlled ventilator liberation in an acute care setting has dramatically impacted the long term survival of COPD patients.

All of this change in healthcare delivery, has down graded our quality to levels unspeakble by the practices before reform. Working together, instead of against each other, we will hopefully spare our industry further interference by outside influences namely Health Care Administrators, who know nothing of direct patient care.

If either RN or RT would like to swap roles or play at both, we should form a new fraternity.

Regards,

Tom

Much of what Tom RRT is saying is true. I spent over 20 years as an RRT before I completed my RN, and I have never regretted it. I loved being an RRT...the diversity of my job, I worked NICU, PICU, ICU, ED and the floors in a very large teaching hospital...and I will always be a respiratory therapist in my heart!! My RT background helped me tremendously in nursing school and it got me a job as a new grad working ED and ICU....I had offers from everywhere....come work for us!! Holding both professional titles will give you great marketablity when it comes to looking for a job. Whatever your decision...good luck to you.

What bridge program are you enrolled in? This is the first I've heard of a Rn bridge program for RTs. I start an RT program this fall. I really wanted to do nursing first but the waiting is too long and I have a family to support.

I think I read that Excelsior bridges RT to RN

Is Excelsior recognized in all 50 states?

Are you planning on working on all 50 states?????

I have been an RT for 12 years and am most happy with it. The big upside is freedom to roam. You are not stuck at the bedside with your patients. I hate to say it, but the first thing I was taught in RT school was this, "Hold on, I'll get your nurse"

I am an RRT with 15 years of experience. I am also currently back in school to get my RN. If I knew then what I know now, I would have gone the RN route in the first place. Don't get me wrong, being an RT is a good job, and can be very rewarding. However, it gets a bit 'old' after awhile. There aren't the various avenues of practice that an RN has. Less opportunity for lateral movement. Pay increases are smaller and less frequent than that of a nurse. Respiratory is very specialized, if you like variety - go for nursing. If you like monotonous - try respiratory. That is not to say that Respiratory is boring or unimportant...we are a very important part of the healthcare team.

Angie

What bridge program are you enrolled in? This is the first I've heard of a Rn bridge program for RTs. I start an RT program this fall. I really wanted to do nursing first but the waiting is too long and I have a family to support.

Have you found any rt to rn bridges yet, b/c i too would be interested,well other than excelsior bc some states dont even recognize a degree from excelsior

Hi

I am a RRT with 3 years experience in the field. I work everywhere from ED, ICU to pediatrcs. I have really been thinking about going back to school for my RN. I was wondering if any of you knew of any online RT to RN bridging programs available, I know about Excelsior, but I was wondering if that was my only option.

TOM RRT:

I noticed that you said you were getting your RN online. Where is that through and what are the requirements? I know you already have you masters...I didn't know if that was a requirement for what you are doing or not.

Have you found any rt to rn bridges yet, b/c i too would be interested,well other than excelsior bc some states dont even recognize a degree from excelsior

Yes- the Board of Nursing in a few states (there's like 3 of them or something) won't take an Excelsior ADN- California being the major one. If you live in California- you'll have to do something else. It's a BON state politics thing. Personally I think it's a shame that California has decided to keep people from becoming RNs when they are so desperately needed. I think the fight is over the clinicals req or something. If so, the Cali BON should add a little clinicals course or exam that you can take before you take the NCLEX. Would open up opportunities for a lot of LPNs that's for sure.

Otherwise, I know in NY and on the east coast nobody has a problem with it. Once you pass the boards... an RN is an RN as far as they can care. If you're also an RRT.. then you could have your nursing degree from Disney World for all they care as long as you are licensed. The skill set is what they want, not the name on your diploma.

A

Specializes in ECMO.
Yes- the Board of Nursing in a few states (there's like 3 of them or something) won't take an Excelsior ADN- California being the major one. If you live in California- you'll have to do something else. It's a BON state politics thing. Personally I think it's a shame that California has decided to keep people from becoming RNs when they are so desperately needed. I think the fight is over the clinicals req or something. If so, the Cali BON should add a little clinicals course or exam that you can take before you take the NCLEX. Would open up opportunities for a lot of LPNs that's for sure.

Otherwise, I know in NY and on the east coast nobody has a problem with it. Once you pass the boards... an RN is an RN as far as they can care. If you're also an RRT.. then you could have your nursing degree from Disney World for all they care as long as you are licensed. The skill set is what they want, not the name on your diploma.

A

isnt the rule in CA only for new grad Excelsior RNs?

maybe i read wrong, but if one works in another state that takes Excelsior RNs for at least 1 yr, then CAs BON will accept one to work CA... correcT?

Yep - I have heard that's the way to get around it. I havent verified that with the Cali BON or Excelsior but it seems to make sense.

So it really isn't that a big deal afterall.

I think if my Excelsior ADN was my only degree, I'd care a bit more maybe... but honestly being an RRT/RN... nobody's going to give you a hard time about anything as long as you're licensed.

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