Anyone ever think about becoming a radiology tech before nursing?

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Give me your reasons why you chose nursing over that..

thanks

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I think it does not demand such heavy responsablities as what nurses have to go through..It might be less stressful for some people..

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  • wanted more involvement in the treatment/healing process
  • wanted to learn more about diseases
  • wanted to wear a stethoscope (okay partly joking there)
  • seemed like more organization in the nursing profession as a whole
  • concern about working with radioactive substances (i know they say there's nothing to worry about)
  • more variety of work (very important to me)
  • didnt think i'd be satisfied having job in which the essence is to operate a machine (no offense to anyone who does)

those are the main ones i can think of off the top of my head. yes, i gave it ALOT of thought. there are others but they are kind of petty....

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Hows the job market for radiology techs compare to nursing?I know nursing will be booming for years to come, but how is it for techs?I wanna be able to travel and find jobs w/o any problems

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Specializes in med-surg, BICU.

my sister is about to start nursing school and at the school she will be attending, many of the radiology students went into it because they could not get into the nursing program. anyway a friend of mine is about to start a radiology program and she says the job market outlook is pretty good, of course not as good as nursing but you will find a job.

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Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.

I seriously pondered becoming an X-ray technician about 6 years ago, but decided that nursing offered more flexibility and mobility.

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I thought about it, as well. I chose nursing because of the pay, job outlook, and flexibility. Nursing is a totally unique profession. Radiology technicians also enjoy a lot of great career options, but I decided that nursing was the better fit for me in the end.

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Specializes in OR Internship starting in Jan!!.

I looked into rad tech, but wanted the long term career options of a nurse plus several other things already mentioned above.

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I chose nursing over rad tech....a hugh mistake. in Massachusetts there is a big demand for rad techs. It's a nice, clean job with plenty of $ and lots of OT available. The rad techs I know love it and have a lot of flexibility.

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As a radiologic technologist for over 22 years I have found radiologic technology a very rewarding career choice. Having a wife who is a nurse (BSN) I feel that a RN degree will get you further as your career advances. Nursing affords many more opportunities - my wife started as a med surg nurse,then moved to long term care, teaching, occupational health and recently moved into case management for a large insurance firm. I on the other hand advanced quickly to cheif technologist in CT but recently moved out of the field and into health care admin. Health care needs more nurses than radiologic technologists - my suggestion get your BSN. Just my :twocents:

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  • wanted more involvement in the treatment/healing process
  • wanted to learn more about diseases
  • wanted to wear a stethoscope (okay partly joking there)
  • seemed like more organization in the nursing profession as a whole
  • concern about working with radioactive substances (i know they say there's nothing to worry about)
  • more variety of work (very important to me)
  • didnt think i'd be satisfied having job in which the essence is to operate a machine (no offense to anyone who does)

1. as a radiologic technologist you do have alot involvement in the treatment of patients. Just ask any RT who works in interventional radioology

2. you learn what you want to learn - a great majority of disease processes are first identified ( or verified) by diagnostic imaging

3. you probably would look sharp

4. as a RT you do not touch radioactive materials - Nuclear medicine techs on the other hand do - radiation exposure is reduced by time distance and shielding. an x-ray tube is like a lightbulb radiation is only produced when the tube is energized.

5. go to the ARRT website and see all the possable opportunities available - I will conceed that nursing is far more multi facited.

6. you do opporate a machine but that is only for a fraction of a second - 3/4 of your time spent during an exam is involved with the patient - talking to them to find the reason for the exam ( history), screening the patient to make sure that the exam will not be contraindicated, patients are scared - a good technologist can help even the most frightened/ill patient through what sometimes are scarry and difficult procedure and finally dispence the proper dose of radiation to obtain the best image possable (ALARA As Low As Reasonably Achievable).

just my :twocents:

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