Do you hear nurses will take over respiratory work?

Nola009 · Jun 9, 2014

I'll add, that if I didn't have a busy life already and money weren't an issue, I'd seriously consider going to RT school just to supplement my nursing knowledge. :)

They are very knowledgeable in their area of expertise. My dad is an RRT, and I would've followed suit, but he advised me to go the RN route for monetary and job flexibility reasons

Dranger · Jun 9, 2014

Lol at people lamenting respiratory as just a spin off of nursing. So what if they go around and do suctioning, arterial sticks and set up airway machines. (RTs can also intubate if needed.) That's one less dumb task I have to do when I already have meds, assessments, education, care plans, vitals, call lights and admissions to do.

In my experience RTs know their stuff when it comes to respiratory inventions and assessments much more in depth than a average staff RN. Why is that bad?

You know what happens when nurses try to be "jack of all trades" they become masters of NONE.

WoosahRN, MSN, RN · Jun 9, 2014

I am pretty surprised by all the responses. I work in PICU and RT support can make or break a shift. I work with some awesome ones who are a very important part of the team. Kids have special airways and are prone to respiratory illnesses and that's just the ones with acute illnesses. Let's add in all the ex-NICU kids, the chronic kids, the trach/vents. We've had our unit totally full of vented patients before. So while I can do their tasks, doesn't mean I want to or that it is best practice. I can also do the tech's jobs or the unit secretary but it doesn't mean I want to add more to my and my coworkers jobs. There once was a discussion about the hospital that was cutting their EVS staff with the requirement that nurses do the jobs, and people had a fit, and rightfully so. There is nothing wrong with asking for help and these roles are there to help us and provide safer patient care. I work with excellent nurses that can provide me backup when something goes wrong, but even better for me and the patient to know I have an RT managing airway while I'm drawing up drugs or fulfilling emergent verbal orders. I think that at least in the ER and ICUs, an RT's position there should not be questioned. I still suction (deep, vent, trach) and bag my patients. I have no problem with respiratory care including assessing my next intervention but I am grateful for the expertise and help that they provide. Maybe I'm spoiled but I can't imagine working in the population I do without them. Remember too, at one point nurses lived in the hospitals they went to school in and did essentially 24 hour care. I'm not really looking to take back too many of those jobs and roles.

PMFB-RN, RN · Jun 9, 2014

Lol at people lamenting respiratory as just a spin off of nursing. So what if they go around and do suctioning, arterial sticks and set up airway machines. (RTs can also intubate if needed.)

Intubating is NOT a part of RTs job is the vast majority of hospitals. Lots of RNs also intubate. There is no reason an RN can't intubate if he has the training, skills and policy to back him up. Flight and transport RNs intubate all the time.

ParrotHead_RN · Jun 9, 2014

I moved from LTC to ER and I was amazed that RT would come in and do breathing tx! I was like, "well golly I can do this if you are busy and need to be elsewhere?" Definitely a luxury.

Dranger · Jun 9, 2014

Intubating is NOT a part of RTs job is the vast majority of hospitals. Lots of RNs also intubate. There is no reason an RN can't intubate if he has the training, skills and policy to back him up. Flight and transport RNs intubate all the time.

I have found many more RTs trained in intubation versus RNs. I can't name 1 RN in my hospital that can intubate. Using flight/transport RNs is a red herring argument as many were/are paramedics and have been specifically trained in airway management for the role. Susie RN in ICU can not intubate and neither can John RN in the ED. In a hospital setting intubation is not in the scope of practice for RNs, for RTs it is. In nay case the ED MD will most likely be the one tubing anyway.

applewhitern, BSN, RN · Jun 9, 2014

Intubation was a standard part of ACLS for many years, so many of us nurses can intubate. Actually, I have rarely seen an RT tube anyone. It is all hospital specific; everywhere you work has it's own policy. When I worked in PICU, only the RN could perform arterial sticks, and the RN could intubate. The hospital wanted as few people as possible interacting and/or performing procedures on the babies and children, and preferred the RN's to do most everything.

Caffeine_IV · Jun 10, 2014

Haven't heard that but when I worked LTC and hospice house obviously we did/do the neb treatments. I've never worked anywhere where the RNs did arterial sticks or intubated patients (unless it was done on a specialty unit).

I've worked with some awesome RTs and I think they have an important role so I don't want them phased out.

Dranger · Jun 10, 2014

The irony of nursing is that the community freaks out when MAs and RTs get expanded roles but everyone feels that NPs have a God-given birthright to be on par with MDs. Wonder how the MDs feel?

I am all for new allied health players who exist to make my job easier. Sheesh.

PMFB-RN, RN · Jun 10, 2014

I have found many more RTs trained in intubation versus RNs. I can't name 1 RN in my hospital that can intubate.

I can't name a singe RT who can intubate. After 18 years, working in 4 states as a staff RN, and several more as a traveler, and working in two countries as an RN I have yet to see an RT intubate anyone. I have seen at least hundreds of people intubated by RNs. I intubate regularly. All 5 of our full time RRT (rapid response team) RNs are trained to intubate and do so pretty regularly.

Using flight/transport RNs is a red herring argument as many were/are paramedics and have been specifically trained in airway management for the role.

Maybe that is the case in some places. Not something I have seen.

Susie RN in ICU can not intubate and neither can John RN in the ED.

(shrug) So what? Did I miss sombody making the argument that intubation is a standard part of ICU and ER RNs job?

In a hospital setting intubation is not in the scope of practice for RNs,

You will have to speak for your own state in that matter as intubating is most certainly NOT outside a hospital RNs scope of practice. Of course assuming that the RN is specialy trained and has an established way of maintaining compentency and policies to support RN intubation, as my hospital does for the RRT RNs.

for RTs it is.

I don't really know what their scope of practice is. However the next person I see intubated by a respiratory therapist will be the first.

In nay case the ED MD will most likely be the one tubing anyway.

A non MDA intubating in the ER or ICU is rare in my experience. Usually they leave it to the professionals (CRNAs).

PMFB-RN, RN · Jun 10, 2014

The irony of nursing is that the community freaks out when MAs and RTs get expanded roles but everyone feels that NPs have a God-given birthright to be on par with MDs. Wonder how the MDs feel?

I don't know anyone, and have never seen the argument made here on AN that NPs are the equal of physicans. Of course NPs already have independant practice (as they should) in the more progressive states. Many advocate for full independant NP practice in the more backwards states. Recognizing the value, importance, effectiveness and safety of independant NP practice in no way is the same and being under the delusion that NP = physician. They are of course very different and I am unaware of anyone who doesn't understand that.

I think irony is completly lacking in your example.

classicdame, MSN, EdD · Jun 10, 2014

I hope this is false. The Therapists in my hospital are highly trained and work closely with the nurses and MD's to provide excellent care. Nurses simply do not have the time to do it all and do not learn what they learn in nursing school.