Nursing and Physical Therapy

[_littlemissBSN, BSN, RN]

I would just like to share this particular conversation I've had during one of my shifts. I was in one of my patient's rooms passing meds as he was about to be wheeled out to the gym by the physical therapist. I work in an acute rehab hospital so it's pretty much a routine to have the therapists around all the time. The three of us were having a friendly, casual exchange while I was scanning the meds and then the patient brought up this question: "Who earns more? Physical therapists or RNs?"

There was a brief awkward pause between me and the PT while smiling at each other. And then I said "from what I read, PTs have higher starting pay." Then the patient snapped back: "Oh really? Why? Nurses have harder jobs!" There was another awkward pause and the PT just smiled and said "we have different works." I noticed that she was trying to suppress the "awkwardness" of the situation and I felt that the patient's retort made her uncomfortable a bit. Out of respect, I just said that PT requires a master's degree and piggy backed her reply that our jobs have differences.

Looking back, it made me curious as to why nursing doesn't require the same extensive education as physical therapy considering the complexity of our work. I'm NOT saying I agree with the patient on how RNs have harder jobs nor did I wish our education was longer before obtaining a license. It just made me curious. I'm well aware that physical therapy isn't a walk in the park and their education is also stressful. Although I'd be honest and say that there had been a few times when I envy the them, especially when I see them in the gym with my patients and they all look like they were having a good time while I'm drowning, trying to catch up to my med pass with 6-8 call lights going off, and people demanding things at the same time.

[Jedrnurse, BSN, RN]

"Same extensive education?" Do you want the entry level education for nursing to be a doctorate as well?

[MrNurse(x2), ADN]

Are you sure that it truly was a Therapist and not an Assistant? PT Assistants earn comparable to nurses and education is an associates degree. The real answer is ratios, the more patients a specialty sees, the higher their pay. It is the law of supply and demand. That is why teachers, nurses, firemen and police will never make excellent salaries, there are just too many of them.

[Crystal-Wings, LVN]

That would make me feel really awkward as well. Its on par with discussing religion and politics. I probably wouldn't have known how to reply to that.

[_littlemissBSN, BSN, RN]

"Same extensive education?" Do you want the entry level education for nursing to be a doctorate as well?

OP:

I'm NOT saying I agree with the patient on how RNs have harder jobs nor did I wish our education was longer before obtaining a license. It just made me curious.

Are you sure that it truly was a Therapist and not an Assistant? PT Assistants earn comparable to nurses and education is an associates degree. The real answer is ratios, the more patients a specialty sees, the higher their pay. It is the law of supply and demand. That is why teachers, nurses, firemen and police will never make excellent salaries, there are just too many of them.

Physical therapist.