Nursing vs. P.T.

rambo13 · Oct 2, 2005

Hi,
Does anyone have an experienced opinion of what nursing is like vs. physical therapy. I have worked as a c.n.a. in a psychiatric unit as well as a physical therapy aide. If anything, I would want to become a physical therapist vs. becoming a nurse.
....thoughts/opinions????

anyone here?

lovingtheunloved, ASN, RN · Oct 3, 2005

If you'll be a nice physical therapist, go for it. Ours is a jerk, and I get too much pleasure out of watching one of my Alzheimer's patients whack him in the head.

lindarn · Oct 3, 2005

Hi,
Does anyone have an experienced opinion of what nursing is like vs. physical therapy. I have worked as a c.n.a. in a psychiatric unit as well as a physical therapy aide. If anything, I would want to become a physical therapist vs. becoming a nurse.
....thoughts/opinions????

Go for a career as a PT. It is a longer haul for school, (PTs now have a doctorate as entry into practice), but it shows in pay and respect. They have a much better quliaty of life in terms of working conditions. There is no comparison. OTs also pay much more than nursing does.

Lindarn, RN, BSN, CCRN

Spokane, Washington

Quickbeam, BSN, RN · Oct 3, 2005

A lot of my friends are OTs and PTs. They have always made more money than I do and have enjoyed better work hours,autonomy and work conditions. There have been times when my friends have lived in areas where jobs in their fields were not plentiful. Something to keep in mind (many of my CNM/CS/NP friends find the same thing to be true.)

All of my OT/PT friends have Master's degrees but were not required to have such at point of entry.