Nursing vs Rad Tech

Maybe you can try to shadow them and figure out which one you like better!!

Hi all! Long time thread stalker, first time starter. I'm stuck trying to decide on a career. It's between nursing and radiological technology. I was initially going to do nursing and then started considering ultrasound (which is a certificate after you get your associates in rad tech). My issue is whether I'll like it or if it'll be too monotonous for me (I'd want to do ultrasound for obgyn) and with nursing I think there is a lot more room for career growth (CRNA, NP, etc), but I worry about whether I'll be able to get a job with an ADN (I can't do a BSN yet). I'm planning on shadowing an ultrasound tech to see if I like it, and I already shadowed a nurse in the NICU where I thought id like to be, but I think I need something a little more fast paced. I'd love people's opinions especially if you have been in the same situation. Thankfully, the pre reqs are similar so I have another semester to decide, but I'd love others insights!

Thank you!

I was an xray/CT tech for 7years about.

I'm an LVN now.

I have no idea whether you'll like it. This is just an opinion:

Xray is monotonous. It can be fast-paced in the sense that it's similar to working on a Ford assembly line. Your job is to crank out quality xrays (with no repeats) as quickly as you know how.

The end.

Ultrasound has it's interesting moments. When a DVT comes around, for instance. I have a friend who does U/S. She enjoys it. Personally, it seems boring. It's like mammography. Mammo techs don't do anything but squish boobs and hang film all day. That's gotta get old.

The most exciting area is CT but that's because ER pt's come down and always try to die on the table. For the most part, you help them onto the table. Maybe do a stick if it's w/contrast. Then you'll go to the bat-cave. Sit there in your chair. Give directions via the mic and fiddle about with the terminal.

Bottom line? If you want something similar to a nurse's salary without the responsibility and craziness of being a nurse? Anything 'radiology-related' is your best bet...because 'anything radiology-related' is helluva lot easier than nursing. Nursing is fast-paced in the sense that you have to keep many plates spinning at once.

I've spent entire shifts 'running' up and down the halls as a nurse. Never in my professional life have I experienced the type of 'hectic' that made me stand in one spot deep-breathing for 10 seconds, until I became a nurse. I never experienced 'mental exhaustion' until I became a nurse. I spend a lot of time playing detective and figuring things out. A lot of 'thinking' that can be summed up in two sentences: "What is this?" and "How do I fix this?" LOL

"Should I call the doctor to request sending them out?" ; "What does this signify?" ; "Wet lung sounds...temperature? I wonder if --" ; "But if his pulse is normal then it couldn't be --"

Sometimes, I'm just delirious at the end of my shift.

Nursing has lots of liability and responsibility. Radiology doesn't. Not truly.

No one in the hospital quarterbacks like the nursing staff (CNAs and nurses) and most depts do lean on them. It was true when I was radiology, as well. I'm ashamed to admit. LOL "Uh, where's your nurse?" ; "Uh, I don't know - I'll get your nurse." ; "Uh, you have to pull what from where? I'll go see if I can find a nurse." ; "Uh, hi - this is ____ from radiology. Can I speak to Dr ___ or his nurse?" ; "Uh, hi - can someone come up and cath one of our pt's? Thanks."

I'd say that I feel more fulfilled as a nurse, though. Don't even ask me why. After what I've just described? I couldn't tell you. LOL It makes no sense.

It's no easier to get a job in radiology vs nursing as a new grad. Might be harder. It's not like you need several techs to staff a floor. Just one, really. One room; one tech. A single xray tech can run a dept. A busy facility needs two, bare minimum.

Those positions are probably filled, too. LOL People in radiology tend to horde PRNs jobs worse than nurses.

There are less jobs for radiology techs compared to nurses as a whole. Almost all schools with a nursing program also has a radiology program. Each radiology program pumps out new grads each year. A lot of hospital systems are starting to offer those services near doctor offices and there are some portable x-ray services that go out to places like nursing homes.

Actually a lot of CT and x-ray verbal directions are computerized now. You can still talk to them.

Wow! Thank you all! I have a lot to think about. I'm just worried if I can get a job with an ADN. I heard the hospital near me (DHMC) prefers BSNs...

Prefer =/= require.

I was in the EXACT same position! I was doing my pre reqs and trying to decide which program to go into. For me, it boiled down to this... once you get your rad tech there is no where else to go degree wise. The technology is cool, but you have very little patient interaction. I wanted to go into health care to work with people, and I felt I could get more of that in nursing. In nursing, if you are burnt out in your job, you can transfer to another position, try something new and reinvent yourself without having to go back to school. Of course nursing has it's own set of challenges. I would perhaps talk to the advisers and maybe they can give you insight. Also in my school rad tech was FIVE semesters (including two summers - which students had to pay their own way because no financial aid in the summer) and nursing was THREE (no summers) - this factored in as well

Thank you meep and ebailey! Meep that is true. And ebailey I think it would take the same amount of time for me but I get bored pretty easily. I'm wondering if the boredom for less stress is an even exchange hahaha. I'm going to talk to an advisor along with my cousin who is a BSN and my friends father who is in nuclear medicine. I think I liked the ultrasound idea because I love babies, but they aren't even born yet! Hahaha! Maybe I'll do l&d :)

Beware though that I went to nursing school with six rad techs and they complained that not only could they not jobs but the ones they found were very low paying. Every hospital I have worked the. Rad techs complain they are low psid.

Is that why they decided to switch to nursing? Thank you for the input! I have decided to go the nursing route. I've talked to a LOT of people and it seems like the best decision for me. I'm so excited!

Thank you for this post. I am in the very same position. Back and forth, back and forth... nursing - radiology - nursing - radiology. I really like both and have already turned in my application for nursing - Spring. I am also going to attend the General Sonography information session and see what it entails. I wish you luck!