do physical therapists make more money than RNs?

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I was just curious...thanks!

Specializes in Cardiac.
Yes, I read your post. I didn't misunderstand what you said. I still say list the classes you've taken and line them up next to the classes my university requires for BSN and they will be very similar. Not only that, but comparing my program I graduated from with any ADN program and I had more clinical hours. That may not be typical, we may have been lucky with the number of hours we had.

You had to take calculus in your nursing program? You've taken over 30 credits in chemistry-and still need several more chem classes? You had to take physics in nursing? If so, then Bravo! You got into a great program!

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A pt with a masters or a doctorate will earn 150K+

we have a program for pt [techs?] that is for two years with a prequisate of two years college . this class is limited to 18 students on grad they work with a pt their average income is 50-60K to start under them are specially trained nurses and cna who usually to the hands on work with the patient

as for the blocked schedules i believe that this is determined by medicare and insurance and to be honest this is where the big bucks comes from somebody had to pay out the money and in our society that is who calls the tune

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Specializes in L&D.
You had to take calculus in your nursing program? You've taken over 30 credits in chemistry-and still need several more chem classes? You had to take physics in nursing? If so, then Bravo! You got into a great program!

Yes, I did graduate from a great program. Thanks.

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If you read my post, I said that I had more credits due to my progress in my Micro degree than most nursing programs.

cardiac- of course you have more credits, because you completed those courses. if you had gone into the bs program with a major in nursing, be assured, you'd be about at the same place as far as credits go.

you also would have had micro, physics, organic and inorganic chem as well as stats and tons of anatomy and physiology. (and then there's all the psych classes! i ended up with a minor in psych!)

all bs degrees require a certain amount of science credits, as do assoc degrees. were you able to transfer some of your courses into you assoc program?

hey, i'm originally an assoc rn myself.

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Specializes in Cardiac.

Yes, I transferred most of my credits over. When I decided to go for nursing, I only had to take A&P. I either tested out of the other classes, or had already taken them.

I can't decide if I want to complete the BSN, or finish up Micro. I don't really plan on working in a lab anytime soon.

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Higher education...not just BSN.

In nursing, the BSN is not higher education per se. It is not the uniform entry level into practice. The early responses addressed whether or not PT's make more because of their requirement for the MS or DPT degree. It would be great to have a BSN, like your program which had a lot of clinical hours. Most do not exceed many ADN programs' clinical hours. At this time, may people are going for acclerated BSN programs or getting the ADN when they already have another BA/BS degree. Do other health professions have a great number of new graduates who have other degrees? I think in a way nursing is unique. I think if you have an online BSN degree after a basic ADN, you will simply be viewed as someone who saw value in furthering their education. I don't think online or brick/mortar makes a big difference. The "paper" may get you a particular job. Your nursing expertise and experience will carry you through. I am not saying what you will learn in classes will be worthless, but rather that what you do at the bedside or in a clinical setting will be far mor valuable. It's just my opinion. I know others do not agree.

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Yes, I transferred most of my credits over. When I decided to go for nursing, I only had to take A&P. I either tested out of the other classes, or had already taken them.

I can't decide if I want to complete the BSN, or finish up Micro. I don't really plan on working in a lab anytime soon.

i understand.

whatever you do, please consider finishing your bachelor's, in whatever area. the hospital will pay for the bsn and you have some credits already finished. they do expire after a few years.

you'll never regret it.

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I have been a PTA for 11 years and an RN for 4 months now. I made more as a PTA which is an associates degree than I do as an RN with an ADN.

PT is a very rewarding career but it is very monotonous, and that is why I got into nursing. I got very bored doing therapy. Nursing has much more variety and much more responsibility than therapy.

To be a P.T. it used to be a bachelor's degree. Now it is a master's and soon will be a doctorate's. Many universities have switched to DPT cirriculum. There is also no bridge program from PTA to PT, like LPN to RN.

So yes, they get paid WAY more than nursing, but in my opinion their responsibilities are WAY less....

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Specializes in L&D.
I have been a PTA for 11 years and an RN for 4 months now. I made more as a PTA which is an associates degree than I do as an RN with an ADN.

PT is a very rewarding career but it is very monotonous, and that is why I got into nursing. I got very bored doing therapy. Nursing has much more variety and much more responsibility than therapy.

To be a P.T. it used to be a bachelor's degree. Now it is a master's and soon will be a doctorate's. Many universities have switched to DPT cirriculum. There is also no bridge program from PTA to PT, like LPN to RN.

So yes, they get paid WAY more than nursing, but in my opinion their responsibilities are WAY less....

I don't understand why a PT would need to be a Docturate. I don't even understand why entry level would need to be Masters prepared.

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Specializes in Day Surgery/Infusion/ED.
Yes, I did graduate from a great program. Thanks.

Nice dodge. You didn't answer the question, but that was a terrific evasion...an almost Nixonian "non-answer answer."

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I think if nurses want to be valued for their higher education then they need to take harder classes in the sciences instead of survey classes or science for allied health.

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Specializes in Long Term Care.
While nurses should be paid more, it's unfair to say PT's (or anyone in healthcare really) are not as valuable. A nurse can do a lot of things, but they can't work with someone badly injured to help them walk again. Everyone has a role.

Once upon a time in land not so far away, Nurses took care of everything from running lab tests to Physical and Occupational Thereapy.

Nursing has had to give a good portion of its responsibilities away so that the full array of technology could be used appropriately.

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