cumberbachtRNtobe

Hello, I have been an LPN in the Chicago Area for the past six years and right now and am accepted for both RC and RN programs at my school. I was orginally going to do RN just because as an LPN, I already have a inside track and experience, but then I started to research RT more along with other options such as PT. As of right now im choosing Respiratory Care and will possibly explore perfusion down the road. For some background on why I made my choice: Being both an aide and an LPN for a few years now and seeing what both professions do, and working along side both... all I can say is....for the amount of stuff a nurse has to put up with on a regular basis, I just dont think the extra $3.00-4.00/hr they make at my facility is worth it and I also have an interest in Pulmonary Function so its a match. I like how Respiratory can just focus on their complex tasks and specialize, where as the Nurse is more generalized (although you eventually develop a specialty as you continue to practice), but when you are Nurse, you're responsible for everything with that patient including other people's jobs like MD's, X-Ray, PT. OT. RT's, Other Nurses, and support staff. Plus there are more lateral movement and upward advancement opportunites (at least where I live) than people give credit for like Pulmonary Function,... Sleep Medicine, RC education, management, clinical liasion work,....my former coworker just became an infection control manager, and home care. I can even go further and go to PA School, Perfusion, even nursing but I dont think i'd want to. However, Nurses have a ton more opportunities compared to any profession, not just RT, ...and it's also a lot easier to move around. Thats no contest there It also seems to depend on where you live and of course your facility....as , RT's are better utilized and better paid in larger cities, and cooler weather cities as opposed to anywhere South... At least from what i've researched. Dont take that as a fact though, more like a hypothesis that I really find kind of interesting lol. I thought about PT, but then decided against it after doing some research. My question is though...... what exactly does a Respiratory Therapist do that a Registered Nurse can not? It just seems like to me like a Nurse would be able to do what an RT can do? Im asking this question mostly of curiosity?