Respiratory Therapists in Ireland?

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Specializes in ICU. Med/Surg: Ortho, Neuro, & Cardiac.

Hello, from across the pond,

I will be starting a two-year respiratory therapy program this fall. I really want to move to Ireland (preferably Dublin or another larger city) and practice as a respiratory therapist.

A few questions:

Do they employ respiratory therapists in Ireland?

What's the average RT salary? How does this compare to the cost of living (how much is rent, etc)?

How would I go about moving from the US to Ireland to work as a resp. therapist?

Thanks everyone. I know this board isn't for RTs but I thought some of you nurses in Ireland may be able to answer my questions.

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don't think they have Respiratory therapist in the republic of ireland

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Specializes in Advanced Practice, surgery.

I think the RT is a US role, I have never seen it in the UK but am unsure about Ireland.

I know in ICU's here the RN's do all of the respiratory care but then our nurse to patient ratio for ICU patients is 1:1

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Specializes in ICU. Med/Surg: Ortho, Neuro, & Cardiac.

Thanks everyone.

I actually came across a job posting (which has expired) but I'm wondering if this is like the equivalent of a RT in the U.S. Here's the link: http://www.jobs.nhs.uk/cgi-bin/vacdetails.cgi?selection=912019860 .

I'm having some trouble with some of the terms if anyone can "translate" lol. What is a junior physiotherapist? I see that they have specialties such as respiratory. Under the Job Description near the bottom, the physiotherapist person specification says that I would need a degree or diploma in physiotherapy as well as evidence of acute respiratory experience at the undergrad level.

I wonder if an associate's degree in respiratory care technology is equivalent to what they are asking.

Do physiotherapists work around the clock?

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Specializes in Advanced Practice, surgery.

No a Physiotherapist is a profession of it's own and to practice in the UK you need to be a member of the health professions council.

Here is a bit more information about physiotherapy

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Specializes in Medical and general practice now LTC.

Although it has been a while working in hospitals I know it was always the RN/EN giving the medication and some chest care, encouraging breathing exercises and the physio giving the chest care if necessary ie breathing exercises, sputum clearance if the patient needed assistance. Hope I am explaining this well, just woke up

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Specializes in Advanced Practice, surgery.

The physiotherapist actually has a huge scope of practice, in fact I would say in the UK they are equivilent to RN's in professional standing.

They specialise in different areas so you can ICU physios, respiratory physios, trauma and orthopaedic physios.

Most will be members of the chartered society for physiotherapist

Here is what the CSP says about Physio

f you've ever wondered what physiotherapy is and what physiotherapists do then this section of the site is for you. Very briefly, physiotherapy is a healthcare profession concerned with human function and movement and maximising potential. Physiotherapists work in a wide variety of health settings such as intensive care, mental illness, stroke recovery, occupational health, and care of the elderly. Physiotherapy is certainly far more than fixing musculoskeletal sports injuries although that is perhaps the most common perception of the profession.

The closest thing we have to a respiratory therapist in the UK would be an ICU technician, and they don't have any responsibility for patient care at all, the ICU tech maintains and helps the RN with vents, pumps and monitors. They assist with vent tube changes and that is about it really.

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Specializes in ICU. Med/Surg: Ortho, Neuro, & Cardiac.
I think the RT is a US role, I have never seen it in the UK but am unsure about Ireland.

I know in ICU's here the RN's do all of the respiratory care but then our nurse to patient ratio for ICU patients is 1:1

What about on the general (MedSurg) units, in the emergency department, and on cardiac units? Do the RN's do do all of the care in these areas of the hospital, as well?

Although it has been a while working in hospitals I know it was always the RN/EN giving the medication and some chest care, encouraging breathing exercises and the physio giving the chest care if necessary ie breathing exercises, sputum clearance if the patient needed assistance. Hope I am explaining this well, just woke up

I understand what you are saying. But here is what RTs do in the U.S., which sounds very much like what the physios that specialize in respiratory do. I wonder if I could get a working visa and become registered with the HPC after I complete my respiratory therapy degree.

The closest thing we have to a respiratory therapist in the UK would be an ICU technician, and they don't have any responsibility for patient care at all, the ICU tech maintains and helps the RN with vents, pumps and monitors. They assist with vent tube changes and that is about it really.

ICU Tech...hmm. What kind of education/training is required for this? Is it simply on-the-job training? I've always been more interested in the technical/mechanical aspect of respiratory therapy, as opposed to assessing patients, etc.

Also, on a side note, how many years of school does it take in the UK to become an Enrolled Nurse? Is this similar to our LVN/LPN?

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Specializes in Medical and general practice now LTC.

RN's do all ares regardless on where they work, we do not have therapists to assist. EN had a 2 year training and have not been trained for many many years although there still are some working they have full autonomy for their work unlike the PN in the US who still works under RN. Physios do a extremely wide range of work and tend to specialise one they have completed their training. I doubt you can get registered here in the UK once you have completed your RT unless your training meets UK Physio training which is 'Training consists of a recognised three or four year university-based course leading to a BSc in physiotherapy'. http://www.nhscareers.nhs.uk/details/Default.aspx?Id=337

Would also add you may find it hard to get a work permit anyway as preference has to go UK then EU before rest of world

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Specializes in ICU. Med/Surg: Ortho, Neuro, & Cardiac.

That makes sense. I doubt I'd be able to get a work permit as a physio, either. My scope will deal with all things respiratory, and that is it.

However, I wonder if the Republic of Ireland, as opposed to Northern Ireland (part of the UK), employs respiratory therapists? Not sure where I could find this out...

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Specializes in Medical and general practice now LTC.

Not sure where you can ask, did just do a quick google but nothing really came up. The only places I have heard of respiratory therapists is in the US. Plus Republic of Ireland is part of the EU so may still have work permit problems. There is a society of charted Physiotherapists and they may be able to assist or point you in the directions you need to be

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Specializes in ICU. Med/Surg: Ortho, Neuro, & Cardiac.

I contacted the HPC through E-Mail already, and I've just sent the same message to the chartered society of physiotherapy. I just asked them if my degree would be equivalent to anything in the UK, etc. etc.

I'll keep everyone updated. Thanks again.

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