Respiratory Therapy or Nursing?

[Ts2906]

Hello everyone, 

I was thinking about majoring in nursing when I return to college this fall. Which will be the fall of 2025. However, I am also thinking about respiratory therapy as well. I see a lot more nursing jobs available where currently live versus respiratory therapy jobs. I think respiratory therapy is interesting.

I know with respiratory therapy; you can't move up to certain positions with more education like a nurse practitioner or clinical nurse leader like in nursing. I know that nursing has a lot more variety compared to respiratory therapy. However, I have thought about becoming a respiratory therapist and then eventually going back to college to become a PA. I would take a year off after passing my boards for respiratory therapy and work. Before going back to major in biology and complete the pre-requisites for PA school. 

If I did this, I would be around 40 years old when I graduate from PA school. So, I would be attending undergrad and graduate school in my 30s while working. I also think about if it is possible to work as an RT while going back to college and PA school. I was thinking maybe it would be possible to work in a PRN position as an RT while in PA school. It's either I go into respiratory therapy or nursing. I have thought about going to law school too. However, the job market where I live isn't really that strong.

 

[windsurfer8, BSN, RN]

Make a decision and go with it.  Better to be doing it than sitting around thinking about it.  Everything has good and bad. 

[Ts2906]

I am leaning towards respiratory therapy rather than nursing. So, therefore respiratory therapy.

[Lipoma, BSN, RN]

If you're set on being a PA do RT since you understand you can't really move up the clinical ladder the same way RNs can...because those nurses who do are career RNs. 

Pay is similar between both positions since COVID rates are gone. Job outlook is better for nurses because statistically, there are more RN jobs available than there are for RTs.

It's going to be difficult working as a RT while balancing PA school since the curriculum demands 40-60 hours per week of outside studying which does not include in person classes. 

Pick the one that interests you the most. Nursing is tough and so is RT. Either way , it's going to be exhausting but rewarding.