RRT questions

[rgrah420]

I know this is "nursing forum" but, I respect all positions affiliated with the medical practice, I'm sure most of you do as well. Anyhow, I was wondering if any of you could help answer my questions. I recently graduated with a BS in health promotion/pre-nursing. With the rising influx of nursing students, most of the BSN programs are flooded with attrocious waiting lines. Besides, everyone wants to be a nurse! lol....I have been doing some job shadows in the ICU with some RRTs, and I have to say, they do some cool stuff. question 1.If an individual earned their masters in respiratory care, what position upgrades could they achieve? 2. would getting an EMT cert. be beneficial if one wanted to work in the ER or as a flight RRT? 3. what's the benefit of having your BS vs AAS in respiratry care besides being able to get your masters.

[suzanne4, RN]

I do not know any respiratory therapists that have Masters degree in the field in respiratory care.

The basic EMT will not be of any use for the flight field. If cross-training, then the paramedic route is what would be needed.

[rgrah420]

I do not know any respiratory therapists that have Masters degree in the field in respiratory care.

The basic EMT will not be of any use for the flight field. If cross-training, then the paramedic route is what would be needed.

So, what would be the most appropriate masters or higher degree most applicable to emergency respiratory care? Also, I could be wrong, but don't you have to be an EMT before being a paramedic?

Thank you very much for your prompt reply!!

[Caveman]

So, what would be the most appropriate masters or higher degree most applicable to emergency respiratory care?

Maybe a masters in health education or administration.

[suzanne4, RN]

Most will have different levels depending on experience, same as for RNs that work in Intensive Care of Emergency Depts. They usually are at a Level IV if there is a clinical ladder in your facility. Not all companies require the EMT-P training.

You can actually do a bridge program as an RN to a EMT-P for certification.

The EMT-B will not help at all, as it is strictly a basic certification. No intubation or cardiac monitoring involved.

[suzanne4, RN]

Maybe a masters in health education or administration.

Those have nothing to do with the clinical aspect of the field.

[Caveman]

Those have nothing to do with the clinical aspect of the field.

True, but every RT I know who has an advanced degree has one in education or administration. I'm not even sure if any schools offer an advanced degree in the clinical aspects respiratory therapy.

[suzanne4, RN]

Exactly, the poster was asking about what type of advanced training that there are for RTs. As far as clinical practice, there aren't any offered currently.

For a flight RT, you just need to be at the highest level on the Clinical Ladder in the facility. For the ER, it just will depend on who is assigned there, usually it will be the RTs with more experience, not necessarily a Level IV since you also have additional staff around. Just like nurses that do transport, they will usually be a Level IV, but you will also have new grads in the ER.