RT or LPN

lilaclover · Feb 24, 2011

I am an LPN and my husband is an RT. I would go the RT route as well if I could do it over. His job seems less stressful in general. Because they are always in different areas of the hospital they never get as pulled into all the drama either. They often deal with pt's only for a short time for a specific purpose and then the nurses are left to deal with the aftermath. They don't have to deal with family drama's either.Rt's also seem to get a lot more respect around the hospital that LPN's Oh and the pay is a lot more depending where you live. For example in Alberta Canada a LPN starts around $23/hr and a RT starts at $33/hr. It doesn't seem too difficult to get a RT job either. You may have to start out casual though but its the same for LPN's.

My husband and 3 of my best friends from high school are RT's and they all love it. Most LPN's I know quite frequently will tell you they hate their jobs...The only thing that would stop me from going the RT direction is that you have to be a bit technically minded because you deal with a lot of equipment such as ventilators etc..

GilaRRT · Feb 24, 2011

As an RN going into respiratory therapy, I would recommend you consider respiratory therapy. I would say that school for respiratory has been more technically demanding and time intensive than nursing school was. Of course, I'm not in my twenties anymore and deal with chronic pain and cannot function quite as well on limited sleep, so it may be more of a mental conception than anything else.

However, I generally agree so far that the work is not as stressful and we get to do much more hands, psychomotor work than charting. You get to play with some pretty cool toys but if you have sputum issues, steer clear of respiratory therapy. The hospital drama never changes, but you can get in, do your job and extricate yourself from the situation much easier. The money and mobility may not be quite as good as nursing, but it's still a career to consider.

lilaclover · Feb 24, 2011

As an RN going into respiratory therapy, I would recommend you consider respiratory therapy. I would say that school for respiratory has been more technically demanding and time intensive than nursing school was. Of course, I'm not in my twenties anymore and deal with chronic pain and cannot function quite as well on limited sleep, so it may be more of a mental conception than anything else.
However, I generally agree so far that the work is not as stressful and we get to do much more hands, psychomotor work than charting. You get to play with some pretty cool toys but if you have sputum issues, steer clear of respiratory therapy. The hospital drama never changes, but you can get in, do your job and extricate yourself from the situation much easier. The money and mobility may not be quite as good as nursing, but it's still a career to consider.

The Money is not as good as an RN but its much better than that of an LPN, which is what the OP was considering...

Fiona59 · Feb 24, 2011

The RTs at my hospital can look pretty stressed but then we're a regional trauma centre.

The course was pretty intense as well.

You can't really compare RT and LPN. One is far more technical and involves an awful lot of sputum and mucous. (I loathe that stuff). It's kinda like comparing apples and oranges.

LPN set patient assignment on one unit. RT assigned to a couple of units with x number of patients to see over the course of the day and paged to units as issued arise.

lilaclover · Feb 24, 2011

The RTs at my hospital can look pretty stressed but then we're a regional trauma centre.
The course was pretty intense as well.
You can't really compare RT and LPN. One is far more technical and involves an awful lot of sputum and mucous. (I loathe that stuff). It's kinda like comparing apples and oranges.
LPN set patient assignment on one unit. RT assigned to a couple of units with x number of patients to see over the course of the day and paged to units as issued arise.

Yes but RT's can also be assigned solely to the ICU, work in sleep clinics, community, in the pulmonary function lab so there is a bit of variety for them as well if they choose.

I guess it probably depends on the person but my husband is currently working at the largest teaching hospital in BC as an RT and he isn't half as stressed as me (an LPN) when he returns home at the end of the day.

Also another big advantage I see for being a RT over a LPN (not RN) is you don't have to constantly deal with the hierarchy situation between LPN's and RN's.

GilaRRT · Feb 24, 2011

Yes but RT's can also be assigned solely to the ICU, work in sleep clinics, community, in the pulmonary function lab so there is a bit of variety for them as well if they choose.
I guess it probably depends on the person but my husband is currently working at the largest teaching hospital in BC as an RT and he isn't half as stressed as me (an LPN) when he returns home at the end of the day.
Also another big advantage I see for being a RT over a LPN (not RN) is you don't have to constantly deal with the hierarchy situation between LPN's and RN's.

You run into CRT versus RRT hierarchy issues on occasion. While I agree that there is more variety than ever before regrading respiratory care practitioners, I would still say nursing offers more variety.

NaKcl, BSN, RN · Feb 24, 2011

I will vote for RT. Nursing has various opportunities, but so, so much more stress.

GilaRRT · Feb 24, 2011

Just to emphasise a point already brought up; RRT and LPN is not a particularly valid comparison.

ObtundedRN, BSN, RN · Feb 24, 2011

Perhaps the OP needs to consider which type of work they would prefer, and not pick their career because one is more or less stressful, and ignore the RN just because it could take some time to get in. Since the OP mentioned the RN, it sounds as if nursing is what they really wanted, and RN is what they would prefer.

Why don't you go for the career that is going to be of interest to you, or else you will be miserable, even if it is less stressful.