RT vs. nursing?

[RNtobe23]

I know the differences In terms of how RTs focus a lot on one major organ system (the lungs) and RNs focus on a bit of everything. And RNs have more opportunity.

But what else are the differences? Why do they have a specialist just for the lungs and not anything else? Why don't they just have "respiratory nurses" that take care of the lungs since they are capable of doing everything else?

[thenightnurse456]

I've always been curious as to why the US has a therapist specifically for the respiratory system..

[Dranger]

Why do they have LPNs or RNs in medical offices when MAs can do all of the same thing?

[Nola009]

Ask your prospective school if they can arrange some job shadowing for you. The college I got my ASN from required prospective RT students to job shadow 'x' amount of time before beginning the program. That wasn't a requirement for the nursing students, but that was because ASN students were accepted throughout the yr, while the RT program accepted new students 1x per year.

[lifelearningrn, BSN, RN]

MA's can't do the same thing. Most RNs in doctor's offices triage calls and perform physical assessments, which MAs aren't trained to do outside of vitals parameters. The scope for nurses is a bit wider. RT have a lot more extensive training in the respiratory system and with all the COPD in our country, I do think they are vital to the system. Having said that, where I work only has two RTs, one is only per diem, and nurses administer most of the breathing treatments and do trach care.

[NICU_Nightingale, BSN, RN]

Why do they have LPNs or RNs in medical offices when MAs can do all of the same thing?

Because MAs don't learn nearly as much as we do... I work in an office with two MAs and it's a large spectrum of knowledge. They're great at they're jobs- chief complaint, vitals, answering phones, but as nurses we learn A LOT more. Nurses ability to triage and decide whether a patient needs urgent care is more grounded than a MA. MAs also can't do education like a nurse can. Which is essential when a patient calls back asking about their meds or diagnosis.