Should have been a physical therapist

[Runman1914]

After more than 10 years on the floors as a RN i have grown very jealous of physical therapist. Wow what a job of leisure!! Don't have to deal with difficult families or doctors. 2 hour lunches. Great money. Work at their own leisurely pace. Can decide whether or not to see patients depending on patient attitude. Only responsible for your own dept. And if any issue at all arises just tell the nurse and walk away.

Wow I should have been a physical therapist!!!

[gonzo1, ASN, RN]

One of the big reasons I left PT is because I felt that there was a lot of fraud involved, esp in nursing home therapy. The disciplin is under a lot of stress because they are having their jobs taken away by chiropractors and respiratory therapy and others.

PTs used to do chest physiotherapy etc. Also they are seeing what they do payed less and less by medicare etc. So they look for ways to increase revenue. It is true that a lot of what they do could be done by nurses, such as getting the patients up to walk etc. But I barely have time to do my nursing stuff so I am glad that job falls to them.

Also I think a lot of therapists are afraid of the doc's, and a lot of them don't know enough about the human body and how it works so they are afraid to work with the patients sometimes.

One of the reasons I decided to go to nursing school was because I didn't understand all the ramifications of the body such as CHF etc. So I was always afraid working with my hospital patients that something was gonna happen and I wouldn't know why or what to do.

Now I am in a really great spot because with my PT experience I am a much more informed and educated nurse. My patients really benefit from this. I'm not afraid to get patients up and I know when and why I should or shouldn't.

Unfortunately it would take years to learn both jobs.

Almost all the PTs and PTAs I know are compassionate, honest, hard working people and deserve our respect and cooperation.

[gonzo1, ASN, RN]

Virgo RN, you are right on the money.

[dreamon]

Thank you Gonzo for telling a more in depth side of PT.

[Runman1914, MSN, RN]

More times than not PT actually create more work for me. They expect me to stop what im doing to call doctors, unhook IVs, put pt back in bed when they dissappear etc... Im not saying this is all PT but this is my experience as a travel nurse at more than 15 hospitals.

[Virgo_RN, BSN, RN]

That's too bad. Maybe I'm just lucky to work with good PTs. I've never had one ask me to call the doctor, they take IVs with them, since we keep the pumps on poles, and they only leave the pt. sitting up in a chair if the pt. can tolerate it. I figure they're helping me by getting the pt. OOB, and sitting up in the chair is good for most pts. It's no skin off my nose if I have to put them back in bed later. At least they got OOB, and I didn't have to do it. It actually makes my job easier.