I’m a respiratory therapist, for 16 almost 17 years now. The job has you on your feet all day/all night. Depending on where you work. Bigger hospitals means bigger assignments. Some days you don’t eat. Smaller hospitals sometimes have one treatment. That calls for a long day/night. Every hospital is different. If one place doesn’t work for you, look for the next until you find your fit. Good luck.
@@NotJoSa many times I’ve heard doctors say I trust respiratory therapist more than nurses. (Or course not all nurses are viewed this way) just know more times than not it’s the RT that stops nursing from ordering frivolous breathing treatments are stat Incentive spirometers. More time than not thenRT suggests lasix while the nurses suggests breathing treatments for congestive heart failure. our opinion is highly regarded. Up to you what you wanna do. There’s more of a shortage in respiratory than nurses. There’s one RT for 10 nurses. We are the ones first called during an emergency.
This is the reason I became a RT 30 years ago. It’s fast paced and very rewarding. RT’s will always be needed. When a code happens or anything for that matter, the first thing a Dr or RN yells is “where is RT”!!!! Lol. I LOVE MY CHOSEN CAREER!!!!
@@Sweatyhorsecock wait you liked Lindsey Jones better?! omg I'm signed up for my exam September 6th and I almost bought the Lindsey Jones package and everyone said go with Kettering and I did and I don't think I made the right choice. U think it's really better?? And worth the money? I don't like Kettering I don't think :(
@Aaron Benson I would say any of the science courses...Chemistry, Microbiology, and both A&P (I) & (II)... but we allllll have to get through them in order to succeed 💪
I'm so excited to get started in my program. I'm two semesters away from applying. I'm going for my Bachelor's with the goal being to become an ECMO specialist and traveling RRT.
@@hajarennamli5250 it’s support for your lungs and heart after surgery if they can’t support themselves properly. blood would be transferred from your body into a machine to add oxygen to it and filtered back into your system.
I am a RRT and I agree with you Respiratory Therapist school was a struggle for me, but thank God I made it to the end, and now I am so happy with this career.
I was an RRT from 1973 to 2023 (50 years). It pays well and isn’t physically stressful. A hospital environment is, however, ‘mentally’ stressful. The noise level from overhearing other therapists and nurses talking nonstop for 12 hours, the ventilator alarms, IV alarms, patient call button alarms, overhead announcements, pager announcements, etc. is overwhelming! Wonderful profession and it was very good to me but glad to be retired. 😁
Don’t let it scare him. What they showed was a huge hardcore city hospital. If you work in a smaller hospital it’s not like that at all. And if you work at a VA hospital you won’t have to deal with neonatal (babies) or kids at all……much easier.
Now, if they'd only pay an equitable wage. RT students? How about loan forgiveness programs at your hospital? It took years to pay off my loans beginning at the bottom of my RT pay grade. Do I have all the answers? If I did, I could solved a major enigma in US healthcare. Forget about it.
Many of hospitals are offering new grads sign on bonuses $5,000-20,000. In our state, they are offering workforce grants that is paying for the students' tuition so over the next few years the student graduating from the programs will have little to no education debt. Also, many of the students who have scholarships have the cost of tuition and books covered. Hospitals are offering employees tuition reimbursement after 90-days employment so RRT can pursue a Bachelor's degree. Also the average pay is between $45,000 and 70,000. During the COVID pandemic, many RTs were making an average of $60,000-100,000. Some of the hospitals in our state are also offering relocation bonuses to RRTs including new grads. In states where students have Dual Enrollment or AP Health Science programs in high schools, some students can enter an RT program almost straight out of high school. In most RT programs, students can graduate in 5-6 semesters and start working. In our program we have students with a BS in Biology and Education degrees, who are going to RT school because the starting pay with their 4-year degree was only about $35,000. In the years I have been teaching, I have watched students use RT as a pathway to becoming Physician Assistants. I have also watched it transformed the life's of student where they had great income, steady employment, benefits, and retirement packages.
You probably won't do well in the field with that kind of attitude. Since it is your education, it is really your investment to make happen. Scholarships exist, do a FAFSA and try to get as much help that way you can. In the field, you have to have a can do attitude to problem solve. You are pretty much giving up before you start. Turn your thinking around and do it!!! You can if you think a little in a positive way. I wish you luck! It really is a great field for the most part.
@@Liam69400 I'm retired after 38 years as an RRT. And, I did well in the field. You make your own way through. And, I don't believe in luck. I went to college for 6 years starting in the spring semester '79 and graduating magna cum laude in '84. I have 2 degrees: an A.S. degree in RT and a B.S. in Allied Health and Medical. And, I'm tired of the whole shabang. So, what's your story?
@@barc533 Very difficult! Start watching Respiratory Therapy Zone videos on here. They teach you a good way to interpret ABGs. Also lots of abstract thinking. Like if lung compliance is increased, will you have more volumes or less volumes? What if resistance is decreased? Not things you can really see, but have to think about. It's much more fun than nursing!!
@@lillianp-yj6yx yes. Especially doctors because when they make a mistake (which is normal) and we try to correct them because we literally are expert in this specific domain they get all butthurt and ignore our advice. Not to talk about how some doctors talk to us when there's a code blue as if their screaming is gonna help the staff work more efficiently AND the old annoying anesthesiologist with their god complex…. Idk if its just the places i work at or if its common but ive heard mutiple experienced RTs have these issues and its just a turn off.. no wonder nobody wants to become an RT
RRT for 35 years. Totally disagree, but respect your opinion. Sounds like you are in the wrong situation. Respect is earned by gaining experience. I am more of an introvert and love the autonomy RT gives me. I could never do nursing, because they have to be on all of the time with other nurses and patients, famiies, etc. The doctors I have worked with are great for the most part. I think the pay is great. Picked up an extra shift tonight as we speak and am making 108 per hour. You be you, though!!
But what’s the difference between an pulmonologist and an RT then? In Germany we only have nurses and physicians, in USA theres PAs, CNAs, RTs, Monitor techs and more
Turkey is the same😂 we have only doctors and nurses and paramedics etc. In Usa, I’ve got to know a lot of health care jobs that I’ve never heard before. And I just enrolled to clinical medical assistant school. This is how capitalism works. but this is really a better system than our countries. Being specialized in health care is always the better quality and work environment in the field. I was nurse in turkey and there were a lot of “identity” problem between job tasks and that was chaotic.
@@TheTurkishParamedic Yes, true but in my opnion its just too much like theres multiple professions doing the same jobs, which could also leed to chaos. But I like the system of having PAs who support the docs and having CNAs support the nurses, and maybe an RT supporting the pulmonologist. Like in Germany as nurses we do everything from taking blood to wounds to washing patients and feeding them, it would be an huge help to have CNA there to do the washing and feeding,.
@@Marco-bf4uu Cnas are not available in every institutions, so it’s mainly nurse’s job here too. But if there are Cnas, it’s big help, Right. Pulmonologist is a doctor who is expert in pulmonary diseases. RT is running the things about pulmonary patients. I think you got it wrong 🤣 RT is not a doctor. Everyone’s job is different here. So I really like the system in USA. RT is basically a nurse who works in pulmonary floor, in our countries. I hope I could explain.
I just graduated I make $27 an hour and I always pick night shifts so I get $31 and I always work holidays too. Also got a big sign on bonus and I'm still working with my practice permit. I only had to go to school for 23 months so I'm a happy little potato.
I need to find a new career but unfortunately I can't go full time to school, as I work full time and need money coming in. Can you go to school part time to be an RT?
Yes you can with a extended track program (First is to do your pre requisites which you can take 1-4 or even 5 per semester depending on your free time. My aunt is a single mom of 2 and studys here in las vegas at the College of Southern Nevada and is on the extended track while working full time
There is an associates degree program at my community college. Is an associates degree adequate? I am an older student. Is it worthwhile to get an associates or is a bachelor’s degree actually preferred?
I did a bachelor's in management and entrepreneurship and am an RRT. I like mine, but I am sure that any of the others are fine, too. It is not required to have a Bachelor's, but worth the little extra past the AA. Pretty much up to you, but definitely get the RRT and certifications if you can (ACLS, PALS, NRP). I would also encourage you to start getting lots of experience in any way you can.
Yes. Our program is an Associates and all of our students get hired. You then have the opportunity to continue your education with a bachelor's degree. Great profession!
@@BeastMode19799 35 years RRT. I totally agree!!!! Your job is what you make it. If you don't like it, find one you do. If you are disrespected, either change jobs or do something to change how your department is viewed! Staying somewhere you hate and feel that way is insanity! I love being an RT. I am very well paid, respected and will probably continue working as long as I want to work.
