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Respiratory Therapy


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Guest PaProspectCheck

I want to do Respiratory Therapy berfore I go to PA school, but the job field seems to be saturated. Are there any RRT's or former RRT's who made the transition into PA school? Is the job market for RRT's still alive? Where are the best job prospects? Is Canada a better country to practice Respiratory Therapy?

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I was an RRT for 6 years before going to PA school. New England (Boston specifically) has many RT jobs. I worked at a large university hospital fo the first 4 years on the adult side in trauma and SICU, then in the Newborn ICU and Pedi ICU my last 3 years, 1 year was part time...pa scool had started. My goal was to get into PA school, but i wanted the chance to do as much as i could as an RT.

I was trained to be one of the RRT ECMO perfusionists, as well as being on the newborn hosptial transport team, we'd go to community or outside hospitals and pick up premies or sick kidos, stabilize them and bring them back to our unit.

My experience was priceless. I loved my job as an RT, but wanted to be able to do more.

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Guest PaProspectCheck

Thank you Dave, I was wondering if I was making the right choice. I know that I will like being a RRT and that it will be great preparation for PA, but with hiring freezes I was nervouse about getting a job as a new graduate. In a year things can get better or drastically worse, I'm hoping for the better! :) Does anyone have any information on Canada's market for RRT's? Are there any other areas where they are in need of RRT's and will accept new graduates?

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Thank you Dave, I was wondering if I was making the right choice. I know that I will like being a RRT and that it will be great preparation for PA, but with hiring freezes I was nervouse about getting a job as a new graduate. In a year things can get better or drastically worse, I'm hoping for the better! :) Does anyone have any information on Canada's market for RRT's? Are there any other areas where they are in need of RRT's and will accept new graduates?

 

I think you are making too much of it. Many hospitals have shortages and you should have no problem finding a job as a new or seasoned RT in many areas of the country.

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I second ventjock as I am currently an RT and it seems like we are always hiring new grads. I live in central CA and hospitals are getting bigger everyday. I think as an RT a have gained lots of experience and I am hoping to get into a PA program myself. Next to RN's our assessment skills are top notch and I am very proud to say that. In some places we even get to intubate and definitley key players emergent situations. Good Luck!

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I am an RRT and I am three weeks into PA school. Like the previous post, when it gets cold, and respiratory departments get busy, they want to fill their full time positions. You may have some areas, like the one I worked in (north Georgia) that want to go to a skeleton crew and stop hiring during the slower months (warmer months for respiratory), but as soon as cold and flu season come around, they are back in business.

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I think respiratory care is going to be looking at significant 10-20 year growth as the baby boomers who all smoked start to get sicker and sicker and current respiratory therapists seem to move into either sales and/or a new profession (PA, RN, NP). As well as new technology that RTs seem to be recruited to learn and manage/repair.

 

For 16 months of school at my husband's program the job pays incredibly well too. He'll be less than 20k in debt and the starting salary around here is $20-$30/hr. In some ways, Im wondering why I didnt just do that. lol

 

chris

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Was a RRT since the late 1920's before PA school. It is great experience, one of the better HCE. I worked in the NICU and PICU. Lot's of OT. Used to be slow in summer, not so much anymore. I had OT at my whim. Like a all you can eat OT buffet.

 

Cake (some busy nights though, esp in the PICU), kick it in the NICU, nipple and nest, study, grab some gasses, help retape a tube, flip an oscillator kid or two, set up a jet ventilator, back on break or study before you know it. Some nights (noc shift) I could get like 6 hours study in-and have all my work done and all my patients well taken care of t/o the night, no kidding. While other RTs were outside smoking or watching TV in the lounge, I was hitting my prereqs and getting paid.

 

Became ECMO trained, but never sat at the pump, PA school saved me before I did that.

 

Downside: boring mostly, and don't get to make too many decisions....

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Was a RRT since the late 1920's before PA school. It is great experience, one of the better HCE. I worked in the NICU and PICU. Lot's of OT. Used to be slow in summer, not so much anymore. I had OT at my whim. Like a all you can eat OT buffet.

 

Cake (some busy nights though, esp in the PICU), kick it in the NICU, nipple and nest, study, grab some gasses, help retape a tube, flip an oscillator kid or two, set up a jet ventilator, back on break or study before you know it. Some nights (noc shift) I could get like 6 hours study in-and have all my work done and all my patients well taken care of t/o the night, no kidding. While other RTs were outside smoking or watching TV in the lounge, I was hitting my prereqs and getting paid.

 

Became ECMO trained, but never sat at the pump, PA school saved me before I did that.

 

Downside: boring mostly, and don't get to make too many decisions....

 

some nights its the same for me in the NICU. we have a neo in-house overnight and a resident. the neos round early and some dont like to mess with much and will not make any changes or order labs until the AM. those nights i literally just go through my 3 vent checks and thats about it. ive had up to 8hrs out of a 12hr shift where i didnt do much of anything. i knew i shouldve signed up for a class or two this semester, lol. i should be getting trained for ECMO but the call schedule is horrible here, so i still have my doubts.

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I am also a Respiratory Therapist, but recently left the field to pursue the PA route as well...and I agree with everyone above, it is great healthcare experience!

 

For those RRTs who are already PA's or been accepted to a PA program, I have a quick question...

I just applied for the 2009-2010 cycle, and I am working on my remaining prereqs. I decided to leave the field recently so I could pursue school full-time and focus solely on my grades. However, do you thing the admission commitees will look at this negatively since I am no longer working as an RRT? (I am keeping my state license and BLS, ACLS, NRP current as to keep up my skills)

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Guest jesse0081

I've been an RT for over 2 years, and even though it's great experience for PA school, I would recommend nursing over RT school. The only reason I say that is, if you for some reason don't go to PA school, you can do the NP route or nurse anesthetist. RT is a thankless profession, and if you wind up getting stuck in it, you will have nowhere to go (unless you want to be a manager or supervisor). I'm not trying to be negative, just giving my opinion. The money can be great. I make 32/hr and get a raise every July, along with raises for becoming a level 2, 3 and 4. But in the end, you'll be doing the same exact thing every day. I've said it before and I'll say it again, the problem with the RT profession is that for every 1 RT who really tries to do their best and learn on a daily basis, there are 10 RTs who really don't care and just want to get through their morning rounds so they can sit around and surf the net. I hope this doesn't offend anyone, but if you work in RT you know it's true!

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Guest jesse0081

Oh and with all that said, you won't have a hard time getting a job. You might not be able to be picky and work wherever you want, but there will always be RT jobs out there.

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Guest jesse0081

100% honest. I work at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. They're by far the highest paying in this area. My wife is a level 3, she has been here for 6-7 years and now makes 35/hr. In contrast, right next door at CHOP (where I used to work), they start at 23.50/hr.

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Dude that is really good pay for RT, when I left I was making like $24 base and with night shift it was like $27 and with double time it was a little over $40 (after forever they approved double time just like the Pot-lucking RNs).

 

Study your butt off when you can and get paid for it and go PA! I agree with you about RN-NP it is a lot cheaper too, many RNs that go NP route can continue to work full time first year and part time second year, no chance with PA school (for majority of people). Oh and because they continue to work full time they get tuition reimbursement too at most hospitals!!

 

Great pay!!

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I've been an RT for over 2 years, and even though it's great experience for PA school, I would recommend nursing over RT school. The only reason I say that is, if you for some reason don't go to PA school, you can do the NP route or nurse anesthetist. RT is a thankless profession, and if you wind up getting stuck in it, you will have nowhere to go (unless you want to be a manager or supervisor). I'm not trying to be negative, just giving my opinion. The money can be great. I make 32/hr and get a raise every July, along with raises for becoming a level 2, 3 and 4. But in the end, you'll be doing the same exact thing every day. I've said it before and I'll say it again, the problem with the RT profession is that for every 1 RT who really tries to do their best and learn on a daily basis, there are 10 RTs who really don't care and just want to get through their morning rounds so they can sit around and surf the net. I hope this doesn't offend anyone, but if you work in RT you know it's true!

 

 

I agree with your post in so many ways. When I worked as a night shift RT supervisor, I had to put out many fires including lazy therapists who preferred to suction out trachs with yankeurs, therapists caught watching TV in an empty room with nebs running all down the hall, oh and the oh so popular "I have to have my breakfast and lunch on time and take all of my alotted breaks no matter how busy it is..." Unfortunately, this exists in nursing as well. I have met both RTs and nurses who simply function as warm bodies, and could care less about the quality of care they give. What makes it more disturbing is the blind eye turned by their higher ups! I have also come across both RTs and nurses who stay over their shifts, are available for their co-workers, and offer themselves when they have free time. I think once you have worked outside of the RT spectrum, you find every department of a hospital/clinic has their team players and slackers.

I also agree nursing and the NP programs have it set up well where they can work while they are going to school. The track does take longer as you have to complete a BSN program, then be employed at least 1 year prior to applying to a NP program (at least here in Texas), and then over 2 yrs time graduate as an NP while still keeping your full time job. I was very fortunate that I could still work FT as a transport therapist on the weekends when I attended my PA program, I know that is not an option readily available to others.

To the OP, find out more about the facilities around you. The hospitals with ICUs are great places to get good HCE. Also applying as an RT student with true interest in patient care (not just completing hrs) may get you into the ICUs sooner than later upon graduating. Good luck!

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Alot of this stuff sounds common in most places. In my case I work at a level 1 trauma @ night. I enjoy it because most of us are capable of working anywhere and efficiently. Also, because it's staffed with UCSF interns we get to do alot of teaching to the new residents. It can become task oriented but when the s*$t hits the fan RT's represent and we always keep our cool runnin the show:cool::cool: at the head of the bed!! Really it's what you make of it like anything else. So far i have managed to stay stress free(at work:D) which it doesn't seem that way with alot of the RN i've been around, which is a plus to me. Good luck and I'm sure whatever you choose will work out!!:)

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Guest uli2000

Another RT here! Been doing it about 8 1/2 years now. I love what I do, but I just dont really see much advancment in the profession. Thats why Im working towards PA school (hopefully, 3-4 out WHEN I get serious and buckle down). Wages have gone up quite a bit in the last couple of years. My first full time job (in 2002 after working pool/registry for a while) I was making $13/hr and was happy with that because the experience was worth so much more. I currently do a little over $25/hr but I do make up for that with on call and OT. Im in NV, and I know most of the hospitals in Vegas are now paying $30-40/hr with benifits, but I just cant bring myself to live in that place. Funny thing is most of the transport rt's I see are from UT and they make peanuts ($17-20/hr) and have more education and experience.

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Guest carolanimal

As someone who's in RT school right now, this is all very comforting. There are some students from the last graduating class who have stated they are having a hard time finding jobs. I live in Texas and right now there is a mass invasion into the state due to the economy. Has anyone tried going to school full time while also working as a RT full time? Is that overkill?

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As someone who's in RT school right now, this is all very comforting. There are some students from the last graduating class who have stated they are having a hard time finding jobs. I live in Texas and right now there is a mass invasion into the state due to the economy. Has anyone tried going to school full time while also working as a RT full time? Is that overkill?

 

Working is absolutely not recommended, but I was lucky to work as a transport therapist on weekends (36hr shifts). I studied when not on call and on flights and ground transports when there was no patient care involved. Again, working is not recommended, but I was a single mom at the time and had no choice.

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Hi. I got my CRT recently..can I get hourly jobs in RT as part time?i know it would be hard to work part time while in PA program... but still due to financial reasons..

any idea about this ?? please let me know.. thank you..

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I was an RRT at a large university hospital for 6 yrs in the northeast and worked the first year while in PA school two 12hr shifts on the weekends. It wasn't one of these "cushie" watch tv and study on down time, type jobs either. (that would have been nice). We rounded with the teams in the ICU's and truly managed the vents and airways, not just wrote numbers down. Amazing HCE. The second didactic year was more difficult and I went to a per diem RT job in a NICU at a smaller hospital. It was hard to balance of work and studying, but do-able.

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