5 reasons NOT to become an RT | Respiratory Therapist

I give you 5 reasons why you should not become a Respiratory Therapist. Being an RT is amazing but it does have its downsides.

[judyg]

My dad was a RT for over 35 years, longer than I’ve been alive. I just got a job at a hospital at the beginning of this year, the same one my dad worked at for over 20 years and retired at. All I think about is RT, I’m starting my prerequisites and going to hopefully become and RT one day.

[DesiraeElaine]

I'm glad you mentioned not being able to cry and needed to go see someone else with a smily within minutes. That right there might make RT out of my future. I'm an extremely empathetic person and the smallest things make me cry. I appreciate knowing this information. Thank you so much.

[bobnicholas]

We are always in the foreground during an emergency but only the nurses and doctors realize your value. It is a PTSD pit.

[darlene]

I just call them Nurse. If they dont care to learn or ask my name I just call them nurse.

[msheehandub]

Bro, RT of 10 years here. Hate to say it but I've always had one foot in, one foot out the door with this career. It's been really good to me because of the decisions I've made but the environment itself can be absolutely soul crushing and demoralizing.

[bobnicholas]

In Indiana we are Respiratory Care Practitioners. My R.C.P. friend had the E.R. early in the covid pandemic. He went home and he and his two sons and wife got covid. His wife a NICU nurse got so sick she recently got a lung transplant.
You must be an RT if you love excitement and remaining calm in very stressful situations. RTs are the people the poem If by Rudyard Kipling wrote.

[David-nlzt]

I just dropped out of RT school. Not sure why this job draws all the rude, mean and a-hole students. The worst part of my classes were all the mean immature girls in the program. Most toxic environment I've ever been in!

[janl]

I've been retired from RT for less than a year. I had to laugh when you described where the department might end up. After 45 years I've seen most of them. My last hospital they took our roomy department and gave it to sterile processing. We were given the store room of the gift shop. The pulmonary function lab got bigger, the outpatients love being close to the front door. The rest of the department was tiny. Our equipment was all over, we had vents in the conference room.

[AnthonyGarcia-wbxv]

Lmao I’m a housekeeper and the RT’s literally had their break room right next to the morgue

[matthewkjellerson]

I've been an RT (CRTT) for 35 years, I would put at #1 "being physically and verbally abused by patients and their family" . Probably at #2 "Hey respiratory...can you go get me a (fill in the blank) or help me pull up this patient (or whatever). Best of luck to anyone in/or entering the only person who appreciates you, will be yourself. Sorry this seems negative, but society has evolved in better and worse ways...

[johnmayor]

Just graduated LOVE IT were paid well here in Canada

[chueyengthao]

I think its great you didn't mention "don't become an RT if you can't deal with seeing sputum/bodily fluid". I used to think that stuff was nasty. However, only after a few weeks into term 1 I'm understanding the anatomy of the lungs and secretion of mucus. It's like I never thought it was disgusting. Lol.

[ChrisDrums]

Excellent video. I’d throw in underwhelming raises. Not to mention Nurses and CNA’s get the bulk of incentive and bonus pay. For some reason Respiratory just gets skipped over (poor treatment from management.) Our “office” is cramped and tiny. lol !!! I enjoy the job but it’s underwhelming in many ways (including pay.)

[roostercogburn]

The whole pathogens thing really don't bother me. You never know what people have on the streets when they're coughing everywhere.

[christopherbarton]

Basically most RT departments are managed by those with barely a bachelors degree and most RRT are associate degrees. So you are trying to stand equal with nurses having bachelors and masters and even doctors degrees. RRT is simply never going to be fully respected until this changes and they begin performing more critical patient care and achieve higher degrees. Examples are PT are now Doctors of physical therapy, Nurse aenesthetist are clinical doctorals as well. Performing ABGs, doing HHNs, and simple vent changes are not enough. Only until recently did RT departments stop OJT individuals from practicing. After 30 years in the field this to me is the basic problem.

[mtt]

Excellent video! Appreciate what you guys do.

[theresathomas]

Preach… especially about the area far away from any life form is where our department usually is 😢

[jamesedward]

I was a respiratory therapist for four years and I enjoyed the first couple years but then it just got kind of boring and repetitive so I went to medical school and now I’m a hospitalist. Best decision ever.

[natureovermind]

That's all I had to hear was it not being a very broad profession. Yes, nursing you can do plenty other than just bedside. Thanks for your video.

[chithramariaalexander]

Thanks. Can so relate to this. So surprised that the situation is the same here in India. In India Respiratory therapy hasn't been recognized much and I was thinking in the States it would be different. Hmmm... #RT.❤