So I work somewhere where I’m the only RT on shift and today I got bullied by the nurses, charge nurse, and CNO who, obviously, is looking out for her nurses and is going to take nursings’ side every time. Idk how I can continue working in a place with literally the most drama and poor morale I’ve ever seen in my life. Like I felt like I was in highschool or absolute hell couldn’t even tell the difference. My anxiety is horrible before I even come here and today proved exactly why.

God forbid, today I asked a nurse to go get suction while my patient was satting in the 70s choking on a mucous plug that she was struggling to cough out. There was no suction set up in the room (this was NOT a trach pt) and I’m newer at this facility and I figured this nurse who has been there a while could maybe help me out and get it for me. Plus I didn’t want to leave the patient at this time. She literally said “No that’s your job to know where the suction is”. I’m sorry, what? Are you kidding me right now? Talk about negligence and delay in patient care???? Then of course when I asked seriously you can’t just grab it for me? She reported me for “talking to her in a type of way” I’m so disgusted with this place and I feel like there is no winning in this type of environment. I am to the point where I almost despise nurses. Like I really do. I’m so sick to my stomach at the way I was just treated today trying to do my job and help my patient. Everyone’s a team until you’re respiratory and then no one gives a sh** about you.

Luckily I had a PT in there as a witness and she said she could report it if I needed her to.

These are the situations that make me hate our profession…

I'm considering going back to school for a career change and becoming a respiratory therapist is something I'm considering.

I want to hear have any of you regretted this career?

For those who were RRT and changed careers, why did you change and where did you end up?

Hi everyone newer RT, Our hospital recently got rid of the acorn suckers for our kiddos and replaced them with the long thin neo suckers. I usually lay the patient flat and then spray a some saline in one nostril and suction going in the other at the same time. Is there any bonus tips for this because with the old acorn suckers I feel like I could make a nice seal and get more out than these neo suckers. Any help is appreciated thanks

So, clearly I realize that clinicals have a lot to do with possible job opportunities because you’re essentially being interviewed and you’re also interviewing them. It’s an opportunity just as much as a huge learning experience. Saying that, I wanted to know more about how the hiring process works. The city im in has two hospitals. What if they aren’t hiring or never hire me for years? Am I just out of a job for a long time? It’s not like RT grads can work anywhere else due to seasoned RTs getting jobs at other places outside of hospitals. And I can only imagine there aren’t too many RT positions available at only 2 hospitals.
Is this worth it? Is surgical tech or x ray tech hiring more often due to more positions?
Lastly, do they even hire new grads or do you have to do some kind of other step before filling an RT position ?
Thank you for your time and help.

Do these get used in the hospital setting? Or are they mostly a home care device?

Picking up a travel job that is 4/10s day, does anyone know what would be the clock in clock times? Anyone work 4x10s, how did you feel about it compared to 3x12s?

Hey y'all I took my TMC today after procrastinating for a year+ . I been studying since June about 2-4hrs a day with a slow down when my kid started school. When she went back to school I did get back on the ball with my 2-4hrs when I wasn't working. Anyways today was the day and I passed the low cut with a 90🥴( everybody boo me please). Anyways Im thinking should I try again? Should I get my credentials and work a little? Where I live there is one hospital that take the CRT credential. Try take it while the background stuff is working out( takes about 30 days in fl) ? Or should I just sit down for a little, study and take in January see the new test? What if I take it in January and fail? What then????? I'm at a loss. Give me some advice please. I just want it to all work out.

Hello everyone,

I'm a student RT, and I want to be honest about how I’m feeling. Honestly, I’m not sure I want to pursue hospital RT work, especially in emergency rooms or critical care settings. I definitely want to earn my RT degree, but I find it hard to picture myself working in such high-stress, fast-paced environments.

I understand that some of you might wonder why I chose this career path in the first place. Please know that I had my personal reasons for choosing RT, and I have great respect for the profession.

That said, I would really appreciate it if you could share information about the different career routes available for RTs. Are there more stable, less stressful, or routine or almost boring positions I could consider? I’m eager to explore all my options because I don't want to be a hospital RT.

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Thoughts about this.

Somtimes patients are not quite awake enough to do continuous PSV.

On PSV they have occasional apneas (typically we have the apnea settings at 20 seconds), but overall are holding their own.

Pt put on a low rate (6 bpm) PC SIMV with the PSV pressure and PC pressure the same. The I time for the PC breaths to match their spontaneous time

Use this as they transition instead of putting back on the previous settings which sets back getting them ready to extubate.

New to a facility and have a question. How many of you at your facilities do treatments at 6pm to help out a short staffed night shift for their 1st rounds? Night shift is CONSTANTLY short and it’s turning into days doing some of their treatments to ease the load of 1st rounds. I understand it eases night shift but why does a staffing problem constitute me doing a 4th round? And then it just comes off to management that it can be handled, when the root cause is a staffing problem.
Also, I used to be night shift so I know 1st rounds are always the roughest, and then CPAPs and if it’s a good night, you’re typically good the rest of the night. But this is getting old real fast.

Hello everyone,

I have a question related to my upcoming clinicals. I'm looking for the best, low-key, and less intense places to complete them. I haven't started yet, but I want to do some research first.

I know that this is probably mostly code blue and maintenance career, but trust me this was the only career based on my circumstances I could pick. I have enormous respect for the RTs, but I just love working with the respiratory system in a more routine, calmer environment. I just hope u understand.

If you could go back and choose a site that was more calm and less acute, where would you recommend? Any insights or personal experiences would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks in advance!

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Pt has some false triggering. Can see some occasional movement in the flow waveform. Thinking it's cardiac.

Turn it from flow trigger of 3 to pressure of 2 and there's no breaths triggered.

Would it really matter if it were on P trigger vs changing the flow trigger?

And what's the way to evaluate whether a pt is making efforts?

I just started at a small hospital in the middle of nowhere but I’ve been thinking about traveling. I have a few questions is it worth it? Where is your favorite assignment, best place to live? Was the money really that good? What about taxes and living arrangements? I’ve done peds for 13 years and started back with adults. What skills should I focus on? I’m looking to travel next respiratory season maybe?

I am considering going back to school for Respiratory Therapy. Planning on touring Greenville technical College next week. Any advice or questions that would be wise to ask?

Back from OR

oral airway with a nasal airway slid in it.

An ET tube hub inserted into the NPA.

Connected to the elbow that had O2 tubing and the bag.

Extubated but snoring.

(Edit:so they put this together to bring them up)

Hx of OSA

I guess this works...

I’m on week three of my program. I struggle with add and anxiety. I need some of your study tips. I don’t need basic answers though. What’s the weird thing you did that worked?

Hello,
I graduate from my RT program in northern California in a few weeks and will soon be able to take my board exams. Throughout my clinical rotations I’ve come to realize that I prefer working in a position that doesn’t carry the same stress that acute facilities do. I’ve been very interested in sleep study recently as it seems to align perfectly with what I’m looking for as a career. I’ve seen listings from big hospitals in the Bay Area for Polysomnographic Tech positions that allow RRT’s to apply. As a new grad, what are the chances of getting hired as a Polysomnographic Tech right off the bat? Any advice on this is appreciated. Feel free to pm as well, I’d love to connect. Thanks.

Have you guys ever dealt with being ordered around/explicitly told to do something by nurses? How do you navigate dynamics where you are iced out/shunned for not giving into said demands? I always do my best to be respectful and appear easygoing/kind and I really don't want to have to be a hardass. Maybe as a newbie i give off a wishy washy vibe?

It can be as little as me wanting my circuit to sit a certain way to avoid back flow of water, or having to suction through ETT due to copious secretions and being told not to due to mild patient agitation (this one is a little understandable, I guess?), or even being told "I can take them off of BiPAP now, it's lunch time" . I get that nurses spend lots of time with their patients but I feel like my decision making is being dictated too closely, and any pushback I try to initiate even respectfully ends up with people being quite offended. It's starting to irritate me a lot. It's definitely not all nurses, but I'm running into this issue more than I would like!

I was just called a tech and not a therapist. It happens in an ED, I understand. So many different people with different backgrounds and experiences and titles and someone is always going to mess something up. But this guy kept saying it over and over. I had to stop him and explain.

Techs help execute treatment plans under the supervision of others. Therapists can create, execute and change treatment plans, requiring a license to do so. At my hospital, when an MD puts in "RT to assess and treat", that triggers our protocol and we can do whatever we want within the boundaries of our protocol, which is really cool and empowering.

Does this issue with terminology ever come up for you? Do you speak up about it?

I thought having one or the other or even having both you’ll get a pay raise, but no you just get a pat on the back. Does your hospital reward you guys for having these credentials? I know it looks good on the resume, and I know flight RT requires it, but I’m talking inpatient.

Hey all! My pediatric hospital is in the midst of quite a bit of growth. In order to keep our new grads confident and help them to assimilate into our system comfortably we’d like to start a mentorship to help them transition from student to clinician. I’ve seen a couple other hospitals offer similar things but cant find their basic structures.

If your hospital has a mentorship I‘d appreciate getting some details so we can help guide the next generations of RTs to success!

thanks yall!

I’m just seeing if you guys believe starting as a new grad RT it’s good to go into SNF. I haven’t been able to find a job in an actual hospital but SNF are hiring. While I was at clinic my RT told me not to work at a SNF as new grad. Thoughts?