Why choose to work as a Respiratory Therapist?

By Sue Antinoro PhysicalTherapistSource.com

Why do some of use know exactly what we want to do for a career when we're five years old and for others, we stumble into a career in mid-life. I've always thought it fascinating to find out how people got into their chosen career. When these Respiratory Therapists from an MSN message board were questioned why they chose this field, they responded with a wide variety of reasons:

• "My family had pressured me into being a nurse because my mom and grandma both were. Then when I went to a nursing orientation and I was ready to say forget it with the medical field entirely. I looked through what other programs my school had and I found the RT program. I like the idea of being specialized in one thing and also not being confined to a small area of the hospital."
• "I was a paramedic for 13 years. Part of my clinical training required spending 3 days with an RT. I learned more from him in the 3 days I shadowed him than from anyone else during the entire clinical. I had basically had enough of EMS and it seemed the logical way to go."
• "I worked in another industry for years whichwas affected by 9/11. Three quarters of the workforce were laid off, so I had to find a new career. Medical seemed like a good field, one that I wouldn't have to worry about losing my job again. I've had asthma since childhood, and I've been intubated once for 15 hours because I let an attack go too long. I thought I was halfway there with Respiratory because I know what not breathing feels like. HA! Was I wrong! I had a lot to learn.The learning possibilities are great, depending on what you want to put into it. I am proud of the work that I do. The pay is decent. The hours are good. The overtime opportunities are very good. The re-location possibilities have great potential."
• "I've always known I wanted to work in the Medical field but life took me to other places and I ended up working in a meaningless job that I hated. I was part of a massive layoff at my company and decided to make a move into something meaningful where I could actually feel like I've accomplished something important at the end of the day. I looked into Respiratory, did a shadow experience, and I knew right there that I had found my niche. I absolutely love working with the patients in Clinical, especially the elderly. I graduate in August and I can't wait to start working..."
• "I chose Respiratory Therapy because when I was little I was in a near drowning incident. If it weren't for lifeguards, paramedics, nurses, doctors and RT, I would probably wouldn't be typing this to you. That is why I chose Respiratory Therapy as a career."
• "I knew of the profession in high school. The curriculum was interesting. It has pre-requisites that interested me and lacked the courses I didn't like (lots of chemistry). While it seems specialized to those not in the field, there is much diversity to keep someone intersted in the job for the long haul (28 years in the field and counting). Working with adults or peds or neonates, working with long term patients or pulmonary diagnostics..there are a great deal of different clinical skills in each area. That keeps it interesting for me."
• "I have been a real estates office receptionist for 9 years, and I've been divorced for 6 years. About 2 years ago, I realized being a receptionist was not going to get me ahead in life My aunt, who was an instructor of the nursing program at a local community college, suggested Respiratory Therapy. I told her that I wanted to try something new, maybe medical and didn't think I'd be able to be a nurse. So she told me about the RT program. I looked into it and decided to do it. I'm so very glad that I did. I think I'm going to LOVE being an RT."