Respiratory Therapy is a low stress job?

Some of my coworkers will debate me on this, yet I have and always will contend that the profession of RT is a low stress job .

Okay, allow me to add at least where I work.  And allow me to add this other little statement:  and most of the time.

Surely you're going to have your newborn baby who isn't breathing.  You're going to have a kid come in after an auto wreck.  You're going to have a relative come in some day in severe respiratory distress.  You're going to have your moments.

Some of you who work for trauma hospitals may see that stuff every day.  Yet usually you either see adults or kids, not both.  So after you do this for a while doing CPR will become as easy and nonchalant as picking up a tissue when your nose is dripping and wiping it off and tossing that dirty tissue in the trash. 

Seriously folks.  With the exception of the asthmatics who truly needs a breathing treatment, no one is going to drop dead if they don't get one on time.  Most patients won't even know you didn't show up if you were busy. 

ABGs are nice, but they are just procedures.  EKGs are nice, but they too are just procedures.  When it comes down to it you treat the patient, you don't wait to get a procedure.  You do what you were trained to do.  You think. 

Now, is thinking stressful?  It can be for some people.  It can be when the patient is a wreck or a conundrum.  Yet it shouldn't be.  If you studied in school.  If you paid attention.  If you still know your stuff.  If you read RT magazines and keep up to date on your RT wisdom, thinking shouldn't be a big stressor for you.  If anything it should be challenging and fun.

I like my job.  I like being an RT.  Yes there are stressful moments.  Yes there are days when I'd like to kick my boss in the butt for not wanting to make waves or for telling me what he thinks I want to hear rather than dog gone truth.

The pay could be a stressor too for some.  While there are some who say RTs are paid well, I beg to differ.  Yet no one ever died saying they wished they made more money.  Your money goes as far as you wisely spend it.  You can make $40,000 a year and be richer than a man who makes $70,000 a year and spends it unwisely.  So stresses over money are unfounded.

Yet this is a good job and a relatively stress-less job.  Plus where I work I get to do this (blog) and this is a major stress reliever for me.  What do you think?  Is your job stressful?

Note:  The comments section below is temporarily broken, so send comments via the email (contact me) in the right column. 

facebook
Twitter