RT VS RN

It's been awhile since I've written, the hospital has been overly insane. There has been an influx of sickness and crazy. When you combine the second of the two, you get a Level 1 trauma center on divert atleast twice daily. I've been spending my last month and a half at our smaller hospital in the hood. Gun shots have happened right outside, stabbings are very common in the ED, and we have the psych ward. Our staffing hit the wall, so I agreed to spend some time away from the large ED to support the other branch. This week is my last week here, and I will be returning to my glorious world of trauma drama.

That being said, I have found the biggest thing about being in a smaller setting (1000 beds vs 241 beds), is the RT vs RN battle. I have worked in some of the best hospitals on the east coast, and yet, it never changes. Before anyone gets mad, let me say...there are some RN's that love their RT's, but on the flip side, there is a war. Let me break a few things down.

1. I have my B.S., as do you, you are not superior to me
2. I know how to do an overview of the patient (vitals, history, etc) as well as you.
3. When you call and tell me you hear wheezing, I won't believe you. I think your stethoscope is set on perma wheeze, and you need to learn what fluid sounds like.
4. If your sat jumps from 83% to 95% in less than 5 secs, it wasn't real. I will not draw a blood gas or put them on a 100% mask.
5. If you call me for a PRN tx and they are sleeping when I get there without distress, I will not wake your patient.
6. Albuterol is not the fix all drug!! No, it won't stop coughing. No, it won't get rid of fluid.
7. Call me "Respiratory" one more time instead of my name and I will call you "that stupid nurse that has the patient"
8. Just because the patient "feels funny" and you don't know what to do, do not tell them to ask for a tx. When I come to assess them, and see they don't need one...I will chart accordingly and then be irritated at you.
9. Lung CO2 and Total CO2 are two different things!! please don't call me when the lab results for the total CO2 come back high.
10. If you call the MD about a respiratory issue before talking to me, you will be on my shit list.
11.Don't ever touch my vent, unless you want me to titrate my patients sedation on your IV pumps. If they are desating, and you want to give them an "O2 boost" fine..otherwise, hands off.
12. When you constantly ask for unnecessary things, the respiratory department will talk about you
13. COPD, Asthama and CHF are three different things
14.Please make sure the O2 is connected to the wall BEFORE you call and tell me the patient is desating. When I get there, and the O2 is disconnected, I will be irriated and write you up.
15.If you don't know how to setup an O2 device..ask, please don't put a NC at 15LPM or a NRB at 4LPM.

These are the things that I've encountered at this 241 bed hospital. Have I encountered them at others? Yes. Will it always cont? Yes. It's part education, part ignorance, and part "you are just respiratory." For those of you that think your RT's are not important, I want you to think twice. I love my job, I love what I do. I pride my self in my level of education and hard work. Working as a team with everyone is an important part of the hospital environment.

Next time your patient is going down the drain and needs intubated, just remember your RT is going to show up to help save that patient, not to be a fly on the wall.