Physical Therapist or RN????

Question

which is the better job. please, no comments on the financial point of view.

Answer 1

Here's what the US Dept of Labor says about each, good resource to help make your own decision:

Physical Therapist
http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos080.htm

Registered Nurse
http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos083.htm

Answer 2

It depends on what type of role you'd like to play.

If you enjoy being the one to problem solve...evaluating a patient for strengthen, flexibility, etc and making a decision as to what is the primary cause of a patient's pain or inability to function, and you also enjoy being the one to design and impliment a treatment program to address those deficits, then you will enjoy physical therapy.

If you enjoy monitoring, assessing patients before, during, or after a treatment has been implimented and reporting those findings to a physician...give your input as to what might be a good course of action, they you will enjoy nursing.

Physical therapy has a certain level of autonomy that most nurses do not get. So, if you are comfortable with that and enjoy that, then go for PT. Yet, nursing gives the opportunity to increase your level of autonomy by becoming a charge nurse, a nursing director, or nurse practictioner. As a nurse practicioner, you would be making several decisions for/with the doctor rather than being told "what to do."

Both are excellent careers and will ever grow in demand.

Answer 3

Im an RN.

Physical therapist is a better job.

Answer 4

i am a nurse and it is long hours, hard, streeful work hours. But i get a great deal of enjoyment out of it.
PT has most weekends off, all holidays off and they do not work 12 1/2 hours shifts. And they are home in there beds everynight.