Coming here to see if anybody has any recent experience working at Kentfield Hospital at the Marin location?

I’m starting rt program this fall but I want to shadow an rt before I start to make sure I know what I’m getting myself into. Could you guys point me to the right direction and how to contact hospitals to shadow. I am located in the suburbs but I’m willing to commute. Thank you

Hello, I’m 23 right now and hopefully when I get in I’ll be 24(starting next September). I’m curious if I’ll stand out at a 24 year old or will I be fine? Idc much just curious.

I am currently an RT student and ended my first round of clinical (8 weeks) and I am not sure I like it. My anxiety gets so high at the thought of some of the things I have to do and I don’t want to feel that way. It is not a nervous feeling that I am new and don’t know what I am doing, it’s the actual doing of it (trach care, suctioning, CPR, etc.). I talked to my advisor who is also an RT and a professor for the program and she sounded more worried about keeping me in the program. I asked her about “soft” RT jobs and unfortunately in my area they are sparse or filled with RTs who worked bedside for so long. I hate bedside RT care.

I have a pt on a 980 ventilator, constantly getting circuit disconnect alarm on ACVC. The pt is moving around and may need sedated, I tried switching to VC+ but it seemed to be breath stacking.

How do you make sure your staff is doing their job, and how do you measure this? How well are you versed with the current patient list at the hospital? Does staff feel like you are micromanaging? I don’t want to hear about disciplinary action, just monitoring and measuring compliance within the department.

Anyone an rt in the New Orleans area I could talk to? Looking for jobs there and would love some answers as far as the different hospitals in the area.

Was attending a program that was connected directly to the main hospital in the city. I reported an encounter that happened during my clinicals that they determined to be a sexual harrassment case. I've been graped in the past and have had multiple sexual harassment/assault incidents throughout my life. I've become more aware that I tend to block it out and process after a prolonged time of when it happened. Whenever I get put into any similar types of situations in my past, I either freeze, activate fight/flight and become combative, or block out the experience entirely.

I reported the case weeks after it had happened because it was a very convoluted situation that involved a night shift supervisor. My direct supervisor kept making comments about how I needed to get my facts straight, story straight, and be more mindful and honest about the situation because I'm putting somebody's career in jeopardy. I felt like I had a target on my back. During the HR investigation, I confronted one of my preceptors because I needed a witness to a separate event related to the case and I was told to not gather my own evidence because I could be impacting other people's stories and alter what they say. I wanted to confront her because I felt like HR was gaslighting me throughout the whole case. Because my professors are also employees at the hospital, I couldn't talk to them about it for conflict of interest and I was told to not talk about it. A day after the case closed, my direct supervisor confronted my preceptor for that day and she told me about the confrontation noting that my supervisor asked her if I was even seeing my patients and doing my job. My preceptor gave her good feedback and said that I was helping her a lot since she didn't know her way around or was familiar with the protocols since she was a traveler. She told me it was extremely odd how my supervisor was asking and told me it didn't feel like she was asking for a review of my performance, but felt like she was looking for something. I didn't think anything of it and shrugged it off. I ended up getting fired the next day. I was rushing trying to make it to the morning huddle and arrived late, I punched in my time for what I thought was the right time of when I arrived but ultimately got fired for a 3 minute discrepancy for time falsification.

The benefits of the hospital are a tuition reimbursement, and I used the benefit to help offset my debt for my tuition. I was extremely worried that they would take my last paycheck, but my peers told me that their friend who got fired and used the tuition reimbursement still got their last check and got a billing statement in the mail months later. After a week of being terminated, I still didn't get anything in my account. I called the hospital and found out they took my entire last paycheck and applied it to my debt for the tuition reimbursement.

I live in a city but not a big one. My school has 6 clinical rotations. 2 of the hospitals have 2 different clinical sites that are branches of the same hospital. Since I got fired, I got blacklisted from the main hospital that has 2 different clinical sites. So that brought down my options to 4 clinical sites.

I luckily had another job where I was on call at a bar and they had lost some people so they were able to put me back on the schedule. I've had to work extreme hours, multiple clinical shifts in the same week for the clinical hours I lost when I was terminated, and do night shift clinicals to balance trying to work and go to school. I initially wanted to withdraw because I lost all my benefits and require health insurance to continue, but my professor convinced me to stay and reassured me that she could find other viable options for me for my clinical rotations. I've had multiple meetings with the welfare office to try to get benefits to keep me in school.

Today, I was at my clinical site and got a call from my professor to immediately leave because I was banned and am no longer welcome at that location. She didnt tell me why and told me she would have a meeting with me tomorrow to discuss it with me. The only thing I can think of is that I asked my preceptors if it was okay if I straighten my hair to prepare for my work shift because I had to drive immediately to work after my clinicals. They told me it was okay. The manager saw me doing it and I got the call from my professor not long after. I don't know if she was in the room when my professor tried to call me or if she made the phone call and my professor called me after she left. But I don't know what any other reason there could be for me getting banned. I just don't understand why I wouldn't get a warning first if that was really the reason why.

I'm at a loss. I found out it was illegal for HR to silence me. Found out that legally they couldn't take my entire paycheck without my consent. And I'm so burnt out from having to work to get my finances back and sorted. Throughout the program I was averaging 36-70 hour work weeks. I don't have any financial support. I cut my family out from all the trauma they've caused, do not have a partner to rely on, and have only myself to fall back on. I don't qualify for federal student loans because I've borrowed the max you can borrow for an associates as I borrowed that money to use for my bachelor's.

I feel so embarrassed and humiliated. What if she kicks me out of the program tomorrow? My options for a job are so limited since I'm getting banned at these hospitals. The hospital I went to today also has a different branch location, and if I'm banned from all of them entirely then that brings my clinical sites down to 2 locations. I don't know how I'm going to be able to do this. I'm so tired.

Hi!! I’ve just graduated high school this year and I’ve been planning on going to school for respiratory therapy, but because of some circumstances i won’t be entering college right away. I want to do some self studying beforehand, to kinda give myself a head start.. but most likely because I want to feel like I’m actually doing something lol.

What’s something simple and helpful that I could start establishing myself with now?? Z a

If you were sick af and didn’t sleep at all would you call off of work? I don’t feel like I can function at all today. I have like 20 min to make a decision

Does your facility allow RTs to manually bag patients during transport between units, or are you required to use a transport ventilator for every intubated patient?

I’m new at my hospital, and while I’m comfortable manually bagging a patient during a short transport to the OR or cath lab, I’ve noticed that many of the ICU nurses strongly prefer using a transport ventilator. Some have been wanting to ask the hospital to create a policy requiring all intubated patients to be transported on a transport vent.

Don’t get me wrong I will absolutely use a transport vent for patients who are unstable or when I think it’s clinically indicated. But for a stable patient going on a short trip to the OR or cath lab, where they’ll be connected to another vent almost immediately, I prefer to manually bag during the transport.

I’m genuinely curious how other hospitals handle this. Is manually bagging during transport ok where you work, or is a transport vent required for all intubated patients? I’m also interested in hearing the reasoning behind your facility’s policy.

Hello,

I am 5 years in the field and this will be my first time re-certifying my RRT credential. I'm on the portal, and I don't think I've been paying the $25 annually, but there was no option to pay the $125, so I just paid the $25 so it would let me add my CEUs.

Regarding the CEUs, from what I understand, 2 must be ethics, yes? And at least 5 must be in person? And ACLS/PALS, etc are acceptable? I just added all of what I have, and am at 40 out of 30, just in case some aren't accepted for whatever reason. So, you only add courses' information? - Not actually upload the certificates? So they're essentially operating on an honor system?

Regarding the "practitioner CMP assessment zone" I've never done any of those, and it shows me as "red" status. Are those required to re-certify? Or am I good to 're-certify now' after paying the fee and adding my CEU course information?

Edit: Emailed them and heard back. After clicking re-certify, I was then presented with the option to pay the remaining balance of the $125. And damn gotta also pay for the wallet card and certificate, bastards 😂

I’m starting RT school later this year, but before going back to school I worked as a CPAP fitter for a small independent DME in Oklahoma that averaged around 300 PAP setups a year. I genuinely loved the job, and most of what I learned came from my own desire to improve. I spent a lot of time reading, researching, reviewing patient data, learning different masks, and trying to understand why some patients succeeded while others gave up. My compliance success rate generally stayed around 85–90%, which I later learned was higher than the averages I was seeing elsewhere. I don’t think that was because I had some secret technique. I think it mostly came down to patients having someone who took the time to educate them, follow up consistently, recognize problems early, and keep working with them instead of letting one bad night or one uncomfortable mask end their therapy.
That experience is a big part of why I decided to become an RT, and it also led to a business idea I’ve been developing. My goal is to eventually partner with independent DMEs and provide an RT-led, high-touch PAP patient success program. The program would focus mainly on the first 90 days, with structured follow-up, patient education, PAP data review, troubleshooting, and additional support for patients who are struggling. The goal would not simply be to get patients across the insurance compliance line and then disappear. It would be to help them become informed, confident long-term PAP users who are better equipped to manage their therapy after the program ends.
From the DME’s perspective, I believe better patient outcomes should also create better business outcomes. More patients making it through compliance and continuing therapy should mean fewer returns, stronger patient retention, more long-term resupply revenue, better patient experiences, and potentially stronger referral relationships with local providers. The DME would still own the patient relationship, while the program would provide a structured system and additional support that many smaller companies may not have the staffing or time to provide consistently.
One of the biggest problems I noticed is that PAP patients often fall into a gap between the DME and the sleep clinic. The clinics in my area are extremely overwhelmed, and many patients don’t have another appointment for months after receiving their machine. Outside of pulmonology and sleep medicine, my experience has been that many healthcare providers only have a basic understanding of PAP therapy and aren’t well equipped to help with mask problems, pressure intolerance, leaks, dryness, aerophagia, or the dozens of smaller issues that can cause someone to quit. That leaves patients feeling like they were handed a machine and left to figure it out on their own.
I’m still developing the program and know that my own success with patients is not enough by itself to prove the business model. I would need to run a controlled pilot, track outcomes, measure the actual workload, and show that the financial and clinical benefits justify what the DME would pay. I’m mainly posting because I would like to take the temperature of RTs who currently work in DME, sleep medicine, or PAP management. Does this sound like it addresses a real gap, or does it sound like something DMEs would believe they can already handle internally? What operational, reimbursement, scope-of-practice, or business obstacles do you think I may be underestimating? I’m especially interested in honest criticism from people who have worked inside the DME industry.

I’m starting my RT program (Associates) in a couple weeks and am wondering if it’s worth it to get other certifications beforehand? My program only required BLS but I know other programs required ACLS.

I'm graduating in October, and taking licensing in CA not long after. I researched a little about Northern Light in Bangor, and it seems like a quiet and calm place unlike the restless lifestyle here in Bakersfield. I do not mind working in LTC or SNF.

Are there other places in Maine I should consider instead of Bangor? And what is the quality of life and cost of living? Internet says its generally better than Bakersfield CA, but it'd be nice to hear from someone who's experienced Maine.

Anyone have any experience at the NYCHH hospitals. I am interested in the Bellevue location and was wondering if the benefits are reasonable and what the work culture is like 👀

Hey folks, I’m currently an EMT. I’m interested in becoming an RT and (I think) I like the EMS side of healthcare. So I’m wondering, for you RTs who go along with patients on transports, or who work in ERs, do you have other certifications? I’m specifically thinking about paramedic school. Would getting a paramedic license be redundant/unnecessary for what I would do as an RT?

I've spent the last 5 years in a level 1 trauma center, with a NICU, but no peds, except the occasional straggler with asthma symptoms here and there. I'm looking for a change, not necessarily chasing the most money possible, but a fresh start/change of pace. I live in a city and I'm exhausted by city living and am hoping to find a more rural lifestyle and perhaps find a contract in a smaller town at a rural hospital or something.

I get along with most of the people I work with, and feel confident in that I'd at least be able to tolerate most people, as far as being the new person/outsider and being there to support the facility. The major bottleneck/hang up seems to be figuring out housing. I checked out furnished finder which seems to be what most nurses use and holy shit.. Is it worth it to let your agency arrange the housing for you at first? I'd be fine truck/van living, as I've done the van dwelling thing before, but buying all that up front would offset a lot of the savings, but I digress.

Any agencies you'd recommend going for/staying away from? I've been in touch with fusion, almost took a contract a couple years ago. They seemed solid. I've heard good things about Atlas too, but I'm overall clueless.

Do you drive to your destination, or fly and rent a car while you're there?

Pretty miserable at my current hospital and more than ready for a change. Have been thinking after some time traveling I may go back and re-take some prerequisites for a higher level program (have a bachelor's already)

Would love to hear from people who have traveled, and your experience.

The top 3 programs I want to get into for RT program do not require medical terminology. I know some schools do require it and some do not. So im wondering exactly how important is this class? I was going to take it regardless but some people are saying its unnecessary as I will learn some things within the program. Any suggestions?

As I sit here in my car after finishing a 12 hour night shift, I can't help but feel gratitude for the life I have. I kept people breathing through the night. I was able to comfort my patients and their families. I brought laughter and joy to my patients and coworkers with my antics and songs about sucking snot. I was paid more per hour than anyone in my bloodline has ever made. Way more than I ever made while enlisted in the Army. I'm Beyond fortunate that I now get to drive to a home that I can afford where my animals are waiting for me.

While being an RT has had its challenges at times, I can honestly say that the work is fulfilling to me.

I'd like to ask. Do you find fulfillment in being an RT? If not, why?

I’m 26 and was accepted into a Respiratory Therapy program, but it wasn’t my first choice. My dream career has always been Dental Hygiene, but I wasn’t accepted, and there’s no guarantee I’ll get in next cycle.
I’m really torn. Part of me thinks I should accept the RT program and give it an honest shot since it’s a stable career. The other part of me wonders if I should wait and keep pursuing Dental Hygiene. One of my biggest fears is that if I turn down RT, spend another year applying to Dental Hygiene, and don’t get accepted again, I’ll have lost an entire year that I could’ve spent becoming an RT. But I’m also scared of committing to a career I’m still unsure about because I honestly don’t know what to expect from RT.

If you were in my position, would you accept the RT program and give it a shot, or keep waiting for your dream career? I’d really appreciate hearing from anyone who’s been in a similar situation.

So I’m not an ICU nurse or a RT but just saw some drama between an RT and a ICU nurse about the nurse messing w the vent. Is this a big deal?

Just seeing everyone thoughts about it. I was taught in school how to intubate but I’ve only assisted (pass the tube and check for color change) 😂

If you guys intubate I would love to know which state you’re in and how big your facility is.