Should Respiratory Care get its own mid-level provider credential?

1 I know this is primarily a nursing forum, but Respiratory and RRT/RN dual title holders are also very prominent in this forum, but me being an RRT/and current PA student, I have an interest in this particular question:

Every profession in allied health has been trying to do everything humanly possible to try and advanced their professions (Except Radiology it seems), PT now requires a doctorate to practice, PA's will soon follow the NP's whom are also going to require the doctorate to practice at an advance level and for RN's, the entry level degree will now be the BSN. For respiratory the profession will also eventually go BSRT just like Nursing is, and by 2015 the CRT exam will be retired. There also has been talk about the possibility of giving RT its own mid level provider possibly called a CPP or Cardiopulmonary Practicioner or ACPS- Advanced Cardiopulmonary specialist, and also trying to expand the reach of the current and much lesser known cousin to the CRNA in the anesthesiologist assistant, which only has 37 states that use A.A's and only a handful of programs in the country.

What do you think of the prospect of giving RRT's its own mid level provider similar to the NP or PA?

I'd love to hear from anyone but particularly RRT-RN's on here
I'm an RN working in Neonatal ICU. Several RTs that I work with are brilliant, and I would love to see educational and occupational advancements open to them. I think it's slow-going though. They've been talking about BSN being the entry level for RNs for 15 years now, and it still hasn't happened.

I think nobody is immune to "education inflation"- the increasing amount of education required to do the same job that required less.

Quote from incrediblehulk2016.... the NP's whom are also going to require the doctorate to practice at an advance level and for RN's, the entry level degree will now be the BSN.

Quote from incrediblehulk2016PA's will soon follow the NP's whom are also going to require the doctorate to practice at an advance level and for RN's, the entry level degree will now be the BSN.

As far as RTs are concerned, in my state, perfusionist programs have a curriculum where it builds on the RT as well as radiology programs, and you can receive a masters. My state is also ahead of requiring new NPs to be doctorates when they enter a program in 2015. I think as we care for more and more complex pts, roles are going to expand. If it requires classroom time, so be it, along with a financial bonus in our pockets

The anesthesiology assistant is not the cousin to the CRNA. They are trained and most hold masters degrees, however, they must practice under medical direction. A CRNA is an independent practitioner who is not required to practice under the direction of a doctor and makes independent judgments about anesthesia.

Quote from LadyFree28As far as RTs are concerned, in my state, perfusionist programs have a curriculum where it builds on the RT as well as radiology programs, and you can receive a masters. My state is also ahead of requiring new NPs to be doctorates when they enter a program in 2015. I think as we care for more and more complex pts, roles are going to expand. If it requires classroom time, so be it, along with a financial bonus in our pockets

Quote from LadyFree28As far as RTs are concerned, in my state, perfusionist programs have a curriculum where it builds on the RT as well as radiology programs, and you can receive a masters. My state is also ahead of requiring new NPs to be doctorates when they enter a program in 2015. I think as we care for more and more complex pts, roles are going to expand. If it requires classroom time, so be it, along with a financial bonus in our pockets

I was more the less speculating for discussion purposes. I know I made it sound like an absolute fact!, I am sorry for the misunderstanding.!I do think a time will come when my field of PA's and my mid level counterparts in NP's will have a doctorate level entry degree. As for right this moment, the DNP is a "reccomendation"Not only are these programs popping up all over the place at you suggest, but in my area of Upstate NY, some universities have been replacing the masters level certificated with DNP programs and thus retiring them.If Physical Therapy can do it, I have no reason to believe that it will happen to PA's and NP's as well.As far as the BSN thing, i'd have to disagree on that. In fact, I think now more than ever that movement is gaining more momentum as well as the BSRT movement but nowhere near on the same level. Maybe it depends on where you are? But in NY, its coming. NY and NJ are considering the "BSN in 10" which would require newly licenced RNs to complete the BSN within ten years. There are COUNTRIES which require a baccalaureate degree in order to practice nursing they are: Canada, Sweden, Portugal, Brazil, Iceland, Korea, Greece, and Philippines. Research indicates that levels of nursing education are associated with patient outcomes.

There is no requirement that I know of yet, but there is definetly a strong movement for that. By 2015 it's reccomended that NP programs make the transition to the DNP, but we'll see. I think it's too much too soon?

Quote from AltraPerfusionists are different from respiratory therapists - different curriculum.Could you share which state has legislated that only doctorally-prepared NPs will be licensed after a certain date?

CRNA's do not practice independently in every states. Most states still require Physician direction. However in 16 states, they do practice independently, and other states could opt out of this requirement of MD supervision. A.A's do not that, they MUST practice under an MD's direction. However, The AA profession is the newest kid on the block, but more than likely, additional states will allow AA to practice within them.Is the CRNA the cousin of the A.A sure is? I said cousin not identical twin!There is some overlap however, there are vast differences of course1. AAs and CRNAs make the same money when they work in the same hospital in ACT practices.2. Scope of practice for CRNAs and AAs is different. CRNAs can and do work independently in some states, 16 to date. CRNAs are the oldest nursing speciality in the US. CRNAs can provide the exact same anesthetic services/care that an anesthesiologist does. AAs on the other hand have extremely limited scope of practice. AAs usually are not trained/cannot do any kind of regional techniques.Personally on this subject, I think it's dangerous for a CRNA to be able to practice independently of MD's because CRNA Does not= Anesthesiologist