In the end, I am really grateful for my time as a tech. Certified nursing assistants are supervised by doctors or registered nurses and provide basic patient care like checking vital signs, bathing, and feeding patients. I thought you had to be a paramedic to do that. Med/surg is cool because you get to see the prognosis of patients and you would definitely learn a lot. The CNA 2 will be able to provide opportunities for a person’s optimal independence and support behaviors that promote positive healing. After the doc sees the patient and gives orders, I'll go start an IV on this patient and draw labs, probably do a repeat EKG at some point, etc. Whether it’s hemodialysis, CPR or basic hygiene, you help patients get healthy with timely precision and emotional support. It's more independent in the ED and is more hectic - which I like. The requirements for becoming a CNA vary from state to state. Hello, I recently accepted an offer as a patient care associate on a hospital floor. A: A certified nursing assistant (CNA) and a patient care assistant (PCA) are not necessarily the same thing, though they perform very similar jobs. They can be located on the sidebar or at the pinned post titled "START HERE". Autumn said there is a big difference when comparing the job responsibilities and duties of a Patient Care Technician (PCT) and a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA). Doctors, PA's (no NP's in my ED), nurses, and other techs are always happy to teach me things and I've earned respect amongst them, which helps a ton. Once I learned how to measure well, I started to splint a lot. This estimate is based upon 1 Saline Memorial Hospital PCT/CNA salary report(s) provided by employees or estimated based upon statistical methods. The national average salary for a PCT/CNA is $27,500 in United States. Certified Nursing Assistants (CNAs) and Patient Care Assistants (PCAs) are terms that are often used interchangeably. This is a subreddit for all pre-physician assistant students seeking help with their applications. I ask what's going on, get an idea of things, and then the nurse comes in. In some states or hospitals, CNAs will administer medication to patients depending on the CNA's training and the state's requirements. Identification. By using our Services or clicking I agree, you agree to our use of cookies. Can someone please clarify the difference in these roles and the expectations in care for each? The PCT may take a patients vitals, administer medications, perform phlebotomy duties, collect urine samples and other preliminary medical duties. Thank you! I learned teamwork in an uncontrolled environment, how to properly transfer care. I learned to look at an EKG and know when to be worried (also learned what the lines actually mean in terms of cardiac conductivity, but that came later). Triage tech walks them back to a room, tells me what's going on, and I go in to introduce myself and hook them up to Sp02, BP cuff, and three lead heart monitor. As a PCT (patient care tech - same as CNA) who worked on a general medicine floor for 1.5 yr and then transferred to the ED (it's been 3 months now) , I have got to say I love the ED a whole lot. I go through the same grief stages as the family does. I'm assuming I'll get to see a wider variety of patient types, and get to work more closely with advanced practice clinicians (PAs, NPs, MDs) but I'm not 100% sure the change of environment/position is just going to be a lateral move experience-wise. Unlicensed assistive personnel. We also have paramedics who do the duties of a paramedic in the ED and on my floor (medsurg). The ambulance was a ton of fun and I learned so much about how to care for people, how to recognize when a situation is serious, and how to deal with bullshit. The biggest practical difference between CNA and PCT is the level of procedures they may be expected to perform. Please read our FAQs before submitting questions. COME TO WORK WITH ME!.. This video is going to be about how much money CNA/PCT/tech/Nursing Assistants make specifically in the hospital setting! I know emt can work on the inter facility vans, but that's about it. Rachel Dennis works as both a professional writer and health care provider. CNA stands for Certified Nursing Assistant. I've done a lot of splinting, helped cath a lot patients, helped with a lot of NG tubes, stood next to the physician while he was tubing patients and giving me a play-by-play. I live in Los Angeles, so maybe the laws are different? CNA’s perform basic patient care functions such as bathing, feeding, repositioning, and moving a patient. Hello, I recently accepted an offer as a patient care associate on a hospital floor. A CNA 2 will be able to demonstrate to peers the correct I work nights at a Level 1 Trauma Center in a downtown metropolitan area. I saw a ton on 911 and interfacility transfers. I didn't bring my camera with me so I had to use my phone. If you are a current (or aspiring) CNA, Dialysis Technician or Phlebotomist who enjoys building relationships, working in a team-oriented environment and providing outstanding clinical care, becoming a PCT could be for you. E: admissions@burnett.edu Tel: 561.736.3998 Fax: 561.736.3958 Address: 2601 S Military Trail West Palm Beach, FL 33415 She has been a licensed health care provider since 1998, with work experience as a medical assistant, certified nursing assistant and emergency medical technician. Salary estimates are based on 18 salaries submitted anonymously to Glassdoor by PCT/CNA employees. I also did some charting, though not as much as a clerk is trained to do. The difference between a certified nursing assistant (CNA) and a patient care technician (PCT) is the extent of their job duties. I was always under the assumption that a patient care associate (PCA) and a patient care technician (PCT) were the same roles, but recently I’ve heard otherwise. I'm about to take an EMT course with the plan on becoming an ER Tech. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, this type of training can be as short as just a few days, depending on exactly what the employer wants you to do as a patient care technician. My hospital allows ED techs to do more than most hospitals allow their techs to do, and more than most floor techs. PCT vs PCA? Check out the r/PAstudent subreddit once accepted and r/physicianassistant after graduation. As a tech, I worked 3 12s, almost always with the same nurses. PCTs perform the same tasks as CNAs, … Where to find real Nolvadex for sale that can be used as a PCT. Ambo time helped me shape a good "gut" instinct about things, as an EMT basic. Once I earned the respect of the nursing staff, they taught me an incredible amount. What Is the Difference Between a Patient Care Technician (PCT) and a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA)? One might be marginally better clinically, but if all you can get is 10 hours per week worth of work, the clinical quality will ultimately be irrelevant compared to the extra years before it would take you to meet the median PCE requirement. I worked with other EMT's, paramedics, and critical care nurses, all of whom had something to teach me. As a PCT (patient care tech - same as CNA) who worked on a general medicine floor for 1.5 yr and then transferred to the ED (it's been 3 months now) , I have got to say I love the ED a whole lot. I know other patient care technicians who are also emt’s, but they do NOT perform the same duties as an emt when they work here. New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast, More posts from the prephysicianassistant community, Continue browsing in r/prephysicianassistant. I love my job, I've learned a shit ton about medicine, how to manage time, how to be chill and efficient when there are over 70 patients in our ED and we're short staffed, and how to work as a team. You provide personal care directly to patients, but not medical care. Medical assistant vs. patient care technician: Job duties The clearest way to draw a distinction between these roles is to focus on their overall job duties. I've also worked on ambulances. As a dialysis Patient Care Technician (PCT) you'll play an important role in the lives of patients and their families. I've heard that clinics/hospitals don't really hire EMTs as Techs straight out. I learned a lot. When critical shit happens, I'll do chest compressions, stand by the doc when they tube someone and do whatever the hell they tell me to do, I'll ventilate people with a BVM, put foley catheters up in them urethras, amongst other things. It will take 2 to 3 years to complete the educational requirements for a PCT to become an RN. One route to becoming a patient care technician is to receive training through a hands-on, on-the-job training program. I learned to adapt to situations one wouldn't expect, from a patient suddenly crashing to a patient suddenly trying to jump out of the back of my rig. Cookies help us deliver our Services. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. As someone who is EMT certified and now working as an ER scribe, I would recommend becoming a CNA or PCT. The ambulance is awesome. So you may need to certify again if you move or take a job in another state. As the only tech on at a small hospital, I saw every patient that come in the doors, and saw their progress through the ED to discharge or upstairs for admission. Prove all that in your PCT resume to land that interview. I have no idea what a patient care associate is. It took about a month for the nursing staff to trust me, but once I earned their trust, what I actually did greatly expanded. ), and they get us within striking distance of the AVERAGE STARTING BASE WEIGHT (total weight not including consumables such as food, water, and poop paper) of this year's thru-hikers: 18.12 lbs / 8.219 kg. In my experience a hospital in Florida will tell you what they want in their job posting. The real benefit of that job was being exposed to how hospital medicine actually works. Generally, however, training continues for at least several months. I have a few friends who've worked in other EDs who started only a few months out of their EMT program, or with little experience. I feel like as an ER tech, I get to do more than I did as a PCT. [h=3] [/h] Both carry out their duties in similar work settings; however, their tasks may differ slightly. In other words, it's fucking cray-cray erryday. I would 100% encourage people to be techs. Atlanta Career Institute (ACI) is a State Approved Patient Care Technician (PCT) Training program licensed through the Georgia Nonpublic Postsecondary Education Commission (GNPEC).Our PCT training classes are specifically designed for students to learn with ease, using a variety of teaching methods. I've been working as a patient care assistant (CNA) on a telemetry unit for the past nine months, and I'm applying to ED tech positions now that I have my EMT certification. I definitely get to interact with the PAs and doctors a lot more than I did on the floors. Come join us! PCT is the abbreviation for patient care technician and CNA is the abbreviation for certified nursing assistant. However, although they both refer to professionals in the medical field, each role has a unique set of responsibilities that sets it apart from one another. She has been writing since 1994 and … My experience working at a 30 bed community ED is different than my friends who work in the 250 bed trauma center and big hospital, though their duties generally mirrored mine. I am a patient care technician with just a cna, not an emt or a paramedic. You’ll find that while some of these direct patient care duties may overlap, medical assistants often take on administrative work as well. PCT/CNA salaries at Saline Memorial Hospital can range from $10-$11. Although the downside is my relationship with the patients has suffered because of the short length of time I'm with them. I was an ER tech for a year, and a ski patroller for 7 year before that. Wildlife, weather, terrain, distance, culture, history and more. In these programs, you learn your skills by working under a licensed nurse or nurse aide. Like others have said, it's area-dependent on whether or not you can work in the ER as an EMT (I can't where I live, unfortunately), whereas every hospital I know of has CNA/PCTs working in every department. I thought EMT cannot work on ambulances. I got in with my EMT and experience, though the hospital I worked in hired techs with ~6months of experience, to the best of my knowledge I haven't heard of and EDs taking techs without experience, though what counts varies. Find out if Nolvadex or Clomid is the best PCT, and also learn if … So I was wondering what would be a good way to get the experience necessary to get the job as a Tech? These base weights are missing gear (headlamp, extra clothing, electronics, etc. The difference between those two, I think, will mainly come down to the job market rather than the clinical experience. At /r/cna/ we share our stories of caring for patients/residents and advice on how to best accomplish our mission of providing the best possible care for those in our charge. *The Sierra includes ice axe, traction device, and bear canister. It could be another hospital’s term for a PCT. It was a good choice to transfer. Solid question, I'd like to know others' opinions myself. My life as a Hospice CNA is also very emotional because I have lost many patients. The minimum requirement to become an RN is an associate's degree, but you can also earn a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN). When you’re clocked in as a tech, you only do your tech duties. Pca, you learn your pct vs cna reddit by working under a licensed nurse nurse! Got my CNA certification and one of the keyboard shortcuts apply splints, wounds... Paramedic to do more than I did on the inter facility vans, pct vs cna reddit 've... 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