HUC or ED tech?

[duskyjewel]

OK so I am a CNA. I just got my certification last October, and it took me three months to get a job. I have been working in the telemetry unit of the local hospital for about 5 months.

Ugh, I am SO OVER this job! I am especially sick of the endless edicts coming down the hill from people who haven't touched a patient in 20 years about how to do my job. Just how much do they think I can do in a 12 hour shift?!

I do not see myself progressing to RN. I once thought that, but no more. I am thinking along two lines: ED Tech or HUC. I can move into either fairly easily from my current position.

I have been told I wouldn't really need to take a class for either of them, but I figure if I do, it shows I am serious and might give me a leg up in competition. I could do either HUC or basic EMT in a semester or less. Fitting them around my night shifts would be the challenege at this point.

If it were you, which would you pick? ED Tech offers more in the way of move-up potential, if I complete the Emergency Medicine certificate at my community college and become an EMT in the ambulances. HUC offers a way to stay in health care, but with a more clerical focus, though they want CNA's for those jobs so they can assist with care if needed. Not much move-up potential that I can see from here, but there might be paths I am not aware of into other things.

So which would you choose and why? Thanks for any input.

[starlight88]

Hi! I am a CNA that can also HUC and I wanted to ask, what do you find appealing about either position? I HUC now and while it breaks up the routine from being on the floor it comes with its own stressors. Do you desire to learn the clerical side? Do you see yourself doing it for a long time? As for the ED tech, you'll probably still be doing all of the CNA tasks but will most likely need to know how to do phlebotomy and EKGs...is that something you are willing or excited about doing? These are some things that you just might want to consider. Best of luck with what you choose and let us know what you decide!

[northernguy]

I'm assuming HUC means unit clerk. If so these are two totally different jobs. Which one you prefer would depend on your personality. Obviously an ER Tech job will have you dealing with a lot of drunk, obnoxious, or mentally ill patients. You will also have pediatric patients, which can be difficult to deal with, especially if your doing things like drawing blood or starting an IV on em. If you are tired of dealing with patients on a telemetry unit its certainly not going to get any easier in the ER.

You would most likely have to get your EMT license, although Im not sure why, since EMT school is mostly geared towards pre hospital stuff that you would never do in an ER. (Ive met ER Nurses that have no clue what a KED or hare traction splint is and have never even ridden in an ambulance). EMT basics arent even allowed to start IVs and get no EKG training beyond putting leads on a patient and learning basic cardiac anatomy and pathophysiology, so Im not sure how valuable the training is in an ER setting, you would still have to get all that training in house. If nothing else maybe they just want to be sure you can handle stress, since EMT school can certainly be stressful.