What is a nurse tech?

[candiceena]

Apologies if this is in the wrong forum, but, what is a nurse tech? Is it an informal name for a CNA?

[holisticallyminded]

A nurse tech is a student nurse; one who is concurrently schooling to become an RN. You need to have completed a clinical rotation or two (depending on state). You can keep this position until you graduate and then must apply for residency.

[pagandeva2000, LPN]

I really think that the function and name of a position strongly depends on the hospital. In my area, nurse techs, patient care associates/techs and nurse extenders are basically CNAs with additional training in EKG, phlebotomy and clerical functioning-smiliar to being a Medical Assistant working in a hospital rather than in a doctor's office. Many of them (again this is my area) are not certified CNAs, but were trained on the job. In fact, on my side of the planet, nurse extenders were people specifically trained to work in telemetry observing the monitor for wave abnormalities and have to inform the nurse of dangerour rhythm changes.

[bandas]

I'm a nurse tech. I was able to be one after my first semester of nursing school, although I didn't start until my 3rd semester. It is basically a CNA but I am able to do a lot of other skills that I learned in school as well. I can do Foley's, dressing changes, d/c IV's, trach care and suctioning. We do not assess, pass meds, evaluate, etc... At our hospital we have to test for the CNA exam within 3 months of starting but we don't have to do the classes, just the exam.

[ok2bme]

I am a Nurse Tech in the ER. I am not in nursing school yet (start tomorrow yikes!), but I am an EMT which qualified me. I did basic vitals, EKG's, stocking, some clean up...

[hypocaffeinemia, BSN, RN]

I was a "Nurse Tech" at the hospital I used to work at in the Dallas area and all CNA-type roles were labeled as such.

From working in different hospitals, I've seen CNA, PCT, PCA, NT, and probably a few more to describe the 'assistant' role.

[pagandeva2000, LPN]

It seems that these titles are ways to incorporate multi-tasking. Sometimes, it is easier to have one person available to perform several functions than to have different individuals with different titles and the hospital has to call and page to have certain tasks done. Sometimes, it makes sense. If you have a CNA that knows how to draw blood, it is more convienent to have that person do it if they are right in the vicinity than to wait for a phlebotomist to make rounds when you need a STAT lab drawn.

When I worked as a tech, I drew most of the labs in the clinic, did the EKGs and also made appointments and ordered supplies from outside vendors. It worked well for everyone.