Will this PCA position be considered as experience once I get my RN

SterlingArcher · Aug 2, 2012

Yep, this is a great decision for you! This experience will help you a lot because you will get use to having patient interaction and touching patients. This will definitely look good on a resume once you are done with nursing school. Many of the people I knew in nursing school who had PCA or CNA jobs landed jobs much more quickly. Good Luck!

PRNketamine7, BSN, RN · Aug 2, 2012

Great! I worked during school and I got an RN job right away. It does mean you have to work harder in school to keep up. But I wouldn't change what I did. Totally worth it.

Good luck to you!

SarahBean87 · Aug 2, 2012

Awesome! Thank you guys! I am seeing the job market is not the easiest as it portrayed to be and that kinda scared me so I figured I should get some patient experience rather than making coffee all day :)

allnurses Guide · Aug 2, 2012

Actually no.. PCA experience is PCA experience. RN experience is RN experience. Two totally different jobs. The only benefit PCA experience brings is connections in the industry and a possible foot in the door for getting a job. Will it look good on a resume? Yes. Will it count as RN experience though? No. Not at all.

Double-Helix, BSN, RN · Aug 2, 2012

Actually no.. PCA experience is PCA experience. RN experience is RN experience. Two totally different jobs. The only benefit PCA experience brings is connections in the industry and a possible foot in the door for getting a job. Will it look good on a resume? Yes. Will it count as RN experience though? No. Not at all.

I don't see where the OP asked if this would be RN experience. She asked if getting a job as a PCA was a good decision and if they experience would help her find a job as an RN. The answer is yes, in both cases. Working in healthcare in any position is better than no healthcare experience.

allnurses Guide · Aug 2, 2012

The title of the thread implies she is wondering if this would count as true experience when looking for an RN position. That is how I interpreted it anyway. I do not argue having some healthcare experience in a hospital will help with getting a position and in subacute care is better than none.

CRNA2b-2017 · Aug 3, 2012

The title of the thread implies she is wondering if this would count as true experience when looking for an RN position. That is how I interpreted it anyway. I do not argue having some healthcare experience in a hospital will help with getting a position and in subacute care is better than none.

I'm a nursing assistant as much as an NA is not an RN being an NA gives an edge over someone who has never worked in an acutecare/health care setting.

Many of the nurses I have spoken to tell me it's the fact of being able to interact pts i.e communication; being able to see pt baseline and to id that pt is notdoing well or crushing; knowing when to turn pts and how to clean up your pts. There are so many things that you don't learn in nursing school because of time constarints that have been valuable lessons as I have been working as an NA...

Someone who has worked a an NA/PCA Can be called a well rounded nurse cause those jobs entail understanding the very fundamentals of nursing ..... ;-)

So to answer the question above yes yes yes ... Go for it :-)

SarahBean87 · Aug 3, 2012

Yeah I didn't think it would count as RN experience sorry for the confusion...I start training on tuesday and I am very excited to learn the basics :)