Question..

[Ortho_RN]

I am a nursing student who just finished my first semester of an ADN program... I also just got a job at our local hospital as a PCA (their version of a CNA) on an Orthopedic floor.... I don't know what to expect... What are the PCA/CNA's responsible for on your Ortho floors???

Thanks..

:roll

[sharann, BSN, RN]

Same duties as on most floors. Vital signs, comfort measures, linen changes, hygiene, bathing or assisting w/personal care. Some hospitals will have you do I and O's. On ortho, the main thing is getting them to move despite the pain they are in. You will pick it up quickly and once you master Ortho...you can go anywhere.

[P_RN, ADN, RN]

Add to that (at least on our floor) phlebotomy duties assigned, (we only had a pb for the day shift), transport to the exit for discharges, on the total knees-putting the leg in and out of the CPM. I&O and all vital sign recording in the computer, padding charts with new reports and removing old ones (this would be on night shift). Some units had their PCAs trained in EKG-but we had so little use for that we did not.