Nursing Assistant and Patient Care Tech jobs without formal school

[nrod]

Hi! So I'm a pre-nursing student at Broward College in South Florida, finishing up my pre reqs and I'm looking to get my feet wet in the hospital setting. I just completed my Medical CORE at Sheridan Technical center (which includes curriculum in workplace safety/OSHA, law and ethics, infection control, fundamental skills [how to use PPE, blood pressure, proper gloving, wheelchair transition, basic patient communication skills etc] , hepatitis and blood borne illnesses, introduction to the human body, basic first aid, CPR certification as well as Modules for AIDS/HIV, Prevention of Medical Errors, and Domestic Abuse.). So I will have my certificates in those modules come Monday.

With that being said I'm now looking into Ruby's School of Health Occupations to take their Nursing Assistant 65 hour review course. This is NOT a formal 75 hour CNA training program, just a review that allows you to challenge the state exam, which I'm planning on passing by October. .

From there I plan on completing their certificate programs in EKG and Phlebotomy. What I'm wondering is, if I intend to apply to hospital CNA positions that require EKG and Phlebotomy certificates, (which I'll have) will they ask for proof that I attended an accredited program or will my CNA certification, the 90 hour CORE class, phlebotomy and EKG certificates be enough??

[studentkt88]

I am currently a PCT (in a nursing program) an the hospital will most likely hire you as a Patient Care Tech vs. a CNA why? Pay! You will be paid more than a CNA because of your skill set. When you are hired you will most likely go through orientation with another PCT who performs the blood draws for the unit and you will have to get 50-100 sticks with "supervision" before you are able to draw blood on your own. Or you could get hired in a monitor room that observes heart monitor for the hospital and you will be a "Monitor Room Tech" .....basically just because it isn't "formal" doesn't mean it isn't taken into account. It is great if you have a license as a CNA but apply for jobs that are listed as Patient Care Techs or Monitor Care Techs or Emergency Room Tech.....for the increase in pay. Because all techs and assistants are hired "under the supervision of an RN and/or LPN care team" it is okay that the education is not formal. Hope this helped !

[green34]

It depends on the area you live in. We use the title Patient Care Tech at all of our hospitals whereas the other two use nursing assistant and nurse tech for the same positions. We don't pay more for certifications with the exception of other positions like phleb or paramedic role.

[Acdaria]

It depends on where you're located.. I am a BSN graduate and i cannot work as a CNA at any of the nursing homes in my area until i pass my NCLEX RN because i am not certified even though i have the experience and training to do so.

[funtimes]

Nursing homes aren't going to care about the exact nature of your training. All they care about is that you are a CNA, preferably one with experience. If you arent a CNA they aren't going to be interested in you, regardless of what other training or experience you have. In my state I believe being a CNA is an actual legal requirement to work in a nursing home doing any type of patient care, unless you are an LPN or RN.

Hospitals on the other hand are less concerned with you being a CNA and more concerned with the specific skills you are trained in and the experience you have. The reason being you are working under a physicians license, so there is no formal requirement for "assistive personnel", be they NAs, PCT's, PCAs ER techs, or whatever. Nursing homes have no physicians around 24/7, so they require you be a CNA at the minimum.

If getting your CNA is a mere 10 hours longer, why not take a CNA course so you'll have a lot more job opportunities open to you.

[green34]

The reason being you are working under a physicians license, so there is no formal requirement for "assistive personnel", be they NAs, PCT's, PCAs ER techs, or whatever. Nursing homes have no physicians around 24/7, so they require you be a CNA at the minimum.

If not all hospitals have hospitalists, how can the unlicensed assistive personnel work under the physician's license? I know the paramedics in my ER can because we have the ER doctors there and we can take direct orders from them or the protocols.