Am I a CNA or a PCT?

[pnkgirl25]

I am completing my CNA and HHA class next week though Goodwill (great program by the way and only $200 in California)and taking the boards. Always, I am also wrapping up a Phlebotomy and EKG class from my local community college at the end of the month.

My question is, I am seeing a lot of jobs for and it seems like all a PCT is is someone who has completed training for CNA, Phlebotomy and EKG. Can I apply for these jobs even though I don't have the "PCT certification"? Or do I just automatically get the title because I completed my CNA, Phlebotomy and EKG? Is there a state test of something I need to take to get the official PCT title or can I just claim it and start applying?

[roseonye]

you are a pct if you have cna, ekg and phlebotomy

[tamadrummer]

Many times a pct is a nurse tech which is basically a nursing student that has successfully passed by fundamentals of nursing. All the quals you have will make you more qualified than most nursing school students because you will have put needles in peoples arms where student nurses only read about it and use the fake arm in the lab during med-surg.

[FutureRNGreen]

I went threw a pct class all u have to have is your cna and ekg skills and pheblotomy

[btrossbach]

I'm not sure about the difference in states but here in MD it is basically a different title used by different facilities. Some call them PCTs some call them Nurse Techs some call them Nursing Assistants. They all have the same CNA license through the state.

[malamud69, BSN, RN]

CNA, PCT, NA...its all the same. I have yet to find any national certification/license for a "PCT" my state has some schools that try to sell you that mumbo jumbo. Don't be fooled. Remember only a phlebotomist is a phlebotomist as a nurse is a nurse...

[CT Pixie, BSN, RN]

CNA's here in my State are often only found working in LTC/SNF and have gone through a CNA class and are certified by the State. PCT's are usually found in the hospital and have additional skills than the CNA schooling teaches like EKG, etc. Our ED/ER techs are usually comparable to a PCT but they have even more added skills.

Only advise I can offer is call and inquire with the company listing the ad for the PCT. The department that handles CNA things in your State might be able to answer your questions better.

[RunnerRN2015, ASN, RN]

We don't have PCTs here but we have Healthcare Techs. It also requires a CNA certificate but it's not the same duties. CNAs do all the personal patient care, vitals, etc whereas a Healthcare Tech takes the specimens to the lab, does some basic charting, etc.