Calling all ED Techs...

[AlaskaHopeful]

I have accepted an offer for an ED tech position, my expected start date is May 6th. For this position, a CNA cert was highly preferred. I got my cert 5 months ago and this is my first position in the medical world at all...feeling very lucky and blessed to have gotten this position without real world experience, aside from clinicals 5 months ago...from what I was told, it is quite a bit different than normal CNA jobs. My question to the ED techs is this:

What should I go over again in my CNA book to help me better prepare for this position?

Should I pick up some extra books from the book store to better prepare me?

If so what are some good ones to look for?

Are there any areas, or things that I should really focus on knowing extremely well?

It is a teaching hospital and they said that I will be given opportunities to take classes on phlebotomy, and reading EKG's, among a few other things that my duties will include.

I just really want to be prepared for this.

If there is any advice for me, I am willing to listen!

Thank you for your replies!

[mvm2]

I think if you go to PCT (patient Care Tech) board you will get a better response to your questions. If I understand it PCT is the name basically they call their CNAs in a hospital setting. I know they also get some training on EKGs and maybe some other equipment that they have to know about that would not be in a LTC setting. Good Luck and I wish you well on your new job.

[ChristineN, BSN, RN]

Many of the skills you will use in the ER will be different than the skills you utilized in your CNA class. You will be starting tons of IV's, doing phlebotomy, EKG's, splinting fractures, transporting pts to tests, and more. While you will assist with ADL's when necessary, it will not be the majority of what your responsibilities will be in the ER

[funtimes]

You'll pretty much have to learn everything on the job, since very little of what you'll do is covered in CNA school, so studying a CNA textbook isnt going to help any. Better off studying an EMT or Paramedic textbook if anything, although those jobs are different too. Fortunately none of the skills are rocket science and can be fairly easily learned, although starting IVs takes practice.

I think ER tech is the easiest job of any patient care tech because you arent constantly repoing, toileting or bathing people. Working a shift as an EMT I brought a patient into the ER the other day and she told the tech she needed a bath. The techs reply was the day I have to give someone a bath is the last day I work here lol.