Cna & Pct?

surdidymus · Jan 30, 2011

Ok, let's clarify...

PCC - Patient Care Companion (sitter)

CNA - Certified Nursing Assistant

GNA - Geriatric Nursing Assistant

PCT - Patient Care Technician

MT - Monitor Tech OR Medicine Tech

MA - Medical Assistant

The difference in Maryland as far as I know is:

A PCC only needs to have CPR certification. They do not touch patients. Even if the person is confused and climbing out of bed, they yell for the nurse. They do not get vitals, measure I&Os or anything like that.

A CNA gets vitals, measures I&Os and assists with taking patients to the bathroom, bathing and daily activities. They assist the nurse, hence the name of the position. They are state certified from a 15 week course or 1 semester class.

A GNA is the same as a CNA except that after the semester class they apply to the state and pay an additional $100 (in Maryland) to take the GNA test. This allows them to work in a nursing home as opposed to just a hospital setting.

A PCT is a glorified CNA. At my hospital they are cross trained as secretaries, they preform EKGs, insert IVs and insert foley caths or straight cath pts. They do get a raise as they do a bit more, but their primary role is still as a CNA with pt care and they only do those other tasks if they have time.

A MT is a monitor tech (which is a telemetry CNA or PCT that is trained at reading tele monitors. They sit in the monitor room and call nurses to let them know if any significant changes to the readings.

The other MT is a medicine tech which is a glorified GNA. They work at nursing homes and hand out meds to the residents. After the CNA semester class this is an additional 3 credit class to get your license.

An MA (medical assistant) on the other hand is usually an 18 month program for licensure. They usually work in doctors offices and they are able to do IVs, give shots and are similar to an LPN.

This is how it is in the hospital that I work in Maryland. It could be different elsewhere so take it how you want.

Hope it helps some of you with the questions you have.

-Tiffany

Southern Magnolia · Jan 30, 2011

For a hopsital in Tucson I was told I'd have to have either a CNA cert or PCT cert or 2 semesters NS clinicals. I know a couple of tech schools are offering PCT here but I think this is something new. I already have CNA but from another state and was told I can't work as a PCT unless I get my CNA transferred to AZ - eventhough technically you don't have to be a CNA to work as a PCT. Confused? Me too.

surdidymus · Jan 30, 2011

In Maryland you HAVE to have a CNA in order to be a PCT. They do the same thing as I said, but have a few more skills that they are trained in.

I think there is confusion between the PCT and the PCC. The PCC is the sitter and does not need a CNA. Some hospitals may call their sitters PCTs. It depends on the job description I guess that the hospital is posting.

It most definitely is confusing! Especially since the states also vary in their license requirements!

Southern Magnolia · Jan 31, 2011

In Maryland you HAVE to have a CNA in order to be a PCT. They do the same thing as I said, but have a few more skills that they are trained in.
I think there is confusion between the PCT and the PCC. The PCC is the sitter and does not need a CNA. Some hospitals may call their sitters PCTs. It depends on the job description I guess that the hospital is posting.
It most definitely is confusing! Especially since the states also vary in their license requirements!

Here PCT's typically can draw blood and have a couple of other skills CNA's don't have. My confusion comes in because the hospitals hire CNA's and then do inhouse training anyway so I don't get why they won't hire me with an out of state CNA - you don't work under your CNA certs. I have to find someone to allow me 40 more clinical hours or start over. ARRRRGGGG. I'd be fine with it if the skill checkoffs for the two states weren't exactly the same - but they are.