Confused. CNA VS. Nurse Technician, what are the differences?

dreamer30 · Apr 18, 2015

Sounds like a nurse tech would be more in a hospital setting where they do ekg, blood draw and other stuff. CNA just nursing home or Home Health. Also depends on where u live. I live on Indiana and they use CNA's in hospitals and nursing homes. The hospital trains you. Don't need to go to school for it. Hope this helps.

MandieeRN · Apr 18, 2015

If you love seniors CNA maybe a great option for you. CNAs obtain vital signs. Help seniors with tasks of daily living such as showering, dressing, eating and everything you do for yourself you will be assisting the client do. I mean EVERYTHING. I use to be a CNA for about 5yrs and I really enjoyed my time working in nursing homes with seniors. It's very hard and sometimes demanding work but if you enjoy helping and spending time with seniors it's worth the labor. As for techs at my hospital they mainly draw blood. I'm not sure what their other duties are. I wouldn't bank on the facility/hospital paying or training you to be a CNA or tech that will vary depending on the employer.

mvm2 · Apr 18, 2015

Yes techs usually are in hospitals while CNAs are in many places.LTCs home health rehab. retirement homes hospitals and homes for vets homes for the disabled. There could always be a place that you would be able to find your niche.

Also if you are going for nursing some schools require that you take a CNA class anyway so I think that is the best option for you especially if indeed it is the nursing homes you want to be in.

Paws2people · Apr 18, 2015

I wouldn't call a nursing home moderately paced.

CT Pixie, BSN, RN · Apr 18, 2015

neither a CNA nor a tech tend to work in places that are 'moderatly paced'. They do, however, often have set hours. But those hours would be the shift they work such as 7a-3p, 3p-11p or 11p-7am

The techs in my hospital do everything a CNA can/does do in the nursing homes, but they also do other things such as EKGs, blood draws, etc.

caseyuptonurse · Apr 18, 2015

I would choose to get your CNA. I don't know about where you live but in my area they are interchangeable. I worked as a tech without school behind me for it. They also hired CNAs for the same position and called them techs. We all got paid the same as well. In the hospital I work at now they hire CNAs and you HAVE to be a certified nurses assistant to get the job. I don't think we even have tech classes in our area. I would ask around if you know any CNAs/techs in your area and ask what they chose to do. Also look at job postings in your area and see what tends to be the most common requirements.

hookyarnandblanket · Apr 19, 2015

The nursing home where I worked was no where near to moderately paced and it was small. I work at a small hospital and it is not moderately paced, either, even though I don't do EKGs, blood draw, or blood sugars. Maybe home health would be a better option for you. Both hospitals and nursing homes can run shifts 8, 10, or 12 hours long and most new CNAs start on 2nd shift, which could be 2p-10p or 3p-11p.

eroc · Apr 19, 2015

Depends on where you live. The hospitals I work at have no nurse techs, this is the first I have heard of a "nurse tech." CNA's have a specific job that doesn't include the skills the OP listed for a "nurse tech"

Now MA's perform those skills. Be careful of all these "careers" these schools are selling now-a-days.

CT Pixie, BSN, RN · Apr 19, 2015

Depends on where you live. The hospitals I work at have no nurse techs, this is the first I have heard of a "nurse tech." CNA's have a specific job that doesn't include the skills the OP listed for a "nurse tech"
Now MA's perform those skills. Be careful of all these "careers" these schools are selling now-a-days.

In Connecticut MA's are generally only found in out patient clinics, doctors offices etc. They aren't seen nor used in actute care hospitals nor in long/short term or rehab.

CNAs are found in the long/short term care, assisted living and rehab.

PCT (patient care tech) or MST (multi skilled tech) are generally found only in hospitals and do everything a CNA can do but also do the things I listed such as phlebotomy, EKG, blood sugars.

The thing is while a PCT or MST have more skills they can do than a CNA, they (the PCT/MST) can't work as a CNA unless they are certified by the State as a CNA.

CamillusRN, BSN · May 2, 2015

I wouldn't call a nursing home moderately paced.

Been there, done that. Completely agree!

CamillusRN, BSN · May 2, 2015

I would choose to get your CNA. I don't know about where you live but in my area they are interchangeable. I worked as a tech without school behind me for it. They also hired CNAs for the same position and called them techs. We all got paid the same as well. In the hospital I work at now they hire CNAs and you HAVE to be a certified nurses assistant to get the job. I don't think we even have tech classes in our area. I would ask around if you know any CNAs/techs in your area and ask what they chose to do. Also look at job postings in your area and see what tends to be the most common requirements.

Our hospital does likewise. CNAs are in both the acute and LTC wings and often cross over between units. Ours are allowed to do EKG's, but no blood draws unless specifically certified for phlebotomy.