Difference between a Certified Nursing Aid & a Certified Patient Care Technician?

[PardonMe]

I am currently enrolled in Trinity Valley Community College's Patient Care Technology program. It's a short one semester program but it will give me the extra points I need to get into the LVN program the next time around. In the middle of the program I can take the Medical Assistant test and at the end take the PCT / patient care technology certificate test, which would give me two certificates.

There is another local community college that is offering a one semester program called Certified Nursing Aid / CNA. It is half the price and a shorter time to go but it won't give me any needed points for the LVN program at the other college.

Can anyone tell me the difference between these three certificates? How confusing??? Do they pay differently? Which one would give you more nursing experience?

Thanks for you help.

Melissa (aka, confused)

[Murse7]

I am a Clinical Technician, also known as Patient Care Technician, Patient Care Associate, etc. PCT's and CNA's do similar jobs, and some PCT jobs ask for you to also be certified as a CNA. PCT would give you more nursing experience, since you not only get all the experience as a CNA, but also more "advanced" skills as well. Clinically, the only skill CNA's really have is taking vital signs, which of course is really important in nursing/medicine (as far as knowing those values). As a CNA, you also help with activities of daily living (ADLs), activities such as bed baths, ambulation (walking), feeding, putting on clothes, positioning, toileting/bed pan, etc.

As a PCT, what you do depends on where you work. I work in an ER, and in addition to some of the above (in the ER, the vast majority of times, it's unnecessary to do bed baths, or oral/hair care, for example. we do have to put in bed pans at times, and help with ambulation, especially for drunk patients, haha), we also can start IVs, draw blood, do EKGs, give oxygen through various masks/cannula, foleys, fiberglass splints, hook patients up to the cardiac and oxygen saturation monitors, transport, minor (very) wound care, stocking the department, blood glucose check, drawing and running venous blood gas sample. Again, this depends on the facility, and when working in the ER, you have a greater scope of practice. As a PCT, expect to at least, in addition to CNA activities, draw blood and do EKGs.

I'd stay with the PCT program if you're looking to get into LVN. Note that many PCT jobs simply ask for BLS certification, and maybe CNA as well, though it depends. They teach you everything on the job. My job asked for BLS and EMT-B certification, though now they only ask for BLS.

[PardonMe]

Thank you SO much Murse7! You explained it well.

I'm going to go with the PCT program I'm signed up for and then move on to the LVN certificate. Hopefully with the PCT certificate I can start working while I wait to get into the next phase of my nursing education.

Thanks again!