Difference of being a CNA and a PSS/PCA

fuzzywuzzy, CNA · Feb 15, 2012

I don't know what PSS stands for but I'm assuming your role is more like a companion/housekeeper. My local homecare agency has 2 different kinds of services- one that sends CNAs to do direct care and one that sends people to do homemaking stuff. The latter group is paid less. Obviously if you're a CNA you're qualified to do both but if you're not actually doing CNA stuff then they don't have to pay you for it just because you ARE a CNA. It's kind of a waste that you spend time and money on a qualification that you're not using. I would ask if I could switch to a client that requires direct care and if they tell you that's not available I'd look for another job that pays better.

hellojennpov · Feb 16, 2012

Pss stands for personal support specialist. Oh I see what you mean. Though I'm working for my client as a "pss" everything I do there pretty much is direct care from cleaning a trachea area and g tube to giving meds.. I just don't understand really the diff in a cna and a pss's job duties.

Investigator 1 · Feb 22, 2017

This is an old thread, but this may still help someone. In Maine the difference between a CNA and a PSS is that a CNA can provide total care, while a PSS can only assist the consumer with their care. For example a PSS could help a consumer bathe by washing their back or other hard to reach areas, but the consumer does the majority on their own. A CNA could provide all the bathing. In Maine a PSS cannot dispense medications, they can only provide reminders that it it time for the consumer to take their medications. A CNA can use a lift to get a consumer out of bed, a PSS can only assist a consumer to get out of bed. In short, a PSS can only assist consumers with their needs, They cannot provide total care or perform nursing functions.