what's the difference........

[able2009]

.......between a certified nursing assisstant, a patient care assisstant, and a medical assisstant? Is there a difference in pay, school, and they job duties?

[RNsRWe, ASN, RN]

.......between a certified nursing assisstant, a patient care assisstant, and a medical assisstant? Is there a difference in pay, school, and they job duties?

A CNA (certified nursing assistant) is someone who has taken a CNA course and passed an exam that resulted in his receiving a certificate stating such. A CNA works in acute and long term settings. Job duties vary GREATLY, but essentially they do vital signs, empty foley catheters, ambulate patients as needed, do bed baths and personal care, as well as whatever else the facility requires and allows. Pay ranges from $6-$15, give or take.

A PCT has the same duties, but doesn't necessarily have a certificate or schooling. Sometimes they're interchangeable, depends on facility. Same pay range.

A medical assistant has passed a med assistant course, and typically works in a clinic or MD office, rarely in hospital. The med assistant courses are frequently several months, or a year or something like that, are typically expensive and earn the worker about $10-$15 an hour. They have no license (except for, I recall, some program where they DID get one...?)...at any rate, they do whatever the MD they work under has trained them to do, within reason.

[laketrash]

Wow, where do your CNAS work to make that kind of money? I have LPN friends who aren't making much more than $15/hr if that !

[HonestRN]

A PCT has the same duties, but doesn't necessarily have a certificate or schooling. Sometimes they're interchangeable, depends on facility. Same pay range.

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The only thing I have to add to the above is that a PCT (at my hospital anyway) is trained at the hospital, can work and perform the duties of a CNA at my hospital but can't take that training and experience and work as a CNA at another facility because they are not "certified" through an accredited program.

[RhodyGirl, RN]

Wow, where do your CNAS work to make that kind of money? I have LPN friends who aren't making much more than $15/hr if that !

I have a friend who is a CNA in RI and makes around $15/hour.

[prowlingMA]

CMA- has taken the AAMA certification test adn recerts every 6 years.

[JennyMac]

I think the PCTs in my hospital make about $17 an hour. This is Bronx,NY.