Do we matter?

At my hospital we absolutely use them and need them. The CNAs are so amazingly helpful!

In the ER I work in, PCTs are incredibly useful and important. They're considered a part of the team like everyone else. We are simply too busy to have the nurses absorb the duties of our techs.

Nursing assistants aren't going anywhere, especially since many acute care settings are eliminating LPNs and replacing them with cheaper, unlicensed workers. I worked as a tech before becoming a registered nurse, and there were always hours to pick up and positions available for nursing assistants.

A good, competent, and reliable CNA/tech is worth their weight in gold. Patient care is improved when licensed staff has help. I can't meet patient needs without you.

Very true. However if the PCT/CNA is the opposite of that then :-/

I would say that absolutely the CNA/PCT/department technician is absolutely necessary to the smooth functioning of any floor or unit anywhere. I know that where I work, most of the time we would not be able to get anything done without our ED Techs being able to manage the flow of things. In other words, our ED technicians are absolutely indispensable. Always treat your Techs with the respect they deserve. They can make your day run very smoothly or they can make your day a miserable hell. They're not Nurses, PA's, MD's, but if you're lucky enough to have one around, be ever so thankful for what they do and make sure they know it.

I love having a tech. It is extremely helpful. Granted in the ER we use them more as transporters and to get EKGs.

In all honesty it's probably one of the most undervalued, underpaid, and least respected positions in both hospitals and Ltc. You break your back all day long for literally one third the pay of a nurse. That being said it I think it is a position that should not ever go away. The need for them is great and going to be greater. I just wish they were treated a bit better. I'm glad I had the experience as an aid. I just don't think I'd ever want to do it again.