Do you have PCTs in your CCU?

[ashleyisawesome, BSN, RN]

Just got a call for an interview for a PCT position in a CCU at a local hospital. In my experience in clinical I have not seen PCTs on critical care floors. I am interested, because this is the area of nursing I am interested in, but I'm just wondering, do you see PCTs on your unit, and what do they do?

I am assuming vitals, baths, feeding, possibly blood draws? I have heard that this specific hospital allows PCTs to insert foley caths (at least in the ER).

any info you have to satisfy my curious mind would be appreciated. :)

[hodgieRN]

We have PCT's at our hospital in ICU, CCU, CSU. They help with transfers to the floor, rountine accuchecks, feeding, bathing, putting in orders, etc. Vitals in critical care are done automatically with the monitors and nurses manage it. Nurses and PCTs usually work together in a team fashion (like with bathing vents pts..it's best to have the nurse there to manage lines and tubes.) PCT's are a great resource. I'm sure it's different from hospital to hospital.

[kool-aide, RN]

bathing, feeding(if any), call lights(if any), toileting, changing beds, stocking supplies, transferring pts to testing or to different floors.

[jasmineselva]

gd mrng...my hubby was admit at ccu...izzit bcoz of he vomit blood?cn u tell me more about tis...tq

[Zombi RN]

We have PCT's at our hospital in ICU, CCU, CSU. They help with transfers to the floor, rountine accuchecks, feeding, bathing, putting in orders, etc. Vitals in critical care are done automatically with the monitors and nurses manage it. Nurses and PCTs usually work together in a team fashion (like with bathing vents pts..it's best to have the nurse there to manage lines and tubes.) PCT's are a great resource. I'm sure it's different from hospital to hospital.

This is the same as my facility (:

[NickiLaughs, ADN, BSN, RN]

Every place is different, ours will help us turn patients, assist in holding patients while we bathe them. They help us transfer patients for procedures. They also stock most of our supplies. I think that's about it.

[ProgressiveActivist, BSN, RN]

Our ICU CNAs (techs?) take a half an hour smoke break every half an hour.

The rest of the time they complain about being overworked and how much they hate the nurses.

They are not worth the trouble that they create.

[ashleyisawesome, BSN, RN]

gd mrng...my hubby was admit at ccu...izzit bcoz of he vomit blood?cn u tell me more about tis...tq

Our ICU CNAs (techs?) take a half an hour smoke break every half an hour.

The rest of the time they complain about being overworked and how much they hate the nurses.

They are not worth the trouble that they create.

well.. thats helpful. hope they are not all like that. i like to work, its pretty cold outside right now so i dont think ill voluntarily be going outside every half hour. that doesnt sound like a good way to keep a job. anyway, sounds like youve had some bad experiences, hope things get better at your workplace.

[lee1]

Just be carefull if you are setting up a new position for this type of employee. One of the problems I found in the ICU I worked was that the techs had tooooo many tech jobs they could do (blood draws, 12 lead STAT EKGs, setting up of lines--Aline, Swan, etc, stocking of rooms, etc.), therefore, if a patient call bell went off they were always too busy to answer and help with the routine patient care-----toileting, bedpans, feeding, bathing. Personally I don't feel that blood draws should be the responsibility of unit techs unelss they come from the lab only to do that job.

[turnforthenurse, MSN, NP]

Depends on the facility. Where I work (PCU) we have CNA's; the ICU does not. Once in awhile a CNA may be pulled to work ICU to help out with the patients that are Q1H blood sugars.

At another hospital I worked at (as a NT), we had both aides and techs on all floors, including all of the critical care units. PCTs in all critical care units (MICU/SICU, CCU, CVICU, ICU stepdown and cardiac stepdown floors) were expected to do basic nursing care (within the scope of a CNA) + answer call lights, do blood sugars, insert/discontinue foleys, insert/discontinue IVs, blood draws (however we were not allowed to draw off of a central line) do dressing changes, administer enemas, and perform trach/vent suctioning and care. We were expected to stock and help the RN's in any way we can. When I got floated to MICU/SICU/CVICU, they also wanted us to hang, prep & prime new tube feeding bags at the start of the shift (NOT TPN).

I am originally from Ohio, btw.

[foreverLaur]

Just be carefull if you are setting up a new position for this type of employee. One of the problems I found in the ICU I worked was that the techs had tooooo many tech jobs they could do (blood draws, 12 lead STAT EKGs, setting up of lines--Aline, Swan, etc, stocking of rooms, etc.), therefore, if a patient call bell went off they were always too busy to answer and help with the routine patient care-----toileting, bedpans, feeding, bathing. Personally I don't feel that blood draws should be the responsibility of unit techs unelss they come from the lab only to do that job.

Hey we aren't all like that. I worked as a tech on a very busy floor (med/surg, post-op, oncology, trauma overflow) with 15+ patients. I did it all - toileting, ambulating, feeding, bathing, foleys, blood draws, ECGs, changing linens, stocking, vital signs.... We never had a problem on our floor with the techs not getting all their work done on time.