Does anyone recommend working as a patient care technician?

missskittti · Oct 9, 2003

Hi,

I am a medical assistant and wondering if working as a PCT is similar, or if being a PCT is more like being a CNA. Do PCT's give injections and take vitals? Or do they do the dirty work like CNA's? Thanks.

LPN-n-2005 · Oct 10, 2003

PCT's do both like a CNA and medical assistant, you do the dirty work such as butt wiping and bathing but also learn how to draw blood and such. hope that helps!!!

srose · Oct 10, 2003

I'm a nurse tech on an oncology floor at a university hospital, and I LOOOOOVE it! I've learned more there and from the nurses than I would have in just clinicals, and it makes my clinicals for school sooo much easier. Take the opportunity while you can!

beaglemom · Oct 16, 2003

I worked as a cna, doing doubles every weekend while in nursing school. I think every nurse should experience being a cna at least for a while to see its a very difficult job and I excelled in nursing school because the job was so physically demanding, especially with all the staffing shortages, you'll be anxious to finish school and move on..

MikeLPN · Oct 16, 2003

I did it getting thru LPN school but since they had such crummy staffing it was all I could do to get the CNA work done and once in a great while I would actually see something "technical". I then got a TMA license which while an SPN which was very helpfull and gave me a "real world" experience (see above reference to crummy staffing). I'm also working at the same LTC facility so my LPN orientation period was pretty much measured in minutes and involved mostly paperwork orientation from the HUC. I learned a lot in a short period working my way up the ranks but mostly about geriatrics which really didn't help much with Peds, Outpatient Clinic and L+D clinicals. In Med-Surg clinicals and Geriatrics Clinicals, however it helped alot especially with elderly/confused.

The bottom line is that I think it helped in the long run but I put in some long hard hours doing it.

glopop11 · Oct 16, 2003

I'm glad I found this thread! My plan is to support myself by working as an LNA on weekends while I go to LPN school. I wasn't sure if it was do-able or if my thinking was insane.

Now I see that it can be done!

Thanks for the validation!

flowerchild · Oct 16, 2003

I was a "tech nurse" while I was in nursing school which was the same as a PCA. I recommend it highly. I learned more, had more hands on experience, and got my feet wet under the wing of some great RN's. I was allowed to do anything that the RN could do, if the RN OK'd me to do it. I would ask if you will be able to have experiences other than making beds and bathing patients. If it is a learning environment then go for it. I did work at a large teaching hospital though.

damode · Mar 24, 2004

did you need to get a CNA before getting the PCT POSTION? i called a recruiter and she said that i need to be certified, so i was just wondering if this is the case everywhere?

lady_jezebel · Mar 25, 2004

This experience will make you a much, much better nurse than other graduates who have never worked as aides/technicians. Do yourself a huge favor & go for it!

Reasons: 1) You'll understand the work demands of nursing assistants, and will have a much better working relationship with them when you're a nurse, 2) you'll be competent in basic nursing care (baths, beds, vitals, drains/foleys, blood draws, glucose checks), and 3) you'll be able to assess the nursing profession, the role of the lpn or rn, and better determine where you would like to start after school, and 4) you'll improve your communication skills with pts/family members. Also, the same hospital may offer you an excellent job after graduation.

DietCokeAddict · Mar 25, 2004

Spend your time studying, and get good grades! If you have spare time I think its O.K.

MikeLPN · Mar 25, 2004

You will get a better idea of when to yell at the CNAs and when to be nice to them and what they look like when they are actually working hard. You know what they know and you know how to do their job so when the time comes to :angryfire you can say "I've done your job, don't tell ME!"

tmiller027 · Mar 25, 2004

I would highly recommend it. Not only is the experience great, but you're working in a healthcare environment and you learn more when constantly surrounded by it. Not to mention, I work as a CNA in a nursing home, and take every chance I get to pick the nurse's brains.

Tim