New PCT & Nursing Student.. any advice?

amgRN, ASN, BSN, RN · Sep 11, 2021

Wow! Congratulations! You will learn so much that will be helpful in nursing school.

Some of the best qualities of techs I have worked with in the past have been the following. They worked hard to learn their job and were proactive about doing tasks. For example, I shouldn't have to ask if a routine task is complete (like vital signs). They learned the full scope of their role and were quick to do as much as they were allowed to do. They did not have the mindset of only doing the bare minimum.

I also loved a tech considered themselves to be my teammate! In most jobs, I would never have gotten thru my shifts without my techs, but the best techs were those that were my second set of hands and eyes on my patients.

Also, find nurses you click with and stick with them as much as you can. You will learn so much by being willing and present (as in not hiding in the breakroom). LOL!

Ask lots of questions, work hard, find ways to be useful, and know that your role is critical to the nurses you work with!

Best of luck!

cocoapebbles · Sep 13, 2021

I was beyond nervous when I started working as PCT. It took me awhile (probably 6-8 months of on-call work) to feel more comfortable and confident in my abilities. A few things that I can share that have helped me/I feel are important are:

1. Ask many, many questions. You will feel bothersome with the amount of questions you will have. But always better to ask!

2. Take notes!! Anything important that you learn or see, jot down in your notes on your phone. I found this really helpful so I could avoid re-asking questions that I had already been taught :) There is a lot to remember, haha!

3. Watch what other PCTs do well and imitate them.

4. Ask the RN's how you can help them - being proactive and findings things to help with is the best, but sometimes it is good to ask how you can help them.

5. Work hard. I hear RN's complain often of lazy PCTs. Our job is difficult and demanding but get use to working hard right off the bat! I am a student as well and found it tempting to sit back and study when I had free moments (which, is not bad and does happen still) but I realized it will pay off more to be present and LOOKING for ways to help out.

6. Reflect on your shifts. There will be really good ones and some terribly tough ones. I (try) to write down something good, something hard, something I learned, and something I want to work on after most shifts to keep myself accountable and process the 12 hour day.

You will be great! Show yourself a lot of grace and put your patients first. It'll be appreciated <3

ariesalyssa · Sep 17, 2021

Thank you both so much for the advice!

kubelkabondy, ADN, RN · Oct 11, 2021

Congratulations! You'll definitely get some great hands-on experience that will help you a lot in your nursing journey. As a current PCT and soon-to-be graduate nurse myself, here are some tips.

1. Don't be afraid to ask for help, especially when you are first starting out. You will have a lot of questions in the beginning and that's to be expected. Offer to help nurses and other techs with things like turns, changes, boosts, transfers, etc. as much as you can. The more you show a willingness to help, the more likely others will be happy to return the favor.

2. Raise the bed to waist level whenever you are doing your cares! (And use good body mechanics in general). Your back will thank you.

3. Warm blankets and warm wet wipes will help you win favor with your patients.

4. Cluster care as much as possible. The fewer times you are coming and going from a patient's room, the easier it is on you and the less you need to disturb your patients. Make sure you have everything you need before entering a patient's room.

5. Always do safety checks before you leave a patient's room - is the call light in reach? Bed low? Bed alarm on? Urinal/water/phone within reach? SAFETY is always the number one concern! If you see something, say something.

6. When you get report, make sure you know: how often vital signs and blood sugars are, does the patient have drains, how do they ambulate and go to the bathroom, are they alert/oriented, what are their precautions, and what's their diet? Sometimes the outgoing shift or nurses will try to rush report, so it's up to you to make sure you have all the info you need to provide safe care.

7. Remember that the patient's room is their "home" while they're in the hospital. Whenever I start my shift, I always like to clear away trays/empty cups, pick up trash from the floor, and empty trash and linens if needed. Nurses often don't have time to tidy rooms and the patients will really appreciate you taking the time to do this.

8. Build rapport with your patients as much as possible but occasionally you will have difficult patients who are disrespectful. Don't hesitate to set boundaries with these patients and let them know it's not okay to speak to you that way.

9. If you don't chart it, it didn't happen!

10. Remember that nursing school should be your number one priority. It's okay to call in if you have a huge upcoming exam that you need more time to study for, or to say "no" if someone tries to get you to work extra shifts. Being a CNA will help you gain valuable experience, but at the end of the day the goal is to be an RN and therefore school needs to be your top priority.

Good luck!