Nurse Tech II

I don't have any advice... but I was talking to a girl I know (our kids play on the same baseball team) and she said she was a tech in a Cath lab... (I overheard her talking and asked if she was in nursing)... she said nurses and techs do pretty much the same thing.

I wasn't sure what to think about this??? :uhoh21:

I've never heard of a nurse tech the way you're describing it, so i'll help out with what i know. My position is a clinical care tech, which is similar to a CNA. Basically, I do AM care, draw blood, do EKG's, collect other specimens, ambulate patients, check vital signs, check blood glucose, stuff like that. Does that sound like what you'll be doing? Sometimes when the nurses you work with know you're a nursing student, they'll let you do a little extra with their supervision, or offer to let you watch certain procedures. Hope this helped, good luck at your new job!!

I've never heard of a nurse tech the way you're describing it, so i'll help out with what i know. My position is a clinical care tech, which is similar to a CNA. Basically, I do AM care, draw blood, do EKG's, collect other specimens, ambulate patients, check vital signs, check blood glucose, stuff like that. Does that sound like what you'll be doing? Sometimes when the nurses you work with know you're a nursing student, they'll let you do a little extra with their supervision, or offer to let you watch certain procedures. Hope this helped, good luck at your new job!!

This is basically what I did as a tech. Add in a few foleys and dressing changes.

As a Nurse Tech on a med/surg unit, I got a lot of great experience! (under the direct supervision of an RN, of course.)

I did assessments, foleys, started IVs, hung IVPBs, dressing changes, gave oral meds, did accuchecks, gave insulin, inserted NGs, worked with chest tubes, post-op drains, etc.

Not to mention ambulated pts, helped with cares, etc

Best of luck to you!

What kind of training to do have to go through to become a Tech??

A student tech is a fancy name for a cna. I am a student tech doing cna work.

In my school, (Maybe it's state-wide - I don't know) only nursing students who have completed their first two semesters of BSN program can apply for nurse tech II position. ADN students can also apply for nurse tech positions, but I dont know how many quarters they have to complete before they are eligible.

The other requirement for the position is continuation of RN education program, either after summer break or during academic year - or both.

Since nurse techs receive more pay than CNA, and are really limited to CNA responsibilities, why don't they hire just hire more CNA's? It would be more cost-beneficial to the hospital.

I have not been hired - but the interview felt good and I think I will be offered the position. I hope it involves nursing responsibilities (supervised, of course!) as well as being able to observe nursing procedures.

Thanks for all your input, please keep it coming!!

What kind of training to do have to go through to become a Tech??

The training I had is specific to the hospital where I work. To my understanding, CNA certification is a statewide certification, not specific to any one hospital. For my position, we had to go through a 2 week classroom training and had 2 chances to pass 3 written exams and at least an 80 on each. For new hires who were currently in nursing school, if they completed their first 2 semesters of clinicals then they did not have to complete the second week of training. Upon completing this, we also had to complete 14 days of orientation on the floor with another tech, basically shadowing them. Hope this helps, but like I said, training is different everywhere depending on the facility.

When I was a nurse tech II, I worked alongside a nurse and did assessments, pretty much everything except give meds or start IV's. I was always under supervision. It was more for the learning. I think it depends on the hospital. I made more than the CNAs, and less than the LPNs.

I have applied for a Nurse Tech II position for this summer between semesters. If I am offered the job I can work through the summer and continue (with fewer hours!) once school starts up again.

I am curious to hear from other nurse techs regarding what you are allowed to do. The person who interviewed me said that the position is more CNA than supervised nursing responsibilities. Is this common - I would love to get more procedural experience, but tech job is limited and not like what we got to do in clinicals. On a positive note, it is a foot in the door to hospital work environment outside of clinicals - in paid position.

Any input is much appreciated!! Thanks!

I'm a nurse tech II!!!!! :welcome:

We do everything that CNA's do (although I recently learned that we don't cut or file fingernails which is fine by me) plus we get to do CBG's (capillary blood glucose checks), insert and d/c NG tubes, insert and d/c Foleys, d/c periperial IV's, remove staples and sutures, perform bladder scans, administer enemas such as a soap suds (ie, nonmedicated), perform sterile wound care (sometimes we get to pack a wound) and a few other things that don't quite come to mind right now.

The person who said it is more CNA duites is spot on. I can do all of the above things without supervision but the bulk of my job involves rounding where I take vital signs and CBG's q4, linen changes, baths/showers, brief changes, answer call lights, tell the RN's if the pt is asking for meds or anything else outside of my scope of practice (which is quite common), transport pts to dialysis or the GI lab if the team is running late, repositioning (this is HUGE where I work at and for good reason), stocking supplies such as those needed for isolation (gowns, gloves, masks), I also chart my vitals, ADL's, and any proceedure I do or any abnormal observation I make such as the beginning of a pressure ulcer (this is also reported to the RN ASAP).

If you have any more questions, feel free to PM me.

I have applied for a Nurse Tech II position for this summer between semesters. If I am offered the job I can work through the summer and continue (with fewer hours!) once school starts up again.

I am curious to hear from other nurse techs regarding what you are allowed to do. The person who interviewed me said that the position is more CNA than supervised nursing responsibilities. Is this common - I would love to get more procedural experience, but tech job is limited and not like what we got to do in clinicals. On a positive note, it is a foot in the door to hospital work environment outside of clinicals - in paid position.

Any input is much appreciated!! Thanks!

When I had the job (it was called patient care associate), we performed nursing assistant duties and in addition drew blood, did EKGs and did clerical work such as making appointments, opening and closing visits for billing and fingersticks. I know that there are many that have done more than that, and I look forward to reading the responses. Good luck in your position!

i work as a nurse tech in a hosipital here in new mexico. as far as i know to work as a nurse tech you have to have your cna-as well as hospital training as a tech. through the hospital training you learn to insert foleys, ng tubes, give enemas, wound care, discontinue but not start iv's (er techs start iv's and they must have their current emt license). also included is am care, ambulation of patients, vital signs, and basic patient care. assessments and medications are the responsibilities of the rn or lpn. nurse techs are there as a support for the licensed nurse. although, we are supervised during training performing certain things such as ng tubes, or foleys. i work on a med/surg unit where there is opportunity for alot of experience. good luck on your job, its the next step to your goals!