I am currently a level 3 nursing student. I work prn nights as a PCT at a local hospital. I always dread going to work on the nights I'm scheduled. I don't like going. While I'm there I do my job well. The patients and the nurses I work with always pay me compliments. But I really do not like the job. Should I stick it out another 10 months? I have been at the hospital 7 months, is that enough experience to put on my resume once I graduate and start looking for a nursing job?
Dear Does Not Like PCT Job,
Working as a PCT as a nursing student is really not about PCT resume experience. It's about your future employment as an RN.
The benefit of working as a PCT is being visible and making connections- networking. Networking to ensure your future new grad RN job. Look at every shift worked as an investment in your future.
Nursing students who apply for new grad positions and are already employees are way ahead of the game.
It's not the PCT experience as much as the insider advantage. Nursing managers want to hire someone like yourself, who has done a good job, who gets along with her/his co-workers, and who is a good fit.
Work fewer shifts if you like, but introduce yourself to the charge nurses and nurse manager. Hi, I'll be graduating soon and would love an opportunity to work on this unit.†You want to be seen as a future RN (which you are).
I hope this motivates you to hang in there, keep going, the end is in sight.
If a student doesn't like hands-on PCT work, they really should never do bedside nursing. I have worked med-surg for 3 years and work as an RN Supervisor at a LTC facility part-time. I find myself doing 75% nursing at the hospital and 25% PCT work. Sometimes we don't have a PCT at all if we have less than 5 pts each. At the LTC facility I do around 50% CNA work. It comes with the job. If you don't want to help your patients to the bathroom, and would rather make them wait until an aide is able, they will have incontinent episodes (humiliating the pt) where they sit or they will fall (breaking bones/surgery/pain/pneumonia, DEATH, etc..) trying to get up by themselves. Either way, it's your fault, and I don't want to work with you. Go into nursing that will not require bedside care for the sake of our patients and other staff who will inevitably suffer.
I'm a med-surg nurse and I do plenty of PCT work every day. I have no choice. It's either that or my pt is unable to make it to the bathroom. Sometimes it's too late and they need cleaned up. The aides are having their time monopolized by demanding pts and family members and the nurses have to pick up the slack. It's all about pt satisfaction. If the pt wants to call every 30 minutes to have their back scratched or come change my channel, we are required to cater to them. They call administration constantly when we don't jump and run every time they call. Others who are incapable of getting up to the bsc alone are left to suffer and wait, unless there is a nurse on the floor who is willing to potty people. Nursing includes PCT/CNA work so if you don't like it, get an office job.
Working as a PCT will teach you so much that you won't learn in school, real world experience with patients, their families and other staff. The big one will be time management skills ~ that alone will be worth it. As a nurse you will utilize your PCT skills every day ~ if your a good nurse. I worked as an aide (we didn't have CNA's back then) it gave me many opportunities to discover if nursing is what I wanted to do, I often talked with the nurses asking them questions about what they liked and didn't about their jobs it gave me an opportunity to observe what they did and also ask about schooling. Before you invest any more time in school you need to decide if this is really what you want to do.
My nursing school start next January. However, I was offered a job at a rehabilitation hospital, but they require me to have CNA license or at least finish my first semester of nursing (it's state law and they can't make exception). The nurse manager that I had talked to suggested that I should get the license which gonna take about a month or so. It will be quicker rather than waiting half a year to step foot in the work force. They will reimburse my education and have flexible schedule that will fit my schooling. Everything sounds good but I don't want to pay for the CNA traning+test+background check (I already did my background check for nursing school but they require me to start it over?!?!!!). HELP! any advice helps!
That was such a good reply and as a PCT I see it all the time. Nurses putting off duties that they could do when I'm really busy and overwhelmed already. Making patients wait because they don't want to help. I have felt like saying many times "Why are you a Nurse or why did you become one if you don't like taking care of the patient"? It is frustrating for me and makes my job miserable when I work with RN's that act like that...like it is beneath them to do a blood sugar or change a patients gown, etc? Perhaps that is why the OP doesn't like working as a PCT and if so I hope she is learning what not to do when she graduates and becomes a Nurse!
Good response, Beth. I worked per diem as a PCA and was hired on as a new grad RN after passing NCLEX. I was fortunate not to be in the same boat as most of my other classmates. They are currently still looking for a job as an RN. The beauty of per diem is you can schedule yourself as often as you want so you don't have to work as many shifts but you certainly gain a ton of experience. And you network!
N1ghtnurs3
2 Posts
If a student doesn't like hands-on PCT work, they really should never do bedside nursing. I have worked med-surg for 3 years and work as an RN Supervisor at a LTC facility part-time. I find myself doing 75% nursing at the hospital and 25% PCT work. Sometimes we don't have a PCT at all if we have less than 5 pts each. At the LTC facility I do around 50% CNA work. It comes with the job. If you don't want to help your patients to the bathroom, and would rather make them wait until an aide is able, they will have incontinent episodes (humiliating the pt) where they sit or they will fall (breaking bones/surgery/pain/pneumonia, DEATH, etc..) trying to get up by themselves. Either way, it's your fault, and I don't want to work with you. Go into nursing that will not require bedside care for the sake of our patients and other staff who will inevitably suffer.