Published Apr 15, 2011
JennNHD24
11 Posts
I am a freshman in college and am not trained to be a CNA yet. The place just hired me as a nurse tech, and they said that theyll train me and ill learn more than what a CNA will learn which will help me when I become an RN.
Can anyone explain the differences between a CNA and a nurse tech?
Will I be able to handle it?
WayneStateKatie
267 Posts
I worked as a nurse tech but usually these positions are only for those enrolled in a nursing program (my hospital employees RN students in this capacity) who have completed at least one clinical course.
As a nurse tech I could perform several skills that CNAs (we have PCTs but same idea) could not including NG tube insertion, foley catheter insertion, dressing changes etc. When I actually got to work as a nurse tech I was responsible for assessments, monitoring labs and vitals, ensuring the RN assigned to the pt with me gave medication or took orders needed (as a tech you're not legally allowed to take orders) or got orders like if I had a pt with a crazy high BP.
It was actually pretty rare that I got to work as a tech; mostly I worked as a PCT and was staffed that way, but it's still awesome experience (Plus you got tech pay which is more than CNA/PCT pay). And those of us who worked as techs had jobs on our units before we graduated. It's nice to not have to worry about the job search for that first RN job as a new grad.
I say if they're offering you the tech job take it and don't look back! You won't regret it and will be leaps and bounds ahead of your classmates in organization, prioritization, and skills. Congrats on the job offer:yeah:
j621d
223 Posts
I worked as a nurse tech in my last year of nursing school. I'm not sure if the term "nurse tech" is the same in other facilities, but for my facility it was a position only for people in nursing school after they completed a specific amount of schooling. It is a position that terminates once you graduate from nursing school. A CNA, as I understand it, is simply a job position in a facility.
In a tech position you work with the nurses much like the CNA, but the facility is able to look at your work and is a good way to ensure they hire the right people in the RN slots. It is a great experience, you get paid, and the facility (should) work with you so you can complete your studies.
Trilldayz,RN BSN
516 Posts
I was a CNA and am now Nurse Tech... so I can give you duties of both. It all depends on your facility. CNAs only do things related to ADL.... Nurse Techs, more likely than not, are usually both a CNA and student nurse. So they have CNA duties as well as other nursing type duties, as allowed by your nurse (except medication administration and a few other skills). So as a nurse tech I'm allowed to draw blood, insert and remove catheters, etc. but i'm still responsible for bathing, feeding, etc. Just think of the Nurse tech position as school clinicals (but you get paid for it!)
classicdame, MSN, EdD
7,255 Posts
In Texas the CNA, nurse tech, nurse extern, PCT, ----- all are unlicensed and have NO scope of practice so really their job description is the same. Better check your Board of Nursing in your state to be sure you are not overstepping your bounds. Just because the hospital allows it does not make it legal. I would expect the job descriptions to be about the same in your hospital with the idea that the nurses are going to ask you to assist with procedures, etc.