Patient Care Tech Programs?

Curious1alwys, BSN, RN · Aug 27, 2005

Hey, Good for You Crazypremed! Sounds cool. I am envious that you are getting this far before nursing school (or are you pre-med?? :lol2: ) I would have loved to have gotten my CNA right away and done that PCT program. If you are going into NS, your experiences will help you immensely.

To those of you that are not in NS yet and are debating getting a job in the field or debating getting certified as a CNA..........DO IT!! And don't put it off! Do it before you forget!! It helps once you are in the program!! No.........your instructors are not JUST SAYING THAT, IT REALLY, REALLY, HELPS!! (but I wouldn't give up forty grand a year for it, :lol2: )

Crazy Premed........I think lots of hospitals will train you to do PCT skills if you have your CNA. You might look into that, you might be wasting your money if you were intending to get a job as a CNA anyway......Have fun!!:wink2:

Has anyone been through a patient care tech program? It's seems to be advanced CNA training (inserting foley's, D/C'ing IV's, EKG's, dressing changes, phlebotomy, etc.). I just signed up for one through Phoenix College and I'm pretty excited about it. Any advice/experience with a program like this? Thanks in advance!
Also, does the hospital that you're in differentiate between PCT's and CNA's? It seems that some places do, putting PCT's a little higher on the food chain, but others don't. What do you guys think about this?
CrazyPremed

CrazyPremed, MSN, RN, NP · Aug 27, 2005

Thanks for the reply.

I've worked as a phlebotomist in hospitals for about 4.5 years and I want to learn more skills. I'm finishing up the pre-reqs for the ADN programs over the next few weeks (thank goodness for Rio Salado), and have a little down-time before acceptance. The program sounds like the chance to learn some more. I also will have to work while in school, and I've just about tapped this phlebo thing for all it's worth! This program sounds like a good way to learn more skills until I get in an RN program. Any more info on this program would be great!

CrazyPremed

(Still premed - I'll be in school forever!!! :chuckle )

Calzonan RN · Aug 27, 2005

Thanks for the reply.
I've worked as a phlebotomist in hospitals for about 4.5 years and I want to learn more skills. I'm finishing up the pre-reqs for the ADN programs over the next few weeks (thank goodness for Rio Salado), and have a little down-time before acceptance. The program sounds like the chance to learn some more. I also will have to work while in school, and I've just about tapped this phlebo thing for all it's worth! This program sounds like a good way to learn more skills until I get in an RN program. Any more info on this program would be great!
CrazyPremed
(Still premed - I'll be in school forever!!! :chuckle )

Why not get your co-req's out of the way while you're waiting on NS? That's what I'm doing right now since I applied in June and will hopefully get accepted in Jan I'm taking patho and FON right now. Just an idea if you're looking for classes to take while waiting

Kitkat23 · Sep 12, 2005

:) I'm also taking the PCT course at the community college in November. The clinical portion of the course will be held at the local hospital. It's a six week course and I needed at least 3 months experience in LTC. I've been working full-time as a CNA for 5 months at a nursing home and before that I did private duty home care for 3 months after I passed my CNA course and license test and worked for a pool agency for 2 months. I'll never do agency work again.

I took my CNA course at the same college almost 2 years ago, and I will have the same instructor for the PCT class. She was strict and appeared a bit intimidating, but she was very nice and taught the students the importance of being an aide. My classmates and I got her a Christmas/thank you present as a group (our class ended in December) and we went out for pizza to celebrate. She hugged all of us classmates during the graduation ceremony and we got cna pins and certificates.

Anyway, I'm getting off the subject. I'm looking forward to taking my PCT course. I want to work in the hospital, I volunteer once a week at the same hospital, so I already have the foot in the door. I'm taking Medical Terminology next month, so that will help me get a job in the hospital. I've had a great start in the nursing home as an aide and I love it. But I get too close and too attached to residents and I cry when they pass away. People die in hospitals too, but a lot of them do recover. I like to see patients get better and go home. Plus I want to move up in my career and do more than wipe bottoms and empty commodes. I want to get paid more too, and do a job I'll enjoy even more. Money isn't everything in a job.

I'd love to be a PCT in Orthopedics or Med/surgical, maybe Pediatrics. I'll learn how to apply respiratory therapy equipment, collecting specimens, maintaining skin integrity through applications of soaks, simple dressing changes, sterile procedures, colostomy, ileostomy, and decubitus care, removing foley catheters and peripheral IVs, Dynamaps and pulse oximetrys, obtaining blood glucose results, suicide watches, plus all the vital signs and ADL's and observations. I think we get CPR certified and learn how to do EKG's too.

At my job, I collect simple urine specimens, do TPR when I do a double on 3rd shift. (nurses do the vitals on 1st and 2nd shift and they do the blood pressures) I have a male patient who has a leg bag during the day and a foley bag at night so when I put him to bed, I have to empty the leg bag, remove it and apply the foley bag. The nurse changes the colostomy bags on the patients; we just observe them for odor and fullness. I apply the nasal cannula on the residents who receive oxygen. I'm very excited but nervous too. The instructor is strict and doesn't mess around.

I was licensed on the spot during my CNA written and skills exam at school. The written part was a breeze, but during my skills exam my instructor watched me wash up a patient before bed and I couldn't even make one mistake. You can't "shortcut" during school, but I did pass, but she'll do the same during the PCT course. I'll do very well. I'm a good aide, very hardworking, and will have plenty of experience. :)

CrazyPremed, MSN, RN, NP · Sep 12, 2005

:) I'm also taking the PCT course at the community college in November.

Thanks for the info - it sounds like you have a lot of experience and will be a shoe-in for nursing school.

If you don't mind me asking, which CC are you going to (you can pvt me if you want)? Maybe we'll see each other. Thanks for the input!

CrazyPremed

Kitkat23 · Sep 12, 2005

Thanks for the info - it sounds like you have a lot of experience and will be a shoe-in for nursing school.
If you don't mind me asking, which CC are you going to (you can pvt me if you want)? Maybe we'll see each other. Thanks for the input!
CrazyPremed

I'm from CT. It looks like you're from Arizona. I'm considering nursing school or going for an LPN. But I'd love to do the PCT program. Oh and I'll also know how to suction patients with the Yankauer catheter and use the JP/hemovac. It'll be exciting. :rolleyes:

sunnyjohn · Sep 12, 2005

Sounds like a great PCT program. What an awesome opportunity.

Kitkat23 · Dec 1, 2005

Hey there, I'm back. I finished the classroom portion of the PCT program. I start clinical at the hospital on Monday. I'm excited, but very nervous.:stone On the first day of clinical, I get my student badge, learn bladder scanning, accuchecks, Dynamap, and the pulse oximeter, and get oriented at the hospital. I know my way around the hospital by doing volunteer work last year.

Plus we will shadow a PCT on the first day and do our CNA skills such as pass trays, feed, answer bells, do pm care, empty bedpans, etc. I did very well in the classroom. I've got A's on my quizzes, labs, and my anatomy project. I got a 100 on my final exam. I'm nervous about the clinical and getting a good grade. I want to do all my competencies without any mishap. I have 2 partners in clinical and they've became good friends to me. We'll help each other out. :)

The instructor is sweet, but is strict and doesn't take bs with anyone. I had her when I took my CNA class two years ago. She'll be watching every student like a hawk at the hospital when we do our competencies. She's the Queen of Infection Control. (No gloves in the hall or dirty linen/briefs tossed on the floor!) I wish she was supervisor at the nursing home where I work. Some of the cnas suck and don't belong in the nursing field. Most nurses are easygoing and put up with their bs, attitudes, and rough handling. If they had my instructor as supervisor/charge nurse, they wouldn't last and they'd be out the doors.:angryfire

I've been an aide on and off for over a year. I did private-duty homecare for 3months and worked for a pool agency for a few months, and know I work in a nursing home. I've worked there for almost 8 months. I volunteered at the hospital for a year. (I stopped due to my dad's illness, long hours at work, and now my class.) I'm so confident as a CNA at my job and know I'm a nervous, scared to death student all over again. Any tips on how to deal with PCT clinical stress? Should I introduce myself to the patients as an aide or student PCT while pulling foleys and IVs and doing my basic CNA skills? I have butterflies in my stomach. I don't want to puke at the clinical site. Any advice on how to deal? Thanks, I'll appreciate it very much.:)