I am new to Nursing but have been attending college for some time, I let the military get in the way of it. Anyway, I would like to know if there is a real difference in PCA and Nurse Aide. A local health care office offers PCA or I can take two classes through my current college for Nurse Aide. Want to weigh my options as far as the knowledge I would gain, not necessarily the pay. Thanks if anyone decides to respond.
@ GreyGull, Thank you. I used your advice and asked those questions helping me feel comfortable with my decision. The PCA course is only 2 wks and here, Va, I can use this cert. to work in any Nursing Home in Va but not a hospital. At the end of the course we have to take a test in order to receive the cert. I may look to you in the future for help if you don't mind.
I believe they are the same thing. Patient care assistant and Certified Nurse assistant is the same thing. They are just two different names. It is also called, Nurse aide and many other different names. Also, I truly don't think one is higher than the other. Where I work, CNA's are called, PCA. If you're actually certified, you're labeled as "PCA-C".
CNA's do not get a license. Licensure is reserved for professional jobs, like nursing, CPA, electrician=====
CNA's earn certificates. The good thing is, the certificate is good anywhere in your state and that means you can move to another facility if you want. A PCT may not have that flexibility.
I'm a PCA, and to be honest, the only thing different from a CNA and a PCA, from my understanding, is certification. I don't have a certificate, but I am in nursing school which "counted" towards my qualifications. But we do pretty much the same thing: take vitals, wash patients, blood draws, accuchecks...I really don't see that much of a difference between the two.
ConstantLearner2010
12 Posts
@ GreyGull, Thank you. I used your advice and asked those questions helping me feel comfortable with my decision. The PCA course is only 2 wks and here, Va, I can use this cert. to work in any Nursing Home in Va but not a hospital. At the end of the course we have to take a test in order to receive the cert. I may look to you in the future for help if you don't mind.