PCA/Tech to RN

eslvn · Jul 19, 2011

Yes its hard. I was a CNA, very similar, and they teach you when something isnt right notify the nurse. Well now you are the nurse and you have to know what to do.

NENE RN · Jul 19, 2011

I was talking to another pca about that the other day...We were joking about not being about to say,"let me get your nurse."

Double-Helix, BSN, RN · Jul 19, 2011

I didn't think it was that hard, but I also didn't stay at the same hospital. So at ny new hospital, no one knew me as a CNA. No one was used to me being in a certain role. I was able to be seen as an equal with the other RNs and there was no confusion as to what my position was.

PSUStudent · Jul 20, 2011

Some of the pros to being a CNA before an RN is that as a new grad you are comfortable cleaning a pt, getting them on and off bed pans, changing linens quickly rather then putting all of that on the CNA when you have a moment to complete it. It can be hard to delegate even though you know all of the tasks you can delegate you feel like you should be able to complete it all and be superRN. I stayed on the same floor so at first it can be a little tough to delegate to the CNA's when before they were your equals they can feel a little left behind or like "now she is better then us since she is an RN". Take the good with the bad and the bad with the good. Be modest and explain everything you are doing or delegating to your CNA's and they will be more willing to do it for you. Also try the phrase "would you be willing to help Mrs. Jones" and make it about helping the pt instead of helping you.

Good luck!

amarilla, RN · Jul 20, 2011

I was a tech on my floor throughout nursing school and am a RN ('bout a year) on the same floor. If I had the choice again, I would have transferred to a different floor and started over rather than stay. I thought my floor would be great experience, (we're the war zone of the hospital and see everything), I knew where everything is and who everyone is, and thought the adjustment may be easier with people who know me already. I applied everywhere and was offered other jobs but stayed here for those reasons.

Now that it's been a year, I'm staying on per diem and looking actively for another job. There are just some folks who aren't going to accept you as a RN; you'll come on shift to blown IVs and missed meds and get into an insult war if you ask them about it. There are others who will always see you as a tech (or newb) and will watch you drown from their comfortable chair at the desk; if you have questions, better not to ask them to feed the rumor mill about your incompetence. It can be very isolating and a bit of a betrayal when you've known these people for years! OTOH, I have some seasoned nurses who are my resource; they loved me as a tech and were genuinely happy for me when I graduated and stayed. If not for them, I would've already scaled back hours and worked elsewhere.

IMO, it depends completely on the culture of your unit and how you get along with folks, (which, of course, can change in surprising ways after you take the new position.) If you have any doubts - or interest in another area - don't be afraid to make the change and choose another floor to work. As for challenges, I too had trouble trying to do everything myself; while I knew I could delegate tasks, it took time for me to see how to tweak my time management so I could do all my meds, dressing changes, admits, discharges, IVs, etc and work in those errands and extra chores here and there. I felt pulled in many directions and had to learn to go through my list and get things done by priority. People are going to push you and you'll need to set limits; if you feel your floor is worth it, go for it! If not, bail out. You can always transfer back once you have some experience.

Good luck!

eslvn · Jul 23, 2011

I agree it was hard to work in the same place as a nurse when you were a CNA> I did that and wont do it again. My fellow CNA's suddenly thought I was their enemy and would refuse to do things I asked and I didnt want them to hate me, finally I decided I wasnt there to make friends and had to start writing people up.

PediNurse3 · Jul 24, 2011

I was a PCT/Nurse extern in a busy trauma center when I was in nursing school, and entered their new graduate internship immediatly after graduation.

The good things about it were that I knew everyone, I knew where everything was and I had already worked there for a year so I knew the pace, the population, and what I was getting myself into.

I WOULD NOT DO IT AGAIN! I was expected to fill both tech and nurse roles and the PCT's were not respectful of my new role at all. I was fairly self sufficent but when I was swamped I could not count on them, and got a lot of crap about delegating something that I could "do myself". I had to be very assertive, go up the chain of command...it just made my life miserable.