pct debate

tiger · Mar 12, 2003

where i work we have cnas. they only do adls. they used to be able to do more. i am an lpn. i used to be able to do alot more too. more and more restrictions came in to limit our scope of care. i don't understand why, when there is a nursing shortage???????????

caroladybelle, BSN, RN · Mar 12, 2003

Originally posted by lpnga
Has anyone heard of PCT *patient care technicians* ?

PCT 1 is a CNA
PCT 2 can do blood sugars, catheters, etc
PCT 3 can start iv's etc

Also if your trained you can pass out meds..I just want to know what everyone thinks and do you have pct's where you work.

Yes, most of us have heard of PCTs. And in most places they are not permitted to Give meds or start IV's, as listed in the previous thread.

You can train any one to do pretty much anything - but it takes knowledge and critical skills to know whether to give the med or where and what size the IV access needs to be. I personally do not feel like PCT (of whatever grade or training) should be doing those tasks. And I will continue to work at quality institutions, that avoid those practices for the safety of my license. There is no excuse for not employing enough "educated" licensed personnel to do those tasks.

RNforLongTime · Mar 12, 2003

Well said caroladybelle! My sentiments exactly!

karenG · Mar 12, 2003

I read this thinking- hey they have PCT's too!! but no........over here a PCT is a primary care trust and they run primary care with mega budgets!!! just shows you that we really dont talk the same language sometimes!!!!!

Karen

sunnygirl272 · Mar 12, 2003

Originally posted by nurse-lou
Well said caroladybelle! My sentiments exactly!

ditto!

Liann · Mar 12, 2003

just shows you that we really dont talk the same language sometimes!!!!!

Among laboratory professionals, PCT stands for point-of -care testing. :)

Disablednurse · Mar 12, 2003

ditto for caroladybell.

eltrip · Mar 12, 2003

Originally posted by lpnga
Has anyone heard of PCT *patient care technicians* ?

PCT 1 is a CNA
PCT 2 can do blood sugars, catheters, etc
PCT 3 can start iv's etc

I live near Chattanooga and I work as a PCT..in another thread this was a debate with everyone saying that I was lying and this was not the case. Asking why have LPN's..I understand this but we get paid less then LPN's and go to school a shorter amount of time but we are there *that's the point* Everyone may not agree with the fact that we can do so much but we have been trained to do this. Also if your trained you can pass out meds..I just want to know what everyone thinks and do you have pct's where you work.

Hi there, lpnga!

Ok, now I want to know...which facilities allow this? Really, I truly want to know. I haven't seen this in my facility. Nor do I wish to see it. After all, in the event of any problems or lawsuits, it would be the RN's license on the line.

dingofred · Mar 12, 2003

I work for an agency that supports the developmentally disabled (DD) and this state allows unlicensed individuals to administer medications.They are called Community Living Specialist (CLS) They are put through a 15 hour class on administering medications taught by an RN and are also supervised by the same RN. Do I like it? NO!! But, how else could this population live

in the community without the help? Obviously I

am talking about the people that for whatever

reason are unable to medicate themselves. This is

only done, as far as I know, for agencies supporting the DD population and the CLS could

not take the training else where, ie: hosp. or nursing home

lpnga · Mar 12, 2003

I work in a Nursing home in northwest georgia (I am not going to give a name).

a local hospital in Chattanooga, TN in Labor and Delivery Department they hire PCT 3 that do Iv's, caths, etc. . Another hospital in this area does not have PCT's and will only hire CNAs. The nursing home I work at is part of a hospital and we take classes at the hospital to train and we get certifications on it (certifications in everything caths, iv's, meds, blood sugars, etc for state reasons with certification to keep the nursing home and hospital from trouble....not to mention the certitification comes from the state..we have someone from the state come in every three months and we have to perform this in front of the instructor to get cerrtitfied..) We have to update it every so often.

fab4fan · Mar 12, 2003

Once again, we are seeing management trying to "de-skill" nursing, so that anybody can do nursing care.

PCT's starting IV's and giving meds...what next? PCT's giving IV meds, changing dressings on central lines, triaging? There is more to doing these procedures than just the manual skill involved.

What admin. won't do to save a buck...

caroladybelle, BSN, RN · Mar 12, 2003

Originally posted by lpnga
Everyone may not agree with the fact that we can do so much but we have been trained to do this. Also if your trained you can pass out meds..I just want to know what everyone thinks and do you have pct's where you work.

I believe that a number of us have answered the question posed, politely and appropriately.

When you have a license of your own, you should feel free to work in a facility that permits such use of PCT's - but many of us choose to go where intelligence and education are valued more than "training".

I know that I am "beating a dead horse" (ohh, I just said it - where is that smiley), but just because you can "train" someone to do a task does not mean that they should be doing that task.

I also hope that somehow in your nursing classes - whatever kind that they might be - that you are instructed in the difference between teaching and training.

That is what I think - per your request - and I'm sticking to it.

Carolina in the South.