PCT/ Nursing Student Tech scope of practice?

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I have been reading around the threads and have come across people who say they have Nursing Student Tech's in their hospitals, based on what year of nursing school they are in

I'm currently a PCT in an ICU...our scope of practice is simple....vital signs, EKG's, and blood draws. We used to be able to D/C foleys but apparently they took that away,(even though my nurses let me do it) and we can no longer obtain blood cultures because apparently people were lazy and took all four bottles from the same side... IDK!

I don't think my hospital has much respect for us as techs. We became a magnet hospital a few years back so half of the techs who are in a 2 year nursing program wont be able to work here now because they only want BSN's...

but my question is if you have Nursing Student techs in your hospital, how does it work? what is there scope of practice after 1 year....2 years... etc....

and how would I go about maybe getting this implemented in my hospital? I will be starting my nursing courses next year and i think this would be a great opportunity for not only myself, but all the other techs I work with who are also in nursing school

thanks!!

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At my hospital, your scope of practice is determined by your job title. You may only perform tasks your job allows, no matter what training you are going through, or degrees or certificates you may posess.

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Specializes in PICU, Sedation/Radiology, PACU.

Scope of practice is actually determined by the board of nursing in your state both for licensed and unlicensed personel. Check out your state BON website for guildines on the scpe of practice. Within the scope of practice, the hospital can limit the tasks that the employee is allowed to perform, but cannot add to it. For example, your BON might state a PCT can d/c foleys, but your hospital can state that a PCT cannot do that skill. However, if the BON states the PCT cannot d/c a foley, the hospital cannot allow you to.

Be really careful about performing a skill that is outside your scope of practice- either by the hospital mandate or BON mandate. It can put your license and your job in jeopardy. It's always best to stick to your scope of practice and job description and politely explain you cannot do a task.

As for implementing a broader job description for PCT's and nursing students, speak to your Chief Nursing Officer or DON.

In my state, there are no nursing student techs, only CNA's, who need to be certified or have two years of nursing school training. They all have the same job description- ADL's, personal care, I and O, bladder scan, ambulation...

CNA's are not allowed to touch foleys, do blood draws, or perform EKGs.

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Specializes in Vascular Neurology and Neurocritical Care.

At my hospital, the only major trauma hospital for 150-200 miles, the requirement to be a PCT is that you either have taken a PCT certificate program at a technical school, or are and ADN or BSN nursing student who has taken and passed nursing fundamentals. They then do a skills check off to ensure they know how to do blood draws, insert and D/C foleys, VSS, EKGs, etc.

My hospital does have PCT I, PCT II, PCT III, but that is based on years of experience only. These titles, according to the float pool manager, don't apply to nursing student PCTs (who apparently paid more than PCTs who are not nursign students). Nursing student PCTs are called PCT/Nursing student. But depending on your organization, being a PCT before becoming a nurse can definitely help your chances of being hired at that same facility. That is my hospital's view of it. I have seen quite a few PCTs graduate RN school and be hired.

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Specializes in Float.

Im a student nurse extern and i float throughout the hospital. It actually depends on what unit your at which defines your scope of practice. In icu the techs do everything with the nurse except for blood sugars, vital signs are not taken because everyone is hooked up to a monitor. On the general med surg floor i do vitals, baths, stool cultures, EKGs, d/c foleys and place them in, bladder scans, ambulation, ADLs, and restraints. In the ED i can do all of the above along with drawing labs and cultures.

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I just finished up my PCT course yesterday. We learned "finger sticks", venipunctures, D/C IV's, D/C foleys, cleaning wounds, bandaging body parts, EKG's, cultures, and reviewed all the basic CNA stuff.

Not sure if I will be able to do all that stuff, but at least I learned it just in case I am required to do it.

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Specializes in Hospital Education Coordinator.

because you are unlicensed you do not have a scope of practice, only a job description. The job description may depend on your state's nursing practice act (in Texas unlicensed assistive personnel are defined in the NPA). SO, because you are training to be a nurse, LEARN the NPA for your state and your own facility policies. Practice and policy sometimes conflict. You cannot get in trouble by following policies. As for your duties, there is a reason some signs are called vital. If you get to be expert in no more than that you will have accomplished a lot. Other skills must be done during clinicals in nursing school. Knowing how to do a task does not mean you should do it, legally. Lots of people in the laundry probably know how to give Tylenol or even insulin to a family member, but they are not allowed to do it to patients. Good luck in your education!

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