Re: Patient Care Assistant, while in nursing school

beth66335, BSN, RN · Aug 7, 2008

Hello All,
Ok, so I found out I can start school for this fall 08 to do my pre-req I have wait till next semester Jaunary 2009 and I wont get into the actually nursing program until January or August of 2010. I started to feel like im gonna go crazy :no:I thought to my self what can I do from now till January:rolleyes:. I cam across my local vocational school they offer 6 month program for Patient care Assistant, 5 week training for CNA, and 6 month training for Unit Secretary. I atomaticlly ruled out CNA, and now I'm focus on either PCA (Patient Care Assistant) or Unit Secretary.I think these jobs would give me a feel of what its like and learn while I earn:cool: My questions are:
What exactly does a PCA and Unit Secretary do?
How much do they typically get paid in Florida (South Florida)?
Are there jobs ?
Is it a good Idea to do this while in school ?
Should I do Unit Secretary instead of PCA ?
HELP ME !!!!! PLEASE!!!!

In my hospital a PCA and a CNA were the same thing. Unit secretaries put orders into a computer from the pt chart (hard if you can't read the Dr's chicken scratch) order pt trays and keep up with floor supply amounts; ordering things when needed. Everything from dressings and IV fluid to ice cream and juice for the pt fridge. You also answer the phones and page nurses and aides to pt rooms when call lights go off. If you have never worked in the medical field PCA will help you get comfortable with pt care, the secretary almost never interacts with pt, but occasionally with families. If you don't need to get comfortable with people, Unit secretary will help you learn to decipher Dr writing and learn medical terminology. Hope this helps!

KdnRN2B · Aug 7, 2008

OH, Thanks much. I really want to get involved with patients because my ultimate goal is to be a RN. My mother is aganist this idea because she thinks that PCA are kind of like Janitors, lol I doubt that its all about cleaning up. The program teaches you EKG and how to draw blood.

beth66335, BSN, RN · Aug 7, 2008

Our program didn't teach Phlebotomy and ECGs, but when I worked in a hospital as a CNA they started a new program called Nurse Extenders and we were trained to do both of those, I loved it! I miss it sometimes but I don't work while in school since I have a hubby and 3 kids as well as grades to worry about...it was too stressful for me. Oh well, soon enough I will be back at it as a RN!

JJRN09 · Aug 7, 2008

I do not live in Florida so I do not know how the hospitals work there, but here I am a PNS. PNS is Professional Nursing Student. I do the work of a PCA while also assisting and learning from the nurse. I feel like I am learning to handle direct patient care and to ot be intimidated by stressful situations;i.e. codes, or difficult patients. I think it is a good idea to get some experince if possibly so we aren't starting our nursing careers frightened or confused.:wink2:

UM Review RN, ASN, RN · Aug 7, 2008

I vote to do Unit Secretary because you'll see the orders for the patient conditions more frequently and that's what you need to know as a nurse.

PCT's don't usually get to see that. They learn how to do basic care, yes, but it's physically very demanding, especially while going to school. As a US, you'll get to know the docs, learn to read their handwriting, and get familiar with the orders that certain types of patients will get.

Some hospitals encourage cross training, so you can be a US who can also double as a PCT in a clinch. I would still recommend US first, then I would highly recommend cross-training as a monitor tech next. That's another function that you might need as a nurse. You can always cross train as a PCT, but I personally would recommend that you do that training last.

dannibee · Aug 11, 2008

I was a PCA at a hospital in south Miami about 3 years ago and I was making $10-11 per hour. This doesn't include any type of shift differential.