Three days of training and promised 4 weeks

[Lady4Scrubs]

Hello! I am a Patient Care Assistant in ICU, and I start working alone after three shifts of training. Is this too soon?

My concerns are that I will be a hazard to my critical patient more than a help.

[nutella, MSN, RN]

You do not exactly provide much information.

In the ICU setting PCA usually do not do anything by themselves that could even jeopardize patient safety. Granted, I worked in critical care many years ago but PCA could not even wash a patient by themselves because of everything connected to them...

If you have concerns you should talk to the unit manager or charge nurse.

[TheCommuter, BSN, RN]

In the neck of the woods where I live, it is highly unusual for PCAs and other unlicensed assistive staff to receive four weeks of orientation time.

Orientation is a time for the PCA to learn where supplies are, how to chart, and the general workflow of the unit. Orientation is not an extended time to repeat the CNA school clinical practicum hours to your level of comfort.

Good luck to you!

[TheCommuter, BSN, RN]

This thread has been moved to our Patient Care Technicians / Assistants (PCT / PCA) forum with the goal of amassing more responses regarding the topic.