Educational Path

[Dustdevil]

Same thing, really. PCT is just the more recent, politically correct term. Training is basically the same, for those who are formally trained. Not all are. And many PCT courses are far more extensive than just the CNA training. In fact, most is far more extensive than EMT or EMT-I training. The trained PCT is eligible to sit for the CNA exam. But if they do not test, qualify to test, or pass the test, they cannot use the title of CNA, so PCT remains the generic term for the unlicensed.

[WolfmanHarris]

Besides, is everyone aware of how much you can tell about a patient's condition from their stool sample (now there's a nursey comment for you..... )?

WM

[WelshMedic]

That clip is great!!!! I never really paid much attention to Scrubs in the past, maybe I will in the future though..

And thank you for the explanation, Dust.

WM

[VentMedic]

By the way, a quick question: what is a PCT? (Patient Care Technician.....?) It's not a term that we use on this side of the ocean. We do have NA's but here they are Nursing Auxillaries. What's the difference between the two?

Our PCTs start with a CNA cert and expand to EKG, Phlebotomy duties, foley care and ortho assist. The phlebotomy cert part can be from 40 to 160 hours if they are trying to gain recognition for the national certification.

The training covers much more than EMTs and they may get more experience assisting with codes than EMTs. They also assist with wound dressings and splinting. They are great in the burn unit to assist with the mega dressing changes and tubbing.

[WelshMedic]

That's a worthwhile amount of training and education. I'm not sure how long it is on this side of the pond but I did find something here:

http://www.nhscareers.nhs.uk/details/Default.aspx?Id=485

WM

[Ridryder 911]

That is part of the problem with EMS of today. When EMS was primarily based in hospital settings, EMS personnel could observe and realize that job duties required more than was normally thought of. As well, they were exposed to medical and medicine on a daily basis. Now the most they are exposed to medicine is the ambulance receiving area or on their limited clinical assignments in their 10 month program. Yet, they assume they know all about the medical field and even then it could be debatable that many EMS providers are truly medical providers.

I do not know if I would recommend someone to be a nurse to just to get the education and experience. Really, there are too many nurses today that are there just for that. When in reality they could care less for the nursing profession or the care that a real nurse provides. Unlike many that enter the profession today, it is not just essential to provide great medical care but to give the psychological and "gulp" empathy as well. Yeah, the humanistic part. Hopefully, we won't flood the market with those that just to use nursing as a stepping stone; alike we have in EMS.

Fortunately, professional nurses take their profession much more serious than those in EMS. At least they continue to realize the need of a formal education. Even now; I am seeing more & more states increasing the requirements and denials of distant learning programs, even with the shortage. Evaluating that even though one may have passed the test, they are not meeting the industry requirements..."administering adequate care". Again, something we could learn off them.

I would suggest, if you want to teach EMS professionally obtain a good science degree and then a graduate in adult education. The understanding of general science and care would be fully understood but the need to understand philosophies and modes of educating the profession would be understood. Again, one of our pitfalls in EMS. The educators are not educators rather they are instructors that train.

R/r 911

[Rugby74]

Ridryder,

It sounds like the prevaling consensus is that if the original poster does not want to enter the nursing profession, he may want to use a BS degree in a hard science such as Biology as a stepping stone into EMS or teaching EMS rather than a nursing (ADN or BSN) program. Emphasizing that this course of action is most appropriate IF he does not have the desire to become and practice as a nurse at some point. I assume biology would be the most relevant degree to obtain, given you thrown in adequate Psychology and Chemistry courses to compliment it – but this is open to debate and opinion.

[n7lxi]

Hi All:

I hadn't been back to the City for a while to read the replies to this thread. Wow.

OK, so here's a little more background. I have taken a fair share of science courses. Bio, Chem, Microbiology, Organic Chem, and am currently enrolled in A&P. I seem to have a fairly good grasp on the science aspect.

I'm a good student (I have a 3.8 GPA currently) so I'm not in it just to "get through school". I have always planned on continuing my education, whether I went to medic school or not.

I've thought about continuing on to nursing quite a bit, and while I can see the advantage in obtaining a BSN, I'm simple not interested in Nursing as a career. I equate it to forcing someone who's interested in becoming a paramedic to take a bunch of fire service courses and then fight fires for 3 years before he or she can apply to paramedic school. (Welcome to Seattle.)

As far as why it's difficult to get into the Medic One program; the requirements and competition are stiff, even current, practicing medics must take the one year program at Harborview, and as I mentioned, only ONE ALS agency in King County is non-fire.

Thanks for all of your input. I find all of the opinions valuable.