Reply With QuoteHospitals tend to pay better than nursing homes, and you will probably learn more to help you in nursing school at a hospital versus a long-term care setting.
Hey everyone,
Im new to this site. I been looking through it and it seems quite helpfull. I was curious about a few things, was wondering if anyone can help me out. I just finished my training program. I am currently a certified PCT (patient care tech) I know many refer to it as PCA. I am going back to school in Sept. to continue for R.N. I was wondering, is it better to start off in a hospital or a nursing home as a PCT/PCA? Also, what pays better? Yes I'm in it because I wanna help people and I love helping but the salary helps me live as well, considering I got rent to pay and pay for my school as well =( . Any information or answers would GREATLY help.
Thank you! =):rolleyes:
Hospitals tend to pay better than nursing homes, and you will probably learn more to help you in nursing school at a hospital versus a long-term care setting.
Amanda, RN, BSN
Ex-Traveler Extraordinaire,
Resident Trauma Queen
I agree that being a hosptial PCA will help you more if you are a nurse in a hospital. It also gets your foot in the door to be hired in that hospital after nursing school.Originally Posted by Scandal2NY
That's assuming you want to work in a hospital. If you want to work in LTC, then go that route as a PCT. And congratulations on entering the nursing field. You are a nurse now, but you will one day be a registered nurse.
I know, I know, there's the whole thing about using the term "nurse." But nursing is an honored and glorious activity, and if one is doing the activity, one is a nurse. A registered nurse is a registered nurse, an LPN is a licensed practical nurse. I don't think anyone has a copyright or a trademark on the term nurse. That's why I like the term Certified Nurse Aid. It retains the use of the word nurse. You are in nursing now. You may be able to give more care later, but the care you give as a PCT is more important to people and to the world than you may realize at this time.
And you're damn right, you have to eat, you have to pay bills, and besides that, when you get an RN you can give your patients medications, especially pain medications, and you can assess your patient and call the doctor yourself, and you can't do that when you're a PCT. So, onward and upward, but you are very high right now, even as a PCT.
Good luck to you,
Edward
An idea so old it's new again.:nurse-soapbox:
www.lastnursestanding.blogspot.com
Thank you very much for your help!
You'll be exposed to a lot more in the hospital. Central Lines, multiple intravenous drips, EKGs, Phlebotomy are not something a nursing assistant usually handles in a nursing home.
You'll be trained to do a lot more in the hospital than a long term care setting. You'll learn a lot more skills and get paid more for them.
You'll earn more later as well because of the new skills you learn in an acute care setting.
Good luck going for your RN, lots of people talk about going back to school, few actually do it.
You can find some resources at http://www.4nursingschools.com
Andrew Lopez, RN
http://www.4nursing.com
Re: Pca-r.n
You will get a head start on hospital nursing by working in a hospital versus a nursing home. There is nothing wrong with working in a nursing home, but it can be limiting. Once you become an RN, you will most likely want to start in a hospital to get that magical one to two years experience in med surg, which will be so useful to start off your career. Good luck with whatever you decide. Both are good jobs to have.
Re: Pca-r.n
Thank you for all your advice, I greatly appreciate it. It sucks that the economy is so bad, its almost impossible to get a job in a hospital, if anything their all laying off staff its so difficult to find a job. I plan on bombarding certain hospitals I'd like to work in, in my area, with my resume lol I heard that works lol. But in any case I need to start atleast somewhere. I know many people "claim" to go back to school for nursing and all, but I registered and I'm very eager to go back and finish considering that I dont have much left...about 9 prerequisits and 5 nursing classes, it would absolutely help if I started in a hospital that way once i finish for R.N., I can stay there just "move up". Im in the Brooklyn area, if anyone by any chance knows any hospitals currently hiring, I would greatly appreciate it, but I dont blame you if you dont with this economy =( . Once again, thanks for all the advice!
I have another question that just popped into my head. Is it better to apply for a hospital job online or in person?
Re: Pca-r.n
Every online application I have made has been ignored, so I don't apply online anymore. However, there are some employers that only do online applications. It is always better to apply in person. I can't count how many times I have been interviewed and hired on the spot when I went to an employer's office ready to interview.
Thank you for all the advice:cool-nurse:
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