Patient Care Assistant - a rose by any other name?

Durer, Albrecht
Christ Among the Doctors
1506 (150 Kb);
Fundacion Coleccion Thyssen-Bornemisza, Madrid

i remember when i was having my babies, how i adored my nurses -- they were all so attentive and wonderful. it is truly an amazing experience, from labor & delivery to the nurses you know have taken care of your little one so you could have one *last* stretch of sleep before you went home to care for your family. what i am learning now is i am not sure if they were nurses or techs that helped me.

i have learned over the last two days some really amazing things, not the least of which is how exceedingly professional our instructors have been! they have wonderful senses of humor, never inappropriate, responsive to questions. i have loved being taught by all of them, they are truly remarkable.

the other thing i have learned is that short of dispensing medications, i will have more patient contact than the nurses! how is this possible? the laws surrounding the nursing profession have them required to write mountains of notes and record and document everything so it is impossible to be with the patients as much and now the Patient Care Assistant (nurse's aide, they were previously called) are on board. this is my official title.

it now makes me wonder just how many of my caregivers were nurses and how many were techs? and does it matter? would it matter to you if you found out the person who was caring for you was not a nurse but was, in fact, a tech or an aide?

i am just wondering what the general concensus is.

i did things as a unit clerk 20 years ago that were really what techs would now do, but back then, it was *hush* and it was because they were sorely short-handed on the floors. i will be wearing more credentials now than i did back then (we only needed a badge in the 80's), and i am identified by not only my badge but the letters PCA above them in the clear holder. when we were in a patient's room yesterday (no patient was in it), there was a dry erase board that said "Today is Thursday January 5, 2006, your nurse is Sue, your tech is Patty" so everyone is in the know up front, which makes me feel a little bit better about it -- during these few days, i don't want to say that i think the practice of utilizing techs is deceiving, but i can see how power can be misused if one is not properly identified.

just to reassure folks, there is more extensive training i am going to be going through: phlebotomy (so yes, i will be drawing blood), BLS (basic life saving), OR instruction (the tech is the one who hands the doctor the instruments during a c-section), classroom instruction, meetings, you name it, i now belong to this hospital :)

i also believe i am sensitive about everything. do you think this has to do with having an extensive background in the legal profession, as well? at this juncture, when i look back to every position i have held, it has all pointed to this direction: mama (no need to expound upon that one!)...legal secretary (so i am already aware of confidentiality and privacy issues, lest one be sued)...restaurant (feeding the hungry, eh? seeing to needs) .

yes, i believe i am ready for the next step :)

today is my last day of PCA training - i thought i would have to work this weekend, but tony is on the mend and will be back tomorrow (thank you, God). i have orientation for two and a half days next week, the half day i will go in for jim to give him some relief and thursday is my first day on maternity (!!). friday i am at the restaurant to give my husband a much-needed day off and then it begins the following week. i had a tough time getting out of bed and moving this morning, but it is so worthwhile.

so worthwhile.