Career Information

What is the difference between CNA, PCT, LVN and RN?

Certified nursing aide/assistant (CNAs) provide basic patient care under direction of nursing staff, perform duties such as feed, bathe, dress, groom or movie patients, change linens, and documents observations of patient behavior, complaints, or physical symptoms to nurses.

Patient care technicians (PCTs) work alongside doctors, nurses and other health care professionals to provide direct patient care such as eating, getting out of bed and personal hygiene. They also check vital signs, assist in medical exams, perform basic lab procedures and perform EKGs and phlebotomy (drawing blood).

Licensed vocational nurses (LVNs) care for patients under the direction of doctors and registered nurses, taking vital signs, giving injections and dressing wounds, assisting with personal hygiene, collecting lab samples and monitoring medication or treatment.

Registered nurses (RNs) administer medication, perform diagnostic tests, operate medical machinery, develop and carry out health care plans and educate patients and the public.

Most nursing jobs are hands-on medical work that helps to diagnose and treat patients; there are exceptions.

Skills Required and Working Conditions

Nurses must be physically able to care for sick patients. This involves lifting, moving, bathing and transferring patients into and out of bed. Nurses are exposed to patients with infectious diseases.

Because nurses deal with the public, a neat, well-groomed appearance and a courteous, pleasant demeanor are needed. Nurses must be good at putting patients at ease, listening to patients and explaining physician instructions. Conscientiousness and respect for the confidential nature of medical information are required.

House and conditions vary widely but may include 24-hour or night shifts, weekends and holidays. Part-time and shift work widely available.

Other job demands include:

• Emotional stability and calm decision-making under pressure
• The ability to work accurately and safely under stress and time constraints, read and record numbers accurately, perform repetitive tasks, concentrate in distracting situations, and make subjective evaluations and decisions where mistakes may have a high impact on patient care
• The ability to adapt to changing environments
• The ability to prioritize tasks
• Effective communication in written and spoken English in order to transmit information to members of the health care team
• The ability to make a correct judgment in seeking supervisory help and consultation in a timely manner
• Positive personality attributes that include integrity, responsibility and tolerance
• The ability to work independently as well as with others
• A professional image