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Different Types of PCE

Ready to get one step closer to becoming a PA? Here are some of the different options for gaining patient care experience!

Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA)/
Patient Care Assistant (PCA)

  • To become a CNA or a PCA, one must obtain a Certified Nursing Assistant License through a course. CNA programs can vary in length and can be online or in person. To obtain the license, participants must pass both the written and clinical skills portion of the exam.

  • CNAs can work in a variety of different settings. Some examples are nursing homes, rehabilitation centers, and hospitals. 

  • Becoming a CNA is a great way to gain patient care experience and can help individuals see if they like working directly with patients.

  • Individuals can obtain licenses in different ways, but one place to get a CNA license in Gainesville is https://www.gatorcpr.com/cnaprep.

  • There are a variety of different tasks that a CNA can do:

  • Bathing patients

  • Feeding patients 

  • Mobilizing/turning patients 

  • Checking vitals (heart rate, O2, blood pressure, respirations)

  • Documenting information

  • Post-mortem care 

  • Stocking/cleaning rooms 

  • Checking blood glucose

  • Assisting nurses with additional duties 

  • Other duties, depending on the facility

Medical Assistant (MA)

  • Medical assistants do not always need a certification to work as a medical assistant, but some places may want credentials. These exams that recognize individuals as MA’s are the CMA exam and the RMA exam.

  • Medical assistant duties vary depending on the setting that they may work in. MAs can work in a variety of settings, such as hospitals, emergency clinics, dermatology offices, and outpatient centers. 

  • https://advclinical.org/ is a site where a person can take online certification classes for areas, such as medical assistant, pharmacy tech, and patient care tech. However, this is an expensive platform to use.

  • There are a variety of different tasks that a MA can do:

  • Answering phones and taking down appointments

  • Leading patients and families to their rooms 

  • Filling out electronic medical records

  • Taking down medical histories 

  • Performing basic lab tests/ drawing blood 

  • Removing stitches

  • And other duties depending on the facility

Medical Scribe 

  • Medical scribes document important information, following the physician or PA around as they talk to patients. 

  • Medical scribes also work in a variety of different settings, such as in emergency rooms, hospitals, and outpatient clinics. 

  • It is important to have good computer skills to work as a scribe. One must be able to type at higher speeds while also listening to the patient’s and the physician’s dialogue.

  • Individuals can take medical scribe courses, but these are not always necessary when trying to find a job as a scribe.

  • Medical scribing is a great way to learn more medical terminology

  • UF ED Scribe Program can be found at https://medicine.ufl.edu/education/scribe-program/.

Emergency Medical Technician (EMT)

  • Initiating IV lines in patients

  • Administering specific authorized medications

  • Administering life saving techniques such as CPR

  • Suctioning intubated patients

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