The Definition of a Patient Care Assistant

Patient care assistants, or PCAs, are health care professionals similar to nursing assistants. PCAs often have cross training in different areas of health care and have more training then the typical nursing assistant.

Types

• Patient care assistants work in home settings or health care facilities. They sometimes work with ill patients in the patient's home. They also provide care for patients in hospitals, offices and other health care establishments. As of July 2010, PCAs receive an average salary of $26,000 to $34,000 annually.

Training

• Patient care assistants must have a high school diploma or GED. They undergo many hours of training including clinical training and extensive CPR training, and usually receive training in phlebotomy and electrocardiograms. They can take the blood of their patients for diagnostic purposes and can check the electric rhythms of the heart, two things that the typical nursing assistant does not do.

Advancement

• Patient care assistants are sometimes invited into licensed practical nursing programs. This program is the first step to become a registered nurse. This requires the assistant to go to an accredited nursing school. The experience of being a PCA will help an aspiring nurse pursue the career of being a registered nurse.