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is year 1 nursing student qualified to work as PCA?

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Author is year 1 nursing student qualified to work as PCA?

Ilumi

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Ilumi

  • Joined: Jan 2009
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Mon Jan 26, 2009 2:01 pm

hello everone

i am a year one nursing student in latrobe university

i just finished my first clinical placement in aged care requird by nursing course

it took 2 weeks

after that i think i can find a part time job as a personal care workers in aged care place

it took me one month to send my resume, but unfortunately all the answer i got from the aged care certers is: i am not qualified, because i dont have certificate 3, i am so confused

can anyone tell me if i need to pay 1000 -2000 dallors to study certificate 3 or keep sending resume, i really want to find a part time job for some finacial reasons,

thanks a lot

sandy

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Jan 26, 2009, 07:49 pm

Hi Ilumi,
I am pretty sure that after fininshing the first year of nursing, students can do a course that only goes for a few days and qualifies them to be registered as a Div 2 nurse.
Good luck hope you find something soon.

Ilumi

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Ilumi
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Jan 26, 2009, 08:21 pm

hi sandy:

thanks for your reply.

my nursing course takes 3 years, i heard after finishing 2 years' study, we can be qualified as div 2.

can u give me more information on your point, such as where can i have that short weeks course.

i feel really appreciated for your reply

gogirlgo

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Jan 26, 2009, 10:12 pm

In Victoria you can become a Div 2 after completing year 2 of your nursing degree and also doing a one day workshop. Information is on the Nurses Board of Victoria website.

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Jan 28, 2009, 01:30 pm

hi,
unfortunately these days you must have at least cert 3 to work as a PCA. It is to stop the bad prac of untrained people just doing it for money

Ilumi

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Ilumi
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Jan 28, 2009, 03:42 pm

thanks to all of you

i think cert3 is the most basic for being a nurse, and it is very necessary to get that certificate if i want to get a work during the 3 years nursing study,

thanks again for your kind

Nurse_Rach

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Feb 01, 2009, 11:21 am

Hi everyone,

IIumi, I'm not sure if the rules have changed or not, however I work as a PCA with no formal cert 3, i've completed 1st year, and started working as a PCA about 12 months ago. I currently do home and community care, however, i have also done work through agency as a PCA in nursing homes. Perhaps if you contact a nursing agency they may be able to give you more information. I haven't had a problem in the past getting PCA work without a formal Cert 3, but as i said, the rules may have changed.

Good luck with it all, if i can help with anything else, let me know.

Regards,
Rach.

waterviolet

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Feb 07, 2009, 11:41 am Last edited Feb 07, 2009, 11:41 am update #1

It is not easy to find a job either even if you have the Cert III. The life is getting hard everywhere. They want more and more from us.

modified: Saturday 07 February 2009 11:42:17 am - waterviolet

Ilumi

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Ilumi
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Feb 09, 2009, 08:31 pm

watervoilet, can u share any experience with me?

i always think cer 3 can bring me some hope

SilverLining

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nurse
  • Joined: Oct 2007
  • Location: Melbourne
  • Posts: 34

Feb 11, 2009, 03:19 pm

Hi All,

I currently don't have a Cert III, but I am studying Div 2 and have done 1 placement so far (2weeks) - and I've worked as a PCA in a facility, and am now with an agency as a PCA.

The place I worked at first and also the agency I'm with now both employ student nurses as PCAs without the Cert III. I had to provide the agency with proof of competency on clinical placement (ie my clinical book with my Clinical Teacher's reports), and proof of enrolment in my course, and details of 2 professional referees that need to be Div 1 nurses or educators.

So rather than just sending out a resume, you should call up potential employers saying you are a Div 1 nursing student, have done a placement before and want some PCA work. Many of the facilities I know of love that, because they want to try to retain you when you graduate/become a Div 2. One of my classmates actually volunteered for a few days for a non-profit care home for disabled residents, the facility was satisfied she could handle PCA work and she got offered a job that way.

Good luck!

heidi501

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Feb 12, 2009, 03:05 pm

Hi there, after finishing 1st year of my nursing degree, i sent my resume out to every nursing home i could think of and by the first week had 3 interviews lined up. however, i a lot of bigger places and nursing agencies i rang said they wouldn't accept me until i had f inished 2nd year, so it really does depend.

I encourage you to just keep sending it out to other aged care facilities you may not have thought of, sometimes the smaller, private ones are your best bet for those of us that dont have cert 3 i think. Best of luck.

Ilumi

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Ilumi
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Feb 12, 2009, 05:18 pm

thanks to everyone

actually i am taking cert3 course recently, it costs me $1,250, and it takes 4 weeks and 3weeks left from now, all the stuff i learned from that course are totally the same as in my nursing course, a little differenct is: nursing course focuses on patients care plan, but in cer3 course, they teach more care techniques, i think that's why nursing homes ask that certificate from us. but i still think it wastes my money and time to study the same thing : (

jules74

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Feb 28, 2009, 08:05 pm Last edited Feb 28, 2009, 08:05 pm update #1

hi,

honestly i would keep contacting local aged care facilities and tell them youre a nursing student. or even contact the place where you did your clinicals and see if they can help? i did this a few years back and as soon as i had enrolled in Uni i got a job as a PCA in a hostel.. often you'll even see ads in the local leader papers for aged care places saying they want people with Cert III OR nursing students to apply for positions. so perhaps you've just been very unlucky??

you get some decent hands on experience in a facility that you'll get to know, and its the best way by far to gain experience...then down the track maybe in 6mths or so join an agency if you want to pick up extra work. and trust me, that early experience goes a LONG way when it comes to you actually doing nursing clinicals. I'd worked in a facility for about 6mths before i did my first clinicals and i found it made a big difference to my confidence and skills. others i was placed with had NEVER touched a stranger before, and now on clinicals were freaking out and incredibly anxious at a time when you really want to feel as confident as possible.

good luck with it!

Jules

modified: Saturday 28 February 2009 8:10:00 pm - jules74

Rochester

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Apr 13, 2010, 11:40 am

Hi Everyone,
Im a little bit confused, I am planning to do my cert IV nursing with holmesglen this year and I have been told that I would then qualify as a Div.2 after the one year fulltime course. But I can see that you are saying that it is normally after 2 years that you qualify for Div.2. Could you pls comment?
Illumi I am thinking of the doing the Cert III in aged care before starting my cert IV coz I think its a little good thing to start working as a PCA first. Could you pls tell where you are taking the course? its short and not too expensive. thank you
Another question: do u absolutely need a car to work as a PCA?

Molly

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Apr 13, 2010, 05:47 pm

IIumi ! You do not need Cert 3 to work as a PCA, you are a nursing student and Nursing Home will take you. Were I work if you are a nursing student and Cert 3 get a job if the interview when well. Do not waste your money on Cert 3.

PJ

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May 01, 2010, 04:40 pm

ROCHESTER if your Div2 course is for a year then you will be qualified after that. I am studying Diploma Div2 which is 18mths and I will come out medication competant.

I think the others are studying RN and can qaulify as EN after they have passed the 2nd year of there degree.

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