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new to nursing, need some help!

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Author new to nursing, need some help!

courto124

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  • Joined: Jul 2009
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  • Posts: 4

Thu Jul 09, 2009 2:07 pm

I am going to university to study to become a Registered Nurse in Queensland, and in the mean time I will be employed as a PSA in a private hospital. can anyone tell me what a PSA is?

Mandy

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  • Joined: Jul 2009
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Jul 09, 2009, 11:36 pm

im not 100% sure but i believe a PSA(personal service assistant) may be quite similar to an assistant in nursing. Basically I imagine your role would be to assist the registered nurse on duty by delivering patients with their general care needs/ADLS. Personally if you want to become a registered nurse I believe this is a great way to get some experience up your sleeve.
All the best :)

courto124

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Jul 10, 2009, 04:48 pm

That makes sense! Thank's heaps, I was just a little embarrassed to ask because they all seemed as though it was so obvious! :D

Mirabell

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Mirabell
  • Joined: Jun 2009
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Jul 10, 2009, 08:10 pm

Hi there,

In WA we call them PCAs (patient care assistants) not PSAs. Recently Sir Charles Gairdener Hospital in WA have changed the PCA role to include: assisting the nurses to take obs (vital signs such as BP, temperature, respiration rate), assist patients with ADLs such as showering, teeth etc, they can also provide surveillance for high risk patients (eg, patients confused, risk of self harm, etc.) and documentation, restocking duties.

Hope this is of help. Good luck and all the best.

El

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  • Joined: Oct 2009
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Oct 01, 2009, 06:35 pm

Greetings all,

I'm currently working as a PCA as well, and studying the RN course. I have found over the past year it has been excellent to work at the hospital, specially a small one, because once the RNs know that you're studying, then they do everything to help you out and let you observe alot. I've also heard people say that it really helps a future employer when they know you've been caring in a hospital for a while.

:) Good Luck,

El

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