By Rosario Alvarado, MSN, RN, CCRN-K Professional Development Leader, PCA Program Lead

This training prepared the ancillary staff to provide basic care at the bedside, working alongside the nurses and experienced PCAs by performing essential skills like vital signs, glucose screening, assisting with activities of daily living (ADLs), monitoring intake and output, and assisting with emergencies such as CPR. This training helped to meet the increased demand for staff at the bedside. It offered displaced members the ability to gain hours working for the Labor Pool.

I am very grateful and proud of the work accomplished by these PCA Specialists: Ramona Sanchez, Darren Roach, Frezewd Dubale, Maria Strand, Laquinta Mitchell, Dianne Palmer, Deana Hill, Aniqua Jones, and Norma Mills; and these educators: Robyn Washington, Deepa Lalu, Aerica Williams, and Edir Jachetta.

On June 15th, CNREP resumed the PCA Skills Training Courses at our new Josie Roberts Administration Building. To lower risks for COVID-19 transmission, our classes are now limited to 16 participants. We provide ample space for social distancing. The participants receive individual packs containing all the necessary supplies to practice the seven advanced skills covered during the course.

The participants learned how to perform peripheral intravenous (PIV) catheter removal, Foley catheter removal, phlebotomy, bladder scanning, and 12-lead electrocardiogram (ECG/EKG), skincare, ostomy care, simple dressing changes, and setting up a sterile field for minor bedside procedures.

The PCA Skills Training Course is now 8-hours long and requires manager approval. The next course is scheduled for December 14th.

We plan to offer "virtual versions" or LMS training for the

2020 PCA Quarterly Mandatory Education

beginning the last week of July. We also plan to provide a new 4-hour

PCA Preceptor & Lead Course

for experienced PCAs, and PCA Specialists starting in the fall with more information to come.

The Patient Care Assistant (PCA) Specialists at HMH have stepped up this year during the COVID-19 Pandemic. A PCA Specialists team collaborated with the HMH PCA Program Lead and a few educators to conduct training for ancillary staff members from the HM System and clinics. In five weeks, we provided 22 four-hour training sessions for the

Labor Pool for PCAs

. Over 400 staff members from the HM system participated in the training, including scrub techs, CMAs, ophthalmology techs, PNAs, and PCAs from the out-patient departments.