I'm a CNA at a home care agency. Will this still count as HCE?

[sincerelyitslily 0]

I'm currently a rising senior in college. I have worked as a CNA for about a year and a half. I initially did a nursing home for a couple of months, but went with the home care agency of the same nursing home because the flexible hours allowed me to focus on school. I have been under the supervision of a nurse as a home care aide a couple of times and assisted on some vital signs. For most of my patients, I help with their physical therapy exercises and record some of their vitals on my own. I ask if this counts as HCE because I read some people say it doesn't count? I have my CNA license. Should I switch to an actual nursing home/hospital? On record, each time I sign out/sign in, I have to put everything that I did--ADL's, vitals, ambulation, if they took their medicine, etc. Not sure what to do because I want to have those hours on paper! The company name is the same as that of the nursing home, as they work together, and I was also sent to nursing homes to sub for other CNA's quite a few times.

 

Also, do abroad volunteer trips count? I'm supposed to go as a medical volunteer to Vietnam next year, before applying to PA school. Thanks! My top choices are Tufts and Northeastern. I live in New England.

[Varda 1]

It varies because each school has their own criteria for what they count as PCE vs HCE. Some require positions to be paid to count and some do not. Look on the FAQ on their websites, pre-reqs tab, or email the admissions directly and they will let you know. As for switching jobs, I know some schools weight positions differently based on how hands on/advanced it is and other schools count all hours the same whether it is as hands off as scribing or as advanced as nursing. So depending on what the schools you are applying to want, you may have a stronger application by getting a different job, but if they don't weight it differently it might not make a difference. Hope this helps. 

[ANESMCR 329]

This is PCE. Not HCE.

[riversong 1]

I would call your top 3 schools and ask them personally (that's what I did) because every school is different and you want to make sure you're getting the best information. You'll just get speculations here.