A patient care trainee program

For the past 2 years, a special program at Shriners Hospital for Crippled Children, Tampa Unit (SHCC) has been tremendously successful. The hospital hired college students to work as patient care trainees (PCTs). The program was designed because the hospital needed cost-effective personnel and wanted to participate in education and development of health care professionals. The success of the program with respect to improvements in quality of care, evidence of effective education, and savings in salary is described.