Patient Care Technician Job Description

A Career in Healthcare

A patient care technician is a person who provides health care and support to patients in a hospital. Their main duties include helping patients with basic needs like feeding and grooming, monitoring patients' health and vital signs, and cleaning patients' rooms. Basic healthcare is provided to patients in a hospital or other medical facility by patient care technicians.

They will keep the patients rooms clean and orderly. Patient care technicians will visit patients to check their vital signs, administer medication, provide emotional support, and help patients with basic tasks like eating, using the restroom or grooming themselves. They will usually assist Physicians or Nurses during treatments and will explain treatment methods and prescribed medications to the patient and their family.

The Patient Care Technician will notify the Physician or Nurse if they notice any changes in the patient's health after the treatment. Students have to pass a state exam to use titles in the state. Some states require a background check.

Patient Care Technicians are usually trained by their employer and learn their policies. Patient Care Technicians can get experience through educational programs. The training for the Patient Care Technician programs is real-world since healthcare positions work with people on a daily basis.

They work under the supervision of registered nurses. Entry-level jobs like Patient Care Technicians don't require experience. The patient care technician can become a registered nurse if they have the right experience.

Patient Care Technicians in Nursing Facilities

Patient care technicians work closely with patients in hospitals and nursing homes to ensure that their basic care and medical needs are met, including but not limited to tasks such as feeding, bathing, changing, and helping patients use the restroom, as well as monitoring the patient's vital signs and health. The basic needs of each patient are met by the patient care technicians and doctors in a hospital, nursing home, or long term care facility. Feeding and cleaning the patient are some of the tasks that might be done daily.

It is not possible to get a job as a patient care technician without some form of training. Students in the patient care technician training program will likely complete some on the job experience in a medical facility, nursing home, or clinical setting. Depending on the size of the facility and the amount of staff on site, patient care technicians may have to work extra hours to ensure patients get the care they need.

The Role of Patient Care Technicians in Health Care Industry

A patient care technician is working. They give care to patients in different environments. They are the one who is in constant contact with the patient and they play a fundamental role in the care of that patient.

Patient Care Technicians work in clean and well-lighted environments like hospitals, long-term care centers, rehabilitation facilities and nursing homes. They work with the doctors and nurses to provide their client with the best care. They may be asked to do more than one task at a time.

Most of them work in shifts in the health care industry since they are needed round the clock. Patient care technicians need compassion in taking care of their patients. They should be sensitive to their needs and love serving other people.

The patient care technicians have limited opportunities to advance. They need to get further education and training. They can become registered nurses.

The Employment of Patient Care Technicians

A patient in a hospital, clinic or long-term care facility is often given little to no clinical skills. Many facilities use certified nurses' aides or patient care technicians instead of allocating nurses to handle personal care. The patient care technicians and the nurses are in charge of basic nursing care, while the technicians are in charge of more advanced services.

The most routine forms of patient care provided by the basic level patient care technicians. They collect laboratory specimen for testing and monitor and record the patients vital signs. They help patients with personal hygiene, eating, dress and changing their bedding and linens.

Patients are often transported to different areas for testing. A PCT makes sure the tubes, drains and Foley catheters are kept sanitary. Many employers prefer to hire staff who are already qualified, but patient care technicians can learn their profession the job.

High school graduates who complete a one year training program at a community or technical college are the majority of new PCTs. The requirements to become a PCT II vary between programs and employers, but usually include additional clinical experience and training in areas such as phlebotomy and wound care. The National healthcareer Association offers professional certification for patient care technicians.

The patient care technicians are grouped with orderlies and attendants by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The bureau projects 20 percent employment growth for the group through 2020, higher than the average for all occupations. The BLS data shows that the average wage for a person working in a primary care doctor nurse aide was $12.22 per hour or $25,420 a year, with the top 20 percent earning $35,170 per year or more.

The Job Opportunities of Patient Care Technicians

They are responsible for assessing patients health and basic nursing operations. The patient care technician records the data per the total count of patients and then records them in the medical records. A trained patient care technician helps patients with their basic daily needs by collaborating with their medical health team to deliver exceptional medical care.

The responsibilities of a patient care technician include sanitary living conditions, proper aid with medical treatments, and monitoring of patients' health. Further training for more sophisticated treatment is required. The flexibility, breadth of career opportunities, and employment security that you can get as a PCT are all advantages.

There are more work opportunities for patient care technicians. Patients with terminal diseases are usually the ones who patient care technicians work with. Depending on the number of personnel and the size of the facility, patient care technicians may be expected to work additional hours to ensure that their patients receive the proper care.

The Patient Care Technician Position in the Surgical Unit

The patient care technician is a person who helps licensed professionals deliver quality patient care. Provides basic nursing care to patients. The position is responsible for helping patients with personal hygiene, grooming, appointments and activities.

The patient care technician helps patients with their issues and provides emotional support. Vital signs, temperature and patient condition are monitored. Assists nursing staff in administering treatments.

The rooms have enough patient care supplies. The patient care technician is assigned to the nursing unit. Assists patients with activities of daily living, provides basic nursing care to patients, and helps in maintaining a safe and clean environment under the supervision of the registered nurse.

The Skills Needed by Patient Care Technicians

Skills needed by patient care technicians include computer use, word processing, fax machines and printers, and proper telephone manners. Office skills can be used for appointment scheduling, filing and retrieving records, reception and patient intake. Patient care technicians communicate with patients and other people.

They must be able to listen, interview and give information concisely and accurately. Communication skills help patient care technicians. The patient care technicians must have the skills to read and write.

They must be able to read and interpret medical and safety materials. They need to write reports and complete forms. Patient care technicians use math skills frequently and must have the ability to use whole numbers, fractions and units of measure to perform math functions such as ratios, percentages and simple math tasks.

Patient Care Technicians and EKG Diagnostic

The ability to take vital signs is important for patient care technicians because they are essential to understanding what is happening with the patient at a given time. A patient care tech needs to be able to take a number of vital signs. The patient care technicians are usually the ones who help the patient with activities that they can not do on their own.

Patient care technicians help their patients with activities such as bathing, dressing, and using the restroom. A patient care technician needs to be able to perform EKGs accurately in order to get an accurate picture and a diagnosis. The doctors can see how the heart is working with the help of an electrocardiogram.

A Sample of Patient Care Technician Resumes

A patient care technician is a paraprofessional who helps patients with basic nursing, hygiene, mobility, and other care tasks. A patient care technician resume must show that you have the skills and motivation to be a great patient care technician. The professional summary statement is used when you have a lot of experience with the system.

The summary statement gives a brief rundown of your skills and background as a patient care technician. To bring it home, include a top accomplishment from your past with numbers. The professional objective statement is used when writing a resume.

An objective paragraph is used in a PCT resume to focus on your career goals and future. They can verify how talented you are if you provide a relevant achievement. The pro tip is to always be on the lookout.

Soft Skills for Health Care

Soft skills can affect your career prospects and other activities. Soft skills are often sought after by employers. Soft skills can help you progress in your career more than technical skills.

It is important that future health care employees have a strong work ethic because many health care fields require hours that go beyond your standard 9-to-5 job. Health care is a demanding field. The hours are long.

The subject matter can be very sad. You may find that your career is stagnant if you don't have the drive to succeed. Lives could be at stake in health care.

That is a lot of pressure to handle. Health care workers are at high risk of burnout if they don't have proper stress-management techniques. The most successful health care workers are able to handle pressure and thrive on it.

It is important for health care workers to know how to take a break from their jobs and to have good stress management practices. Flexibility is important to working on a team because many careers in health care don't stick to a typical 9-to-5 hours. Your peers may need you to work late.

The Salaries of Patient Care Technicians

Patient care technicians help with everything from bathing and dressing to walking and using the restroom. They play a crucial role in making sure that patients regain strength and live a healthy life again. Patient care technicians are expected to clean up after themselves.

They change the linens often. They are responsible for cleaning and sanitizing rooms when they are not there. Students can learn how to take a patient's pulse or listen for a heartbeat in class, and then perform those tasks in a clinical setting while being observed by a supervisor.

The average annual salary for entry-level positions is less than $20,000. More experienced workers can expect to make more money. The average yearly wage for a patient care technician is about $50,000.

The pay band is not as wide as one might expect for a medical position. The hourly wage range for patient care technicians is between $10 and $17 per hour. Entry-level positions will offer lower wages, while more experienced patient care technicians can make more money.

The population is aging and so many Baby Boomers are getting to the age at which hospitalizations and living in rehabilitation or nursing facilities are necessary, which is the reason why the demand for patient care technicians is expected to remain strong. Working as a patient care technician is an excellent way to get on-the-job training and experience that is beneficial for moving into different medical related jobs down the road. In some facilities, a patient care technician could take special training or continuing education to specialize in working with children, elderly, and so on.

Training a Dialysis Technician

Have you considered a career in healthcare? That is a great choice if that is the case. It is rewarding to work in the medical field for those with a nurturing spirit.

It is an in-demand profession that has plenty of room for growth. If you are interested in working with patients in a medical setting, then you are in luck. There are training opportunities for patient care technicians.

Let's look at what a dialysis technician does and how to become one. A training program that trains students in the use of equipment while taking care of patients that are no longer functioning should be able to do that. They are responsible for many tasks throughout their employment, including preparing patients for treatment, monitoring patients during and after treatment, and after treatment.

It is easy to learn how to become a patient care technician. You need to search for a school that teaches the various skills of a dialysis technician. The skills and expertise of students in the training program could be used to care for patients with the disease.

The first step in launching your healthcare career is training. Depending on where you live, you may need to take additional certifications to get into a job as a patient care technician. You can do an externship to gain additional skills.

Patient Care Technicians: How to Make Sense of the Doctor'S Offer

The job of a patient care technician is similar to other healthcare jobs. The PCT works closely with those people. Hospitals and nursing homes are where the primary care clinicians work.

They could work in centers that specialize in niches such as infant care, cancer treatment, or even dialysis services. You can get a GED after graduating high school and then study for a patient care technician job. An associate's degree is one way to get a qualification for the job, but it is not the only way.

You might want to do it later. Many people interested in becoming patient care technicians enter certificate or diploma programs, which include courses such as Principles of Allied Health, Anatomy and Physiology and Medical Terminology. The courses taken in an associate's degree can help advance careers, and include subjects such as communication, writing, math, science, psychology, and other.

Continuing care retirement communities and assisted living facilities for the elderly had a combined 11%. Home healthcare services had 5%. As the Baby Boomer generation fills the facilities, the need for eldercare assistants will keep rising.