CAREER AS A PATIENT CARE TECHNICIAN

Patient care technicians are multi-skilled medical professional with adequate training in numerous types of duties in a health unit depending on the need. The word patient care technicians covers numerous task, responsibilities, and duties. patient care technicians, also known as certified nursing assistants, are medical worker trained in providing basic hygiene and care to patients in hospitals and other facilities. PCT are trained in high schools, community colleges, nursing homes, facilities, and vocational centers. (Dandey 1). A patient Care Technician is an important person in the patient care process because they assist the doctor when they are caring for a patient, they assist in the rehab clinics, nursing homes, and long-term care facilities, and they help patients with simple tasks like eating, brushing their teeth and hair, and using the restroom.

Many patient care technicians enter the filed with only a high school diploma or no formal education at all. Relying on their work place to provide on the job training. However, in places such as nursing care facilities, Patient Care Technicians must complete a training program composed of a minimum of 75 hours and pass a competency evaluation according to federal government requirements (Patient Care Technician Info 3). In order

Bickham 2

to become a PCT one must complete high school or equivalent diploma. Then enroll into a two course accredited training associated to the field (Dandey 1). While in the training one is taught several task and aspect about the human body, first aid, emergency medical care, handling patients and various other important topics. The curriculum includes classroom, laboratory, exercises, and supervised clinical hours, which may come in the form of internships or externships. To complete these programs successfully,

students must complete the following learning modules: certified nursing assistant (CAN), electrocardiogram (EKG), phlebotomy, cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and advanced nursing skills. (Patient Care Technician Certification 4).

Most training takes place in the class room and in a work environment. Hospital training program generally last 2-3 months and combine classroom instruction and hands-on training (What is a Patient Care Technician 6). Upcoming PCT study anatomy, physiology, infection control, and patients rights. One must complete all the following to successfully complete the programs: certified nursing, electrocardiogram, phlebotomy, cardiopulmonary resuscitation, and advance nursing skills.

Once students complete the requirements of the PCT Program, they are eligible to take the national Patient Care Technician (NCPCT) exam through the National Center for Competency testing. One may take it while completing their clinical education. To remain certified, individuals must complete 14 hours of continuing education each year. Some programs include internships at a hospitals or clinic where a student can gain hands-on experience. Prospective PCT must complete 6-12 months of clinical experience to be Bickham 3

eligible for employment at any hospital or clinic (Patient Care Assistant 2).Most patient care technicians are found in hospitals, but also can be found in rehabilitation centers, long term care facilities, and nursing homes. A PCT is a critical member of the health care team. They assist patients and work alongside doctors, nurses, and other health care professionals. PCT are generally responsible for attending to a patients basic need.. Their purpose for this is to provide direct patient care in a variety of health care environments. Than any other team member the PCT have more contact with patients at all times. They are monitoring the patient constantly or per requirement. PCT are more available than doctors or nurses (Patient Care Technician Info 1).

The work can be physically demanding (What is a Patient Care Technician 3).

Assisting patients in various ways, they assist patients in activities they cannot themselves. Three main focuses of a PCT is recording vital health information, collecting samples, and assisting patients (What is a Patient Care Technician 2). For instance shaving, getting out of bed, taking baths, brushing their teeth and hair, getting dressed, move around, and eating. The reason for all this is that PCT’s mainly assist patients can not do for their selves “special needs” while they are in the hospital or other facilities.

Also they must keep the patients room clean and sanitized at all times (What is a Patient Care Technician 3). When a patient needs direct intervention the PCT is the first responder. PCT must be able to work with patients that may be uncooperative due to stress and illness. One is expected to record a patients weight, height, blood pressure, body temperature, and medical history (What is a Patient Care Technician 3).

Accuracy and organization is the key factor . A patient care technician helps the patients to perform daily activities. A PCT visits the bedsides regularly, checking on Bickham 4

progress and making professional assessments to inform nurses and physicians of a patient’s mental and physical state. All these actions takes place on a daily bases. This field requires complete dedication and focus. Also samples of blood, stool, skin, urine, salvia is taken if instructed by the doctor. This field requires complete dedication and compassion. Being completely dedicated to the well-being of a patient is a PCT motto. (Patient Care Technician 3).Caring for a patient is a technique and art. Patients of different ailments need different kinds of care, The consideration might vary accordingly to what the patient or patients is suffering from. This is where the role of a patient care technician come into the scene. Acquiring the proper training in care can be great help to medical professionals in treating patients (Buzzle 1).

Most PCT tend to ill and injured intervals under the supervision of doctors and other medical professionals. It is important that a PCT be empathetic and attentive to a patient’s needs, but also responsive. Strong

communication, listening, interpersonal skills and good attentions are needed on a daily bases when a PCT is dealing with patients. PCT keeps tabs on patient’s health, development, behavior, and abnormalities (Patient Care Technician 1).

A patient care technician is the first responder when a patient is in need of direct intermediaries that’s the reason their trained to recognize when symptoms require more expert examination and diagnose. As the person who has the most interaction with a patient, these intermediaries track’s a patient’s condition and status on regular bases along with reporting progress. (Patient Care Technician 2.) Sense patient care technicians are members of medical teams that spends the most time with patients; it is important that they be empathetic and attentive to a patient’s needs. Also responsive, strong Bickham 5

interpersonal and communication skills, and good attention to details (Patient Care Technicians Skills 5).

As a patient car technician is one who will work in a health care facility and be required to wear a uniform or scrubs. One will be on her feet and actually serving their patients during their shift. So weekends and evening hours may be required. One’s job may be at a hospital, nursing home, long-term facility, veteran’s affair hospital, and private homes (Hall 2).

When searching for future careers and jobs, a person can find the amount of yearly, monthly, and even daily income being a huge factor in the selection process. Patient care technicians are the thirty second highest paying health care careers. Earning an average annual salary of 40,900, a PCT can make anywhere between 30,000 to 60,000 a year depending on the field one is in. On a daily bases a patient care technician makes sixteen dollars an hour (Patient Care Technician 2).

Also salaries depend on educational degree, work experience job location, and type of employment. A patient care technician’s job is one of the highest paying medical jobs today. One can work independently if desired or as an employee in a hospital (Patient Care Technician 1).Skills and training

in this field will takes one a long way, well one’s paycheck at least.

The future for aspiring Patient Care Technicians seems to be quite pleasant. There are currently approximately thousands of Patient Care Technicians and it seems that number is going to stay the same for some years if not decades. Because of the aging population, there are more opportunities for Patient Care Technicians being that the

Bickham 6

majority of patient care technicians work the elderly (Hall 1). Being a patient care technician is more than a job, it is a priority. A person that does not care for helping people, this is not the job for her. Doctoring patients back to health and helping those with special needs is the future of tomorrow. Dedication, accuracy, understanding, consistence, and motivation is all the key factors of being a successful patient care technician.