The healthcare sector has experienced rapid growth in recent years, particularly in the post-Covid era. Governments worldwide have recognized the necessity of a strong healthcare system to safeguard lives during crises.
Simultaneously, individuals have become more aware and proactive in seeking timely medical assistance, prioritizing constant health monitoring and expert guidance.
Healthcare extends beyond physicians and nurses; numerous professionals work tirelessly to save lives daily. Patient care technicians specialize in monitoring and managing the technical aspects of a patient’s health.
As per the report by the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, the employment of patient care technicians will grow by 5% from 2021 to 2031. These statistics show the career popularity of patient care technicians.
With the industry’s expansion, there is a significant rise in demand for these skilled technicians. The patient care technician job description includes many responsibilities. Let’s explore them.
Patient Care Technician’s Job Description & Responsibilities
If you wish to take up a technician job as a career option, you must first understand what PCTs do in detail. Below are the key responsibilities that every technician is expected to fulfill:
- Maintaining hygiene in the patient’s room.
- Helping patients with tasks in their daily routine, like using the restroom or feeding, is a part of the technician’s responsibilities.
- Keeping track of health conditions regularly, including pulse or temperature checks, EKG signals, etc.
- Maintaining a proper diet routine that would support the recovery process.
- Collect and provide samples for lab testing whenever required.
- Administering basic treatment like medicines, dressing, and more.
- Keeping check on healthcare supplies like bandages, medicines, etc.
- Coordinating with a doctor to achieve better results.
- Creating a compassionate environment for the patient.
- Assisting the patient in therapies or exercises as suggested by doctors.
- Conveying and discussing challenges and concerns that patient faces in daily routine with the health professional to find better solutions that may support quick recovery.
The above job description indicates how crucial the role of a patient care technician is. It will help if you are flexible and passionate about it to have a successful technician career.
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Types of Patient Care Technicians
A medical care technician’s responsibilities encompass various areas, including specialization. Patient care technicians, for instance, have focused duties in hospitals, clinics, specialized medical setups, or in providing home care to patients. You would need to undergo a specialized patient care technician training program to pursue a career as the following technician:
Dialysis technician
Dialysis is a challenging and crucial healthcare service that requires dedication and effort. As a dialysis technician, you are responsible for handling the treatment process for patients with kidney ailments.
Kidney failure is fatal and regular dialysis is the only way to prevent the situation from worsening. So, you can expect to deal with nervous patients with several questions and fears.
Therefore, you must provide them with the right treatment and make them feel comfortable and secure. You need to ensure that all the equipment is properly sterilized after each dialysis to prevent infection from one patient to another.
If you wish to pursue a dialysis patient care technician career, you should be prepared to deal with many patients daily.
Emergency room medical technician
As the name suggests, you will deal with critical cases that require quick and effective treatment. The environment tends to be tense, and you must act proactively to save lives. You are expected to jot down information like health history, medical concerns, and vital signs to help doctors decide the right treatment plan.
Telemetry patient care technician
Wondering what a patient care technician does in this healthcare category? The technicians perform an electrocardiogram (EKG or ECG) to monitor heartbeat patterns.
Also, they need to report any abnormalities or changes in the patient’s heartbeat immediately to the doctor to ensure timely action. This type of technician usually works in hospital or clinic setups.
Hospital medical care technician
A hospital medical care technician is the most common yet crucial patient care technician program. You are responsible for helping patients with tasks like wound care, noting vital signs, grooming, and maintaining the personal hygiene of patients admitted to the hospital for treatment.
You also need to maintain records with details of the recovery process, which the doctor considers to decide on further action plans. It can be tiring yet satisfying if you are committed to your job. As a hospital technician, you work in shifts.
Phlebotomist
A Phlebotomist is a specialized medical care technician who collects blood samples of patients for testing. The technician also assists doctors in blood transfusion treatments.
Rehabilitation medical care technician
Rehabilitation is an important process in healthcare. As a rehab technician, you must assess the patient’s health issues and design a recovery plan.
The treatment includes physical therapies, muscle stimulation, and exercises to facilitate better mobility. Rehab technicians work in various healthcare settings, such as drug rehab centers and mental hospitals. Their training enables them to aid in behavioural stabilization.
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Skillset to be a Proficient Medical Technician
You get to choose what role you wish to play as a patient care technician. The demand for efficient technicians has been increasing, and more people are showing interest in building careers in this segment. Therefore, competition is tough; you must ensure you have the right skill set to excel and be a proficient technician. Here are some important technical and workplace skills you should have:
- Capable of monitoring patients’ vital signs and rendering the right analysis to the concerned health professional.
- Basic tasks like blood sample collection, blood pressure monitoring, heartbeat assessment, etc.
- Appropriate knowledge of equipment like needles, catheters, IVs, etc.
- Skills like bandaging, feeding, and personal hygiene.
- Empathetic toward patients to build a strong bond, ensuring better assistance in treatment.
- Keen observer to understand the patient’s needs and behavior.
- Interpersonal skills help the technician to interact well with the patient to understand the issues better.
- Responsiveness so that quick decisions can be taken in case of emergency.
- Good communication skills ensure that the technician can effectively convey his analysis to the nurse and doctor.
- Physical strength since being a healthcare technician demands working long hours and at odd times.
- Patience with people since a technician has to deal with many people in a single day if he works in a clinic or hospital.
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How to Become a Patient Care Technician?
To pursue a career as a PCT, it’s important to know the roadmap to success. This includes completing a PCT training program and obtaining certification. Courses cover important topics such as physiology, anatomy, medical laws, and pharmacology, giving you a comprehensive understanding of the field. Key skills, such as record management, are emphasized to ensure effective performance as a PCT.
A well-designed PCT program trains candidates in skills like CPR, EKG, wound bandaging, sanitization, sterilization, first aid, catheterization, and other treatments. Further, you can opt for specialized training to work as a technician in a specific department like telemetry, dialysis, phlebotomy, etc. Such specialized training programs will help you get a job in a good healthcare organization. At the course’s end, candidates must pass an exam to be certified medical care technicians.
Once you complete the PCT training program, you will know the best places to work as a patient care technician. The choice would entirely depend on how you wish to pursue your career in the future.
While some professionals prefer working in hospitals and healthcare centers, others are compassionate about helping individuals heal and, therefore, opt to be medical technicians for patients at home.
While working as a trained medical technician, you can pursue additional studies. Gaining practical on-the-job experience fosters an inclusive comprehension of technical concepts. Consider certifications as a nurse or pursuing a medical degree.
Read More:- How To Become A Patient Care Technician?
How to Choose the Best College for PCT?
Once you have decided to pursue a patient care technician as a career, it is time to select a college or university that offers the best training program. When you start searching for courses, you will come across different institutions which may confuse you.
Remember, choosing a good training school is crucial as it would mark a difference in the later part of your career. Here are some tips on choosing the best college with the least effort:
- Search for colleges that offer the desired course and shortlist the top-rated institutes.
- Note down the details of the training program offered by each college for easy comparison.
- Compare the course structure and topics the institute will cover during the program.
- Look for information that states past college records, like success rate, placements, associations with healthcare organizations, etc. It is great if a college offers internships with hospitals as this will help you understand the practical aspects of medical care in a better way.
- Once you have shortlisted and compared the courses, check the fee structure to make a better choice.
- You could also opt for online courses, as several reputed institutions have started offering training programs where you can attend classes and sessions online. Many candidates have begun opting for such programs recently.
- You should also check out reviews of students enrolled in the PCT training program from the college you have shortlisted.
We at AIHT Education offer a comprehensive patient care training program for medical students. If you want to become a successful patient care technician then reach out to us for more information.
Key Takeaways
A patient care technician has a vital role in the healthcare industry, and thus, you should opt for it as a career only when you are ready to take up the challenge. There will be days when you must work tirelessly, helping patients in critical condition. Therefore, you should be focused on delivering your best. Persistence is the key to being an efficient healthcare technician.
As the healthcare industry expands, demand for patient care technicians is destined to increase. So, start your journey towards a bright career as a medical technician and take pride in the fact that you will save lives every day.
FAQs
Q1) What is the role of PCT?
The patient care technician’s job description and role include many responsibilities. Patient care involves daily or weekly monitoring based on the patient’s health condition. Patients tend to depend on the technicians both functionally and emotionally. Hence, this role is very crucial.
Q2) What do you need to be a patient care technician?
You require at least a high school diploma to become a patient care technician and a CPR (Cardiopulmonary resuscitation) certification.
Q3) What are the top skills of a patient care technician?
The skills and tasks involve blood sample collection, blood pressure monitoring, heartbeat assessment, handling needles, catheters, IVs, bandaging, feeding, and personal hygiene. It calls for a lot of patience, vigilance, and reactiveness.
Q4) What are the two functions of PCT?
The two major functions of PCT include measuring a patient’s vital signs and monitoring the health of the patients they serve.
Q5) What is the position of PCT?
Patient care technicians (PCT) work in medical-care facilities, where they execute nursing tasks and assist patients with their everyday necessities.
