PATIENT CARE TECH

Patient Care Tech

A Patient Care Technician, or PCT, works with nurses and doctors to care for patients. Some of the tasks they do are:

• Check things like temperature, heartbeat, and breathing.
• Help patients move around, get dressed, and eat.
• Collect samples like urine.
• Report any changes in a patient's condition to a nurse.
• Help with patient walks, hygiene, weighing patients, vitals

The PCT works under the supervision of the nurse, which means the nurse makes sure they are doing things safely and correctly. Sometimes, the PCT might also be called a Patient Care Technician/Unit Clerk assist with the paperwork and other tasks that keep the hospital running smoothly, which also enables patients to receive the best care possible.

PCT's are essential members of the healthcare team who help patients feel better and get healthy again!

Education: You'll need a high school diploma or GED.

Training: You'll need to get a BLS CPR certificate. If you don't already have it, they can teach you how to do CPR at your orientation too (so you don't need to do it beforehand).

Experience: No previous job experience is required, but you should have one of the following:

• Finished STNA, CNA, or Patient Care Technician/Assistant training.
• Helped care for patients in the past 5 years (like taking their temperature, bathing them, or helping them use the restroom)
• Currently in nursing school and finished one clinical rotation.

Other Skills:

• You can handle doing many things simultaneously, even when people interrupt you, and still be nice.
• You know how to use a computer.
• You're good at organizing things.
• You can talk and listen well to others.
• Bonus points: You've worked in a hospital before.