Patient care is part of the ever growing health care field. It is becoming extremely important. A patient care technician (PCT) helps by making sure that many of the patient’s needs are handled promptly and professionally.
A trip to the doctor or a hospital stay can be very worrisome for some people. The PCT can help alleviate much of this worry for patients and their family members. These valuable members of the health team are also going to be performing a number of health care related duties.
As a patient care technician, you would be charged with helping people perform daily living chores such as bathing, eating, walking or getting from a bed to a chair. These are normally considered ADL responsibilities or activities of daily life in a hospital or nursing home setting. When a person becomes too old or too ill to handle these normal activities it is usually the technician who will help them.
A PCT will help check and deliver the trays of food to patients. They will also be able to change a simple bandage and check a patient’s vital signs. Assisting patients with mobility issues is also part of the work assignment a patient care technician will be called to perform.
When you are ready to make the move into this new health career, you should investigate a nice program that trains individuals to become PCTs. The program and courses will give you the background and skills needed to qualify for one of these jobs.
As a new graduate you can apply for a certified nursing assistant diploma. You will be granted this type of professional designation once you have taken and passed the final exam for certified nursing assistants.
To apply for a job as a patient care technician, you will need to complete the required course. These types of courses are offered at community colleges and many of them are now available online.
You do not need to have any other past work experience to qualify for a position as a PCT. Today many clinics, nursing homes, retirement homes and hospitals are searching for skilled technicians to add to their staff.
As a patient care technician in the real world you may decide to use this job as an entry level position. You already have the skills, knowledge and practical experience that will make it easy for you to move on from a PCT position into a career such as an LPN or RN with just a little more education.