How to Become a Patient Care Technician
The patient care technician is a vital link in the whole-health experience that patients seek when needing medical attention. There are several routes to becoming a patient care technician, and depending on the state in which you live in, there could be different recognitions for this career. It is important to check with your states laws to find out what needs to be done specifically to pursue this career.
What is a Patient Care Technician?
Many states recognize the patient care technician as the same career as the certified nursing assistant. This career group offers highly skilled para-professionals who work under the direct supervision of a professional nurse. The patient care technician interacts directly with the patients in the scope of their duties.
Their work duties can be feeding and dressing the patient, checking pulse and blood pressure, taking temperatures and assisting patients in their mobility.
They can be employed in several areas including:
- Hospitals
- Nursing homes
- Home health care
- Doctor’s offices
- Rehabilitation hospitals
How to Become a Patient Care Technician
You will be required to have a high school diploma or a GED in order to proceed with education to become a patient care technician. Typically, there will be a certification process that the patient care technician must undergo with the state. Prior to that there will be education requirements, which could include college degrees or a vocational certificate specific to the nursing field. Each state sets its own requirements.
Skills Needed to Become a Patient Care Technician
In the circle of medical care professionals, often times it is the patient care technician who spends the most time with the patient forming a trusting bond that can help alleviate a patients fears when facing medical treatments. A patient care technician will benefit by being a people person who enjoys helping others. Being empathetic and attentive, in addition to have strong communication and listening skills will benefit the patient care technician. An attention to detail and high organizational skills also lend themselves to being strong characteristics of the patient care technician.