Top 10 Duties of a Patient Care Technician in the Field
A patient care technician is a member of the medical team who supports healthcare providers by performing various tasks that help patients receive better care. As a patient care technician, you have a lot of responsibilities. You are responsible for the care and safety of patients as well as providing support to nurses and doctors.
In this blog post, we will discuss the top 10 duties of a patient care technician in the field. We will also provide some tips on how to be successful in this role.
Make Sure the Patient Is Comfortable and Stable
Patients are sometimes not at their best. It’s up to you as a patient care technician to make sure they are comfortable, stable, and safe. They must also make sure they are calm, relaxed, and happy.
Taking and Recording Vital Signs
Vital signs include temperature, pulse, respiration, blood pressure, and oxygen saturation. They’re recorded at least every four hours; in some cases, patient care technicians may be asked to record them more frequently.
Vital signs are recorded in a patient’s chart for anyone who has access to the patient’s records (for example doctors, nurses). The information from these tests allows the medical team working with your patient to better understand his or her needs.
Assisting With Personal Hygiene and Ward Cleanliness
A patient care technician is responsible for helping a patient keep his or her personal hygiene up to par. This includes keeping the patient clean and presentable, as well as keeping their room tidy and organized. In addition, they will also be responsible for assisting with cleaning the bathroom on a daily basis.
It’s important that they remain aware of how they can assist their patient in maintaining good personal hygiene while they’re in the hospital or at home recovering from surgery. It’s also important that a patient care technician takes it upon himself to keep the patients’ surroundings clean so that other patients are able to recover without having any obstacles affecting their recovery time.
Move or Lift Up and Turn Over Bed-ridden Patients
The most important thing to remember is that you should always be aware of the patient’s comfort level and needs. Patient care technicians are not only responsible for helping patients who are bedridden (or wheelchair-bound), but they also help with their needs in other ways, such as when they’re sitting up while in bed. If a patient is having trouble lying down or turning over in bed, a PT can offer assistance by moving or lifting up and turning over the person as necessary.
Collect Samples for Lab Test
One of your primary duties as a patient care technician is to collect samples for lab tests. These samples are used to measure things like blood pressure or cholesterol levels and can be taken from blood, urine, or saliva.
It is important for patient care technicians to understand how each test works along with what the results mean.
Assisting With Medical Procedures
You will need to assist nurses and doctors with various medical procedures. This may include setting up equipment, preparing patients for procedures, and providing assistance during the procedure.
Administering Medications
You may be responsible for administering medications to patients. This includes giving them the correct dosage of medication at the correct time.
Assisting the Patient With Meals and Nutrition
In order to recover properly and function at their best, patients need to be eating the right foods in the right amounts at the right times. A patient care technician’s role is to see that this happens. They can help patients feel supported by encouraging them to eat a variety of different foods while they’re hospitalized so they can maintain their nutritional balance.
Attending Medical Emergencies
Having a basic knowledge of first aid and CPR is critical for any patient care technician, who is often the first person to arrive on the scene in a medical emergency.
A good PCT should also know how to use an AED (automated external defibrillator), because it can save lives by restarting hearts that have stopped due to cardiac arrest.
While learning how these machines work can be very useful in an emergency situation, keep in mind that they do not replace medical treatment by qualified personnel — they only restart hearts after they have stopped beating normally due to shock caused by heart disease or electrocution.
Provide Emotional Support to Patients and Their Families
As patient care technicians, they are responsible for providing emotional support to patients and their families. This may include comforting them when they’re upset or assisting them with mental health issues. In some cases, they may even have to take on the role of therapist or counselor if someone is experiencing severe anxiety or depression.
Summery
As a Patient Care Technician, your duties will vary depending on the facility you work in and its procedures. The majority of your time will be spent caring for patients, but you may also be responsible for other tasks as well. These tasks are the main ones that a Patient Care Technician performs on a daily basis:
- Taking vital signs
- Performing patient care activities, including bathing and feeding patients
- Monitoring pain levels in patients by administering medication when necessary or providing physical comfort such as holding hands or stroking backs
- Operating equipment such as ultrasound machines or defibrillators if required by their employer’s policies
Conclusion
The Patient Care Technician is a critical member of the healthcare team and is responsible for providing quality patient care. By understanding the top 10 duties of a Patient Care Technician, you can be better prepared to work in this field and provide the best possible care to your patients.
