Role of Patient Care Tech

Patient care technicians are health-care professionals who typically work in hospitals, nursing homes, clinics and long-term care facilities. Patient care technicians are very involved in all aspects of patient care, thus they are responsible for numerous roles.

Job Description

Patient care technicians work under the supervision of doctors and nurses to provide medical and other various care to patients and their families.

Skills Used

Patient care technicians must have good people skills, as almost 100 percent of their job deals with working with patients, their families, nurses, doctors and other various medical staff. Patient care technicians are taught simple medical procedures to better assist nurses and doctors in caring for patients.

Patient Care

Patient care technicians interact with patients by helping them with personal hygiene, serving them food and feeding them, moving and transporting them, taking vital signs and monitoring their condition, as well as helping nurses and doctors during examination and surgery.

Non-Patient Care

When not helping patients, patient care technicians clean and sterilize patients' rooms. They run errands, change bed sheets, make and answer phone calls, perform various clerical duties and set up exam rooms with supplies.

Other Duties

For the most part, along with the other roles they are responsible for, patient care techs serve as a companion for patients. They may play games with the patient, go for walks or just listen to patients tell stories. They also help educate the family on the patient's condition and treatment, as well as teach patients proper care for when they return home.

References

• Patient care technicians
• Patient care technician
• Job duties

Resources

• Nurse assistant job description