Patient care technicians are a job with growing employment, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. There are some great employment opportunities for this type of work, but it does require some specific skills.
Qualities for Succeeding as a Patient Care Technician
Check out the skills necessary to be a good patient care technician below to see if you have what it takes.
- Medical/Technical Skills – Technical medical skills will be important to have as a patient care technician. You will need to know medical basics such as taking vitals, administering first aid, giving EKGs, and performing basic medical tests. You can learn these skills through a patient care technician program. This type of program will teach you all about basic medical care and proper patient care. Your schooling will also help you pass your certification exam to become a patient care technician.
- Knowledge of Medical Care – In addition to having the medical skills necessary to perform basic patient care, a patient care technician also needs knowledge of medicine and medical care. As a patient care technician, you will be working in a long-term healthcare facility. This means that many of your patients will be struggling with a specific medical condition or issue. You will need to have knowledge of that medical condition so that you can talk with patients about it as well as talking with their families about it. Having the basic knowledge of the medical condition and the care needed will help you be better for that particular patient.
- Communication Skills – Another essential skill to have as a patient care technician is great communication. Communication is necessary as a patient care technician for several reasons. First, you need to be able to communicate effectively with your patients. You may have to talk with them to determine if they are having specific health problems, and you will have to communicate to them about how to solve these problems. Communication will also be important because you will be communicating with doctors and nurses. You will have to communicate with other medical professionals about medications, patient symptoms, and more.
- Physical Stamina – Physical endurance and strength will also be an important skill and ability to build up to work as a patient care technician. Your job will demand that you are on your feet a lot. You will also need to be ready to move or lift patients in the event of a problem or emergency, so you will need to have a certain amount of physical strength. This is an active job, which can be good for your overall health and well-being, but it is something that is important to remember.
- Compassion for Patients – It will also be essential to have compassion for your patients. As a patient care technician, you will be in the business of helping others with their everyday life and their overall health. Having compassion and empathy for these people will make you better able to do your job. Showing compassion will also help you connect better with your patients, and it will allow them to trust and confide in you more.
- Organizational Skills – Another skill to have as a patient care technician will be the ability to stay organized. Organizational skills will play an important role in your work as a patient care technician. As a patient care technician, you will work with multiple patients every day. This means you will have to be organized about seeing each patient and giving them what they need. You will also have to be organized when it comes to providing medical care or medication. As a patient care technician, you will also occasionally have to fill out paperwork or medical information for a client; this too will require strong organizational skills.
Do you have all the skills and qualities listed above? These are some of the essential skills required to be a successful patient care technician. However, if you do not have these skills yet, you do not have to worry. Patient care technician school can help you build up each and every one of these skills so that you can be prepared to work as a patient care technician.
FVI or FVI School of Nursing and Technology has a patient care technician program that you can attend. This program will help you build the skills above, and it will help you pass your certification exam to become a patient care technician. Working as a patient care technician can be a very rewarding job because you are helping others with their health and well-being. If this career interests you, you can learn more by requesting more information on our admissions page.
For more information about graduation rates, the median debt of students who completed the program, and other important information, please visit our website:
https://fvi.edu/consumer-information/
