Patient Care Technician

Every shift starts differently. You can arrive ten minutes early one day and be immediately put to work, or not have a single thing to do until you have been working for an hour. Every individual has their own “system” for how they begin the day. This will also depend on how the previous shift ended. The first concern of patient care technicians is the vitals of every patient. These will be needed to be reported to the nurse as well as the doctors. If the shift before was not hectic some technicians have already completed this task for every patient as a sign of respect and courtesy for the following technician. The incoming team will appreciate this immensely.

On floors and patients who suffer from “sliding scale” diabetes the amount of sugar in the blood must be considered before the patient can consume any food. You can go in and ask patients when they order their trays for breakfast or you can wait until dietary brings the individual trays up. As long as the blood is tested before any consummation of food the patient should not have a “sugar attack.” The nurse will determine if insulin is needed in any situation and will administer it herself.

After breakfast you must record the amount of food and beverages consumed for the patient report. This will be a chart that is considered if the patient becomes ill or when they are being considered for discharge from the hospital. Many patients like to receive their baths after breakfast and before lunch. Some patients are very independent and require only minimal help when bathing. Other patients require you to give them a bath while they are still in bed. Any way that you are helping the patient you should still help them to receive their privacy and independence as much as possible.

Before patients reenter their beds the sheets should be changed so they have clean linens to lie on. If you have another technician help with this process it takes a significantly less amount of time. Dirty linens should be rolled into the fitted sheet along with pillowcases and placed into a disposable plastic bag. You may place this bag on the floor out of the patient and your way to avoid the risk of falling. The bed should be remade with the fitted sheet being put down first followed by a “draw sheet,” this is used to “draw” the patient up into the bed when they move too far down into the bed. The next item is the pad. This is used on every bed and is placed where if the patient cannot make it to the restroom in time and has an accident in the bed. A small sheet is draped over the bed with the bottom tucked under the bed to give the patient a small cover to remain comfortable. A thicker blanket is placed on the top and then the blankets are pulled back so they patient can easily get into the bed and cover up.

By the time that all patients have been bathed and their linens changed it is time for lunch. All patients must again have their blood sugar checked. Patients who have a required every four hour vital check must also be completed by this time. When patients have completed their lunch you must again record the amount of the meal that was consumed. Any patient that had not received a bath before lunch should now be given one with their consent. Their linens should be changed as well. If there is ever another technician, nurse, or doctor in need of your help you should always help them because this is a practice that will also be given with you. To gain respect you must earn respect by respecting others. This includes your patients and doctors. All vitals should be completed before you leave for the day leaving the technician following you in a positive setting when they arrive at work.