What Are the Skills And Responsibilities of a Patient Care Aide, and How Do I Become One?

From hospitals to nursing homes to home healthcare services, the healthcare business is always in need of caring, compassionate individuals who live to help others. If you are seeking a new opportunity in healthcare and enjoy working closely with patients, becoming a patient care aide may be the profession for you. The information provided here will teach you all you need to know about being a patient care aide, including the educational requirements, certifications, day-to-day responsibilities, and how to enroll in the patient care training program in Staten Island. Just look around!

Job responsibilities of patient care aide –

Various day-to-day responsibilities that patient care aides can perform are –

• Performing basic medical procedures like measuring and recording vital signs, like temperature, pulse, and blood pressure.

• Collecting various samples, including blood, urine, and stool samples, and delivering them to the lab for testing.

• Assisting patients with physical activity and basic mobility needs, including getting out of bed and walking to the bathroom.

• Helping patients with their daily routine tasks, like getting dressed or eating meals.

• Escorting patients to an X-ray room or when getting discharged from the hospital or clinic.

• Listening to patients’ concerns and reporting them to nurses or various other colleagues.

• Helping patients with personal hygiene, like bathing or using the restroom.

How to become a patient care aide?

Below are some steps to become a patient care aide and work directly with patients in an entry-level position by completing the course in just a few months.

Step 1 – Obtaining your high school diploma.

Gaining your high school diploma is the first step towards a fulfilling new profession in the healthcare industry. Most of the patient care training programs in Staten Island require a high school diploma or GED before you can begin your patient care training.

Step 2 – Begin a training program.

Finding and completing an approved training program is the next stage in a patient care aide's career path. During this training program, you will learn more about the human body, its function, and the purpose of each system. In this training program, you will be introduced to the essential medical terms and to the different roles medical professionals will play in serving their patients. Most importantly, you will be taught the basics of phlebotomy, hematology, EKGs, physical therapy, respiratory therapy, and more. Moreover, you can learn the hands-on skills essential to providing the best care possible for your patients.

Step 3 – Receive your certification.

While licensing requirements may vary from state to state, getting certified by a nationally recognized credentialing organization is a fantastic way to show employers you have mastered the essential skills to be an excellent patient care aide. You need to pass this exam before you can be hired for this job, and you can’t take the exam without first passing the training program. Once you receive your certification, you will be ready to search for an entry-level position.

Step 4 – Apply for a patient care aide position.

Once you have finished the patient care training and passed the required certification exam, it is time to start looking for and applying for a patient care aide position. Before applying for this, you will need to create a comprehensive resume that clearly describes your education, training, experience, and skills in concise language that aligns your qualifications with the expectations of the job role.

Skills needed to become a patient care aide –

Patient care aides will learn most of the essential skills for this job position as part of their education program and certification preparation. However, to be an effective patient care aide also requires skills that they can learn outside of the field. Below are some most relevant and essential skills that patient care aides should develop –

Communication – As patient care aides work directly with patients regularly, so, it is essential to make sure that they have a positive experience. As they also need to communicate patient status and changes in health to doctors, nurses, and various other medical staff. These tasks may need the professional to adapt their communication style to obtain and relay information effectively.

Patience – The daily day-to-day tasks like feeding, bathing, and providing other types of essential care often need a high level of patience, especially if the patient is in pain or uncooperative. Patient care aides must be able to perform these tasks accurately and adequately.

Compassion – As these professionals regularly work with patients who are sick, injured, and sometimes elderly. Interacting with and caring for these patients adequately needs compassion and empathy. Compassion is also essential when addressing patient families who may be distraught or distracted due to their loved one’s health.

Physical stamina – Being a patient care aide is a physically demanding job. These healthcare professionals spend much of their workday on their feet, and the job can also require them to lift and move patients. Regular exercise, proper nutrition, and sufficient sleep can help patient care aides maintain their health and enhance their endurance and stamina.

So, the mentioned above is some information that one needs to have to become a certified patient care aide. If you are looking for an accredited patient care training school in New York to enroll in a patient care training program to start your professional journey as a certified patient care assistant, then consult our dedicated team at Royal Learning Institute. Contact our career specialist at (347) 658-3774 for expert guidance today!