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Patient care technician skills for your resume and career

Updated January 8, 2025
5 min read
Quoted experts
Janice Nash,
Amy Bruce
Patient care technician example skills
Below we've compiled a list of the most critical patient care technician skills. We ranked the top skills for patient care technicians based on the percentage of resumes they appeared on. For example, 23.8% of patient care technician resumes contained patients as a skill. Continue reading to find out what skills a patient care technician needs to be successful in the workplace.

15 patient care technician skills for your resume and career

1. Patients

Here's how patient care technicians use patients:
  • Managed medical/patient records for four pharmacies as well as counseled patients on medication interactions and insurance procedures.
  • Cared for adolescence - geriatrics patients with varied mental and physical disabilities

2. Vital Signs

Vital signs are a set of values indicating different body systems' performance. They are measurements of the body's most basic functions. The four major vital signs used in medicine to assess a patient are body temperature, pulse rate, respiration rate, and blood pressure.

Here's how patient care technicians use vital signs:
  • Record accurate and timely information regarding vital signs and also be responsible for accurate documentation of findings.
  • Monitored/recorded vital signs, assisted physicians with medical exams, and recorded patient prognosis and treatment

3. Phlebotomy

Here's how patient care technicians use phlebotomy:
  • Position provides direct patient care limited to non-invasive procedures, unless specifically certified in phlebotomy.
  • Performed phlebotomy and specimen collection according to facility policies and state regulations.

4. CPR

Cardiopulmonary resuscitation or CPR is a medical procedure that involves chest compression to help a patient breathe. This artificial ventilation helps in keeping the brain function in place and regulates blood throughout the body. CPR is a lifesaving procedure that is used in emergencies.

Here's how patient care technicians use cpr:
  • Committed to health and safety standards-Empathetic and approachable-Successful completion of PCT training program with certification is required CPR certified
  • Adhered to hospital policies and standards by completing annual computerized educational courses and maintaining CPR certification

5. Direct Patient Care

Here's how patient care technicians use direct patient care:
  • Provided direct patient care on a 16-bed Intensive Psychiatric Treatment Unit and performed Psycho-Social evaluations for Emergency Department patients.
  • Assisted with a variety of direct/indirect patient care activities on busy Medical Surgical/Trauma unit.

6. Customer Service

Customer service is the process of offering assistance to all the current and potential customers -- answering questions, fixing problems, and providing excellent service. The main goal of customer service is to build a strong relationship with the customers so that they keep coming back for more business.

Here's how patient care technicians use customer service:
  • Provided quality customer service by making patients feel comfortable during treatments while monitoring for medical complications and technical problems.
  • Chart data into computerized record with exceptional customer service and adhering to all safety and infection control policies.

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7. Blood Pressure

Here's how patient care technicians use blood pressure:
  • Maintained written reports and monitored assigned patients' blood pressure and heart rate using electrocardiogram equipment during diagnostic and therapeutic procedures.
  • Monitor patient's biophysical parameters, including body temperature, blood pressure and level of clearance achieved during dialysis therapy.

8. Direct Supervision

Direct supervision is a term used to indicate that a person is supervising a certain task or a certain person while being physically present or in close proximity. It refers to the presence of a person and the availability of their supervision in something if it is needed.

Here's how patient care technicians use direct supervision:
  • Performed assigned patient care duties and responsibilities and assisted licensed nursing staff under direct supervision of Patient Care Manager.
  • Conducted maintenance therapy programs established by therapists and under the direct supervision of therapists.

9. Patient Rooms

In a healthcare facility, the rooms that are specifically designed to provide a healthy and nurturing environment to a patient are called patient rooms. Patient rooms are equipped with all the basic medical appliances such as patient beds, ventilators, electrocardiograms, etc. Patients prior to or after surgery reside in the patient rooms that helps in recovering the health to normal.

Here's how patient care technicians use patient rooms:
  • Maintained a safe environment and minor housekeeping in patient rooms
  • Prepare and assist in the set up and cleanup of the patient room, including removing bedding and discarding used supplies.

10. Patient Treatment

Here's how patient care technicians use patient treatment:
  • Reviewed patient treatment sheets for completeness and ensured nursing signatures were documented and ensured omitted entries were completed or corrected.
  • Provided directed patient care for assigned patients; ensured accurate documentation of information related to the patient treatment.

11. EKG

Here's how patient care technicians use ekg:
  • Provided first response to any critical cardiac emergency registered in EKG monitor.
  • Delivered EKG information to Cardiologist for final interpretation.

12. Medical Equipment

Medical equipment refers to apparatus for use in medical procedures.

Here's how patient care technicians use medical equipment:
  • Maintain documentations for patient health history and treatment information, Set-up, operate and, maintain medical equipment effectively.
  • Provided indirect patient care including cleaning and sanitizing medical equipment and transporting patient specimens to clinical laboratories.

13. Patient Care

Patient care entails the diagnosis, recovery, and control of sickness as well as the maintenance of physical and emotional well-being through the use of healthcare providers' services. Patient care is described as services provided to patients by health practitioners or non-professionals under guidance.

Here's how patient care technicians use patient care:
  • Provide high-quality patient care as a Patient Care Technician\CNA within surgical, acute-care, rehabilitation.
  • Demonstrate competence in providing quality patient care, preparing and administering medications.

14. Catheter

Here's how patient care technicians use catheter:
  • Assisted patients during discharge process including peripheral IV and urinary catheter removal.
  • Qualified to perform patient care responsibilities on catheter patients.

15. Home Health

Here's how patient care technicians use home health:
  • Motivated and resourceful Certified Nursing Technician with experience in providing compassionate and professional care both acute care settings and home health.
  • Home Health Care - Mr. Brinkley is a paraplegic requiring help with ADL's, bathing and wheel chair transfers.
top-skills

What skills help Patient Care Technicians find jobs?

Tell us what job you are looking for, we’ll show you what skills employers want.

What skills stand out on patient care technician resumes?

Janice NashJanice Nash LinkedIn profile

Professor, Director of the Undergraduate Nursing Program, Carlow University

Graduates who had internships or experience working in healthcare in addition to the required clinical courses are at an advantage. An applicant who highlights their ability to work collaboratively as part of a team and problem-solve will be noticed.

What patient care technician skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?

Amy BruceAmy Bruce LinkedIn profile

Chair, Program Director, University of Charleston

If a gap year is taken in nursing school, the student should try to work as a Certified Nurse Assistant or Nurse Extern. This will keep them in the field and keep their experiences and current knowledge fresh until he or she can return to school.

What type of skills will young patient care technicians need?

Dr. Linda RoneyDr. Linda Roney LinkedIn profile

Associate Professor, Fairfield University

New graduates need to have excellent leadership and communication skills, especially during times of uncertainty. For example, many of our 2019 graduates were deployed to float to areas of need throughout the pandemic. Because they had full, personal protective equipment on, their new work area could not read facial expressions or body language to try to guess the nurse's level of comfort with their new setting. They had to quickly learn to speak up about what their learning needs were, and how to best advocate for their patients.

What soft skills should all patient care technicians possess?

Robyn Tarpley

Director of Health and Medical Sciences, Pennsylvania Institute of Technology

Patient Care, communication skills, phone etiquette, critical thinking.

What hard/technical skills are most important for patient care technicians?

Robyn Tarpley

Director of Health and Medical Sciences, Pennsylvania Institute of Technology

The ability to be 9 knowing all aspects of working in a Dr's office from meeting and greeting, collecting patient history, drawing labs, ECG) essentially being well rounded.

List of patient care technician skills to add to your resume

Patient care technician skills

The most important skills for a patient care technician resume and required skills for a patient care technician to have include:

  • Patients
  • Vital Signs
  • Phlebotomy
  • CPR
  • Direct Patient Care
  • Customer Service
  • Blood Pressure
  • Direct Supervision
  • Patient Rooms
  • Patient Treatment
  • EKG
  • Medical Equipment
  • Patient Care
  • Catheter
  • Home Health
  • Lab Specimens
  • Rehabilitation
  • Patient Care Tech
  • Infection Control
  • Patient Safety
  • Physician Orders
  • Hemodialysis
  • IV
  • Quality Care
  • Compassion
  • Telemetry
  • Specimen Collection
  • Restraints
  • Oncology
  • EMR
  • Basic Math
  • Data Entry
  • Oral Care
  • Emergency Situations
  • HIPAA
  • Bed Linens
  • ADL
  • Phone Calls
  • Patient Education
  • Blood Samples
  • Catheter Care
  • Dialysis Treatment
  • Math
  • ICU
  • Cleanliness
  • Resuscitation
  • Dexterity
  • Nursing Home
  • Compression Devices

Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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