What makes a good tech?

lkk0718 · Dec 10, 2011

What kind of hospital tech? Do you mean CNA? If so, being successful is about safety for the patient and yourself. Making sure that the needs of the patient are taken care of (ie ADL, ambulating, changing sheets, answering call lights, etc) in a timely fashion. Be polite and caring. When it gets quiet on the floor, find things to do.

I've seen techs that are rude, swear, and yell. The best I've seen are very compassionate, efficient, and confident.

in2ICU · Dec 10, 2011

I was a tech before I became a nurse. Duties vary a lot with that title. However, regardless of the requirements, I'd say there are 2 viewpoints you should consider:

A) Being a good tech (so you can get experience), and

B) just actually doing a really good job.

Usually, if you do a really good job then you'll get a lot more help from the nurses with regard to gaining skills/experience.

For option A:

-ask questions about everything. (What is this? Why is it set up this way? Is this supposed to look like this? ?????????)

-never assume

-look for opportunities to do basic nursing tasks

-assess patients (even though that's not your job - you can at least check 'em over and then look in the charting to see how your results match up to the nurse's findings)

-let everyone on the unit know that you want to learn things. I would come in to work and say "hey - we're covering GI right now in school so if anyone has anything interesting let me know!"

-look at meds that are hanging and get familiar with those

-look at labs in the chart to help you get used to normal/abnormal values

-assist with procedures, transfers, and anything that the unit secretary does

For option B:

-be proactive and stay busy - there is always something that needs to be done

-ask nurses if they need help with turns, if they need supplies

-let the nurse know to give you a heads up when they are going to bathe a patient so you can gather supplies and help out

-if it is your job to bathe the pt, then when you get ready to do it ask the nurse if he/she wants to see the pt's backside

-do the blood glucose checks as much as possible (inform nurse of the result)

-always advise the nurse if you can't perform a task

-go find the nurse if something doesn't look right with the patient

-be available (don't be hiding out somewhere)

-learn what the unit secretary does (so you can do it if there isn't one there)

That should pretty much cover your bases. I was a tech for 2 years on two units (an ICU and its stepdown). I got a job in the ICU out of school and thank goodness I learned so much in advance (while I was a tech). Good luck!

PeepnBiscuitsRN · Dec 10, 2011

All I ask from the PCA's I work with is to...well, work with me. I know most PCA's have their routine, just as I have mine, and so I like to work with them to make it a good shift. I can say certainly I love it when they're already ahead of me- they turn the person before I even vocera them to ask if they could help... I know that's not always the norm, but it's a nice surprise. The PCA's I work with are just awesome. I love 'em. I've heard about PCA's who balk when the nurse asks them to do something, or flat out throw it back in their face- some aides are never around (where the heck do they go?!) and you have to go on a wild goose chase to find them because the 240 lb man who can't bear weight on his legs has to go potty on the BSC...and he has to go NOW!

MyUserName,RN · Dec 10, 2011

If you want to be a good tech, you will be. I was a tech before becoming a nurse and I know it's not an easy job. I remember feeling like I was everybodies slave because some nurses ordered me around so much, yet I was always extremely busy doing bedbaths, cleaning up incontinent pts, vitals q4, and blood sugars before every meal. I worked on days as a tech and it was always nonstop, infact, I ran around more as a tech than now as a nurse. Don't get discouraged once you start. Nursing is very different than teching. Now I work nights on the same floor and it's much different for the techs (as most of them don't do much of anything) and for the nurses as well. I can also see it from the nurses point of view now and realize that for the most part, those nurses on days were so busy, they had no choice but to ask me to do things, albiet, they could have used a more appreciative tone at times, I do understand when things are hectic, you can't really help that sometimes.....

Anyways, to be a good tech, just be there, willing to help at all times you are available. Do your job. If they want you to give baths to patients, actually ask patients if they want baths and do it, if you need help, ask. If you notice a patients linens are dirty and their gown is soiled, go ahead and clean them up and change the linens, if you notice their water pitcher is empty and they don't have any cups, refill it. If you notice they are scrunched down in the bed have someone help you pull them up. If they are a total care, turn them and raise their heals off the bed, do mouth care for them and wash their hair....Most patients don't get these things, because nobody takes the initiative to do it. Just think of these patients as if they were your mother, how would you want them to be treated? Don't go hide somewhere in the hospital so you don't have to work. Don't hide in an empty room and sleep. Don't get an attitude if somebody asks you to do something. Don't sit around and text all night/day long. Don't turn off the ringer on your phone so when people call you, they won't be able to hear where you are....Yes, these are the things that our techs do, except for maybe 3 of them, who are rarely there because they are in nursing school. Main thing, just do the job you are asked to do without complaint and go above and beyond by offering to do things for the nurses when you aren't busy, even if it's not one of your assigned patients. If you have downtime, be available to help out when needed. If you do those things, you will do a great job and will be a prospect for hire once you graduate nursing school.

BriRN · Dec 10, 2011

I know it's probably out of your scope of practice, but a lot of our techs let our RNs know of crazy abnormal vital signs...

It's really helpful to be told of a blood pressure of 220/110 or an oxygen saturation of 65% when it is taken rather than two hours later when i find it in the computer!!

BriRN · Dec 10, 2011

by the way, good luck!!!

and definitelytell the RNs you are in school and that if there is anything interesting to see, you'd want to!

When i was a tech, the supervisors let me take an intubation tube out of a woman that had passed away in the ER b/c she knew I was in school. Great experiences!

MrWarmHearted · Dec 10, 2011

agreed with above - you should ALWAYS report things that do not "seem" right - vitals, patient's appearances or acting strange (or the family acting strangely) . . . don't fret about it - you probably learned these things in nursing school. Don't be a lazy tech though - there's always something to do/help/learn.

DixieRedHead, ASN, RN · Dec 10, 2011

Be respectful, be respectable= be respected. Nursing assistants are professionals and should act and be treated as such.

NoviceRN10 · Dec 10, 2011

I know it's probably out of your scope of practice, but a lot of our techs let our RNs know of crazy abnormal vital signs...
It's really helpful to be told of a blood pressure of 220/110 or an oxygen saturation of 65% when it is taken rather than two hours later when i find it in the computer!!

Why would it be out of a tech's scope of practice to inform the nurse of abnormal vitals, it is their job! I hate it when the nurse aides sit on information like that and I don't see it till I have time to puruse the charts. We have a new nurse on our unit who continually complains to me how the techs (nurse students) and aides seem to want to tell her what is going on, or butt into the patient's care; what she doesn't realize is that these staff are trying to help her (and this nurse needs the help!). I welcome other people's input, especially those who are currently in school and some stuff is fresher in their mind than mine.

RedCarnation · Dec 31, 2011

Thanks for the detailed answers!

Those are awesome tips that I will do my best to follow!!