Can a Patient Care Tech work in Labor & Delivery & Postpartum?

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Hello,

I am currently in school studying to be a Patient Care Technician. We we're given several areas that a Patient Care Tech can work and asked to do an essay on the employment we would like to obtain. Labor and Delivery and Postpartum is one of them and that's the one I chose. Unfortunately, I have been searching all day for job openings for my essay and I can't find any job openings. Does hospitals in Ohio hire Patient Care Techs in the Labor and Delivery and Postpartum department? I need to know the job duties for mom and baby. I appreciate any information you can provide. Thank you so much for your help.

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I'm not in Ohio, but on my floor we do have them. They mainly deliver snacks and ice to patients, record the adult vitals, I&os, remove catheters, transport babies to and from the nursery, they can bathe the babies though usually the nurse does it, weight the moms, take discharges down. My old hospital they also do glucose checks but can't at my current hospital. Also, sometimes on slow nights, they will help with our fussy babies so the nurses can do patient care without worrying about leaving a screaming baby. Other than that, they are answering phones and doing charts for us, including putting orders in. I love my PCTs, it really allows us more time for our duties!

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Specializes in ER.

I've seen unit clerks in L&D around where I live in that state but the busier ones may hire pcts. I've really seen postings for a HUC/PCT for L&D.

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Specializes in Nurse Leader specializing in Labor & Delivery.

In my experience, not in L&D, but certainly on Mother/Baby units. They do vitals on the moms, empty foley bags, help with ambulation. Sometimes they're also trained as scrub techs and assist during C/S.

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Thank you so much for all your information :up:. I couldn't find any job posting, so this is VERY helpful. It sounds like a PCT really doesn't assist in delivery? Just labor and postpartum with mom and baby, right? Thanks a bunch for taking the time to help me. Truly appreciated :)

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Thank you for your quick reply. Do you work in a Ohio hospital? I know you said you've rarely seen postings for a PCT in L&D, but when you did see it? Do you remember what the job description was? Does PCT's work with mom and baby after labor in your hospital or any other hospital that you know of? Thank you so much for your help :)

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Thanks a bunch for your response. With all these responses. I can finally get started with my essay :)

Do you know what a PCT does to help with ambulations, scrub techs and assisting with C/S? My essay requires me to write in depth a description of what a PCT's responsibilities is and why it is important? Any additional information would be very helpful. Thank you again and looking forward to your response.

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Specializes in Nurse Leader specializing in Labor & Delivery.

They will assist women who have had c-sections with getting out of bed, walking up and down the hallway. They might help them wheel the IV pole, or hold the foley bag for them, and just walk next to their side in case the patient gets dizzy.

As far as being a scrub tech - they scrub in with the surgeons, set up the instruments, and stand at the surgeon's side, handing him/her the instruments as they need them.

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Oh my gosh. You have no idea how thankful I am for all the information you and others have given me. I would have had to change my area of work essay without all of your help. Also, this tells me how nice and appreciative nurses are to PCT's. I can't wait to work with you :) Again, thank you sooo MUCH :inlove:

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