Hospital pre-employment PCT skills validation

[berttravels]

Hello everyone,

I recently was offered an opportunity as a critical care PCT. I took a 45-question computer test which I passed. Now I have to take a skills validation before beginning orientation. I asked HR what to expect and they just told me to "be familiar with everything". Anyone care to share what their experience was like? I am a nursing student with a CNA certification, but no phlebotomy or EKG experience.

Thanks!

[funtimes]

I would think its impossible to say, since the duties of a "patient care tech" vary from hospital to hospital and unit to unit. The idea that you should know "everything" seems like a pretty tall order.

EKG experience as a tech probably isn't much more than knowing where to put the leads for a 12 lead ECG, which you can basically learn off Youtube. Phlebotomy might be a little trickier because that can conceivably cover a LOT of things depending on what they expect their techs to do, and some of these things require practice to be proficient in. Everything from starting IVs and doing lab draws to taking blood samples and cultures from PICC lines and arterial lines. I know Hospital RNs who have never even started an IV, and many more who are horrible at it, so its not like a Nursing Student or CNA is going to be expected to know these things.

I wouldn't stress about it. If its something you don't know or don't have experience in, theres nothing you can do about it now except be honest.

The hardest thing about being a tech is handling the multi tasking and time management aspect of the job, and dealing with some of these prickly and egotistical RNs(and techs). Learning individual skills isn't so much a problem. You aren't going to be doing brain surgery.

[Missingyou, CNA]

Believe it or not, I had to do a written test and a skills validation before being hired at the LTC where I work now.

For the skill validation, they had me show them how I use a hoyer lift(briefly walk thru it without a resident in it), & describe how to make a bed with resident in it. They then asked me to explain how I would handle certain situations like "If Mrs. A refuses to shower, what do you do?

I imagine if you were expected to do EKG or draw blood, they would have verified that you had that certification before they actually hired you. So, if you don't know how to do those things, speak up and tell them. You can search the internet and review to familiarize yourself with it, but if you've never done it and aren't sure, it's best to be honest. I'm guessing they plan to train you on those things anyway.

[berttravels]

I just wanted to answer my own question for anyone else that may be going through the process. We went vital by vital and were asked about all the norms, how to take it, other things of note, had to do a manual BP and radial pulse, show where the leads go for 12-lead EKG. It was very thorough and took about an hour. Glad I passed :)