“At the end of their rope.” That’s how 29.4% of surveyed nurses said they feel on a weekly basis. For some, it’s every day.
Many more reported feeling “emotionally drained,” “used up” or “fatigued.” Whatever the nomenclature, it all points to the same thing: burnout.
The causes are manyfold. Primarily, though, too many healthcare teams are understaffed, overworked and unable to see a clear path forward. As a result, record numbers of nurses (and other healthcare professionals) are retiring or leaving the industry.
A nursing workforce analysis found that the supply of registered nurses (RN) decreased by more than 100,000 between 2020 and 2021. And in March 2023, the International Council of Nurses called for the worldwide shortage of nurses to be treated as a global health emergency.
Yet, there’s reason to be hopeful things will improve. In fact, there are steps employers can take right now to reverse these kinds of troubling trends by fortifying their teams with skilled support personnel.
This article will explore how patient care technicians (PCT) can help solve the staffing and burnout issues plaguing acute healthcare and how implementing a PCT training program and other operational changes can empower teams to thrive long-term.
Patient Care Technicians and Nurses: Collaborating to Build a More Resilient Workforce
Nurses are on the frontline of acute care, bridging the divide between patient and doctor. But they don’t have to, nor should they, go it alone. Patient care technicians are uniquely equipped to provide support. In fact, the nurse-patient care technician relationship is arguably the most critical one when it comes to team-based care in hospitals and other acute care settings.
For one, both nurses and PCTs are focused on daily patient needs. And unlike other support personnel, patient care technicians can take on greater responsibility and perform more tasks, like drawing blood, running EKG exams and administering certain medications.
Patient care technicians help shoulder the burden on nurses and improve health outcomes in a few key ways:
- Reducing Stress and Burnout: Even in the of best of times, nursing is a demanding role. Without help, it can be untenable. Many nurses report feeling burnt out after having to practice outside their scope to cover support responsibilities that are better suited for patient care technicians. When PCTs are available to monitor vital signs, respond to patient requests, handle day-to-day care like bathing and feeding, ensure cleanliness and perform safety checks, nurses are less likely to be overextended.
- Driving Collaboration and Efficiencies: A team-based approach to care has been proven to improve patient satisfaction. When patient care technicians assume ownership of more basic tasks like those listed above, nurses are freed up to focus on coordinating overall care and fulfilling more complex tasks. This collaborative, proactive approach ensures each patient receives comprehensive attention, while also maximizing organizational resources.
- Enriching Patient Interactions: Frequent and compassionate patient interaction is key to providing the highest standard of care, and patient care technicians are specially trained to deliver just that. By developing deeper connections with their patients, PCTs can provide more comfort and gain valuable insights that the whole team can use to inform future care decisions.
Top-Down Support: Operational Changes to Drive Better Results
Cultivating a safe, efficient and collaborative working environment shouldn’t fall squarely on the shoulders of frontline workers. Certain operational best practices can help organizations achieve the benefits outlined above. To get the most out of their patient care technicians, leaders should:
- Promote Delegation and Autonomy: A clear division of labor creates a balanced and sustainable working dynamic, helping to prevent burnout for all. Plus, by taking ownership of their tasks, patient care technicians gain confidence and proficiency more quickly.
- Determine Where Resources Are Most Needed: Nurse burnout can occur in any department, but surveys suggest that it’s especially prevalent in oncology, emergency and critical care settings. Consider reinforcing those teams (or others that seem especially taxed at your organization) first.
- Encourage Open, Honest Dialogue: Effective communication and mutual respect drive better patient care and employee satisfaction. Building a culture where each employee, no matter their position, feels comfortable sharing their thoughts, concerns and suggestions provides the foundation for continual improvement.
- Offer Certification, Continuing Education, and Growth Opportunities: Just 54% of employers report that their newly certified patient care technicians are job ready. Whether your PCTs are certified or hoping to be, there’s a strong chance they're ill-equipped to handle the scenarios they encounter. Offering certification, continuing education and growth opportunities addresses shortcomings, motivates staff and lets employees know you’re invested in their future.
By recognizing the value PCTs offer and encouraging their success, employers can make huge strides in ensuring team well-being and building a more resilient staff.
Leveraging Partnerships to Build Your PCT Training Program
In today’s competitive hiring landscape, organizations that provide training and career-laddering opportunities have a considerable advantage when it comes to attracting and retaining top talent. Not to mention, quality of care is all but guaranteed to improve when employees are prepared and confident in their abilities. Working with a partner like NHA makes it easier to implement a training program tailored to your goals and needs.
NHA Resources to Encourage PCT Job-Readiness
NHA offers a wealth of materials to help patient care technicians achieve certification (or supplement existing knowledge). A robust library of resources, including those listed below, closely aligns with the content covered on the PCT certification exam so learners can focus on the most relevant material.
- Medical Terminology: NHA’s course offers interactive lessons and in-depth training features to help learners master phrases they’re likely to encounter in clinical settings.
- PersonaAbilityTM: Soft skills are essential to the patient care technician role. NHA’s interactive lessons, quizzes and performance analyses help learners develop essential competencies like communication, empathy and collaboration.
- Anatomy and Physiology: NHA’s course offers an audio glossary, flashcards, case studies and assessments to help learners gain proficiency in these essential areas.
- PCT Study Guide and Practice Test + Focused Review®: NHA’s interactive online study guide* is based on NHA test plans, while the practice test simulates the actual exam. Together with Focused Review®, NHA’s analytics tool that provides personalized study recommendations, learners can gauge their exam readiness and identify areas for improvement. (*Printed study guide also available.)
- NHA PCT Certification Exam: Patient care technicians who are NHA-certified are better prepared to tackle evolving responsibilities than their non-certified peers.
Continuing Professional Development for Lasting Success
NHA is with you — and your allied healthcare team — every step of the way. Even after achieving certification, patient care technicians can leverage NHA resources like those listed below for ongoing career development.
- Principles of Health Coaching, a self-paced course, helps PCTs (and other allied healthcare professionals) hone vital advanced communication skills. Recent surveys indicate that only 50% of patients leave visits understanding the information they receive, while just one in 10 adhere to prescribed lifestyle changes. This course teaches how to guide patients to better health outcomes in the long-term.
- The pandemic highlighted the need for agile, interdisciplinary care teams. NHA’s TEAM Based Care educates, evaluates and empowers PCTs and other staff, helping them develop the skills and knowledge to operate effectively, maximize efficiencies and deliver exceptional care as one unit.
Create a Talent Pipeline with NHA’s Suite of Full Learning Solutions
Patient care technicians play a critical role on allied healthcare teams by alleviating stress, fostering deeper patient connections and enhancing team-based care. They can also help address the current staffing crisis.
In the 2021-22 academic year, more than 680,000 individuals applied to nursing programs, but less than 100,000 were admitted because of a lack of faculty, externship opportunities and other factors. A key element to the future wellbeing of the healthcare industry lies in its ability to attract back capable and qualified candidates like those who are unable to directly enter the field through their profession of choice.
Today, hospital leaders who are willing to rethink their staffing and training models have an incredible opportunity to fortify their teams — and given the gap between nursing supply and demand, now’s the time to act. By working with a partner like NHA to build a PCT training program and create alternate career pathways for talented individuals, hospitals can train new employees, upskill existing ones and certify them all far more quickly and efficiently than if they were to go it alone.
When properly implemented, this kind of program can serve as a robust talent pipeline by capturing entry-level individuals with a passion for healthcare that are ready and eager to fill in-demand roles and who can assume greater responsibility over time.
For instance, a report from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services found that 45.1% of nurses first worked as support personnel prior to licensure. Often, those individuals displayed increased confidence, communication skills and knowledge over the course of their careers.
Despite bleak statistics, there is a wealth of talent available to help address the issues facing the healthcare industry. NHA is with you every step of the way, offering a suite of training and certification solutions to empower your allied healthcare team.
Ready to implement your own PCT training program? Contact us today to get started.
