What Does a Patient Care Associate Do?
A Patient Care Associate assists the nursing staff in clinical settings to care for patients and ensure that the patient's needs are met. This article discusses what a Patient Care Associate does. Schools offering Nursing degrees can also be found in these popular choices.
Rapid changes in healthcare and the trend towards managed care systems mean hospitals are looking at different ways of staffing, downsizing and making services more efficient, according to The Business Review, www.bizjournals.com. Patient Care Associates are one way hospitals achieve this. A Patient Care Associate has historically been known as a nurse's aide, but the job of Patient Care Associate has acquired more technical aspects.
Typical Duties Performed
A Patient Care Associate assists professional nursing staff with routine patient care needs in a typical clinical setting. A Patient Care Associate provides communication, comfort and safety for the patient. This job requires a Patient Care Associate to provide basic patient care, such as bathing, bed making, skin care, incontinence care and toileting duties. Patient Care Associates obtain specimens, checks vital signs, and assists patients with daily living activities.
Education Required
Many Patient Care Associates get entry-level jobs that provide on-the-job training. An associate's degree may be advantageous for aspiring Patient Care Associate's job search. Community colleges and vocational schools offer 2-year associate's degree programs with training to become a Patient Care Associate. The degree programs lead to either Associate of Arts or Associate of Science degrees that provide the graduate with the knowledge and technical skills to obtain employment as a Patient Care Associate.
To continue researching, browse degree options below for course curriculum, prerequisites and financial aid information. Or, learn more about the subject by reading the related articles below:
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