Both a dialysis patient care technician and a medical assistant have positions that allow them to help people recover from illness. There are tons of other roles that assist with this, but well focus on these in this article. Both careers bring the workers into close contact with patients and allow them to truly make a difference. But, each has many unique tasks. If you arent sure which is the best fit for you, read on!
Job Duties
A medical assistant is a person who is trained to do both administrative and clinical work. They will typically have responsibilities in both the front office and in the exam room with patients. One moment they may be compiling medical histories, administering medications, or recording vital signs. The next they may be completing insurance forms, greeting patients, and scheduling appointments.
A patient care technician in dialysis is focused on the caregiving side of things. These individuals are the people who assist patients with support matters, like serving meals and making them comfortable. They also provide dialysis treatment to patients and work with them on an individual basis.
Needed Skills
There are many skills that come in handy for a person in either of these positions. However, by parsing skills wanted in job postings, there are a few skills that are almost always wanted.
Medical assistants will want to have the skills to care for patients, measure vital signs, set appointments, do scheduling, and provide injections. Patient care technicians top skills include cardiopulmonary resuscitation, measuring vital signs, assisting patients, caring for patients, and carrying out dialysis.
Required Education
The medical professional accommodates all sorts of educations, depending on the position. Both medical assistants and dialysis patient care technicians require only a small amount of additional education beyond high school.
Most medical technicians will have a college degree, while others will attend a shorter program in medical assistance that might only last a year. Patient care technicians will need a diploma and the completion of a training program. At the end of the program, there is an exam that must be passed.
Both careers give you the chance to work with patients and play an important role in healthcare. The duties and educational requirements are quite unique, though. Whatever you choose, you can be proud to be a part of such an esteemed position.
If you are looking for more information on becoming a dialysis patient care technician, Dialysis 4 Career is here for you.
