This week, June 15 through June 21, 2023, Cooper is celebrating our nursing associates (NAs), companions, and patient care technicians in Patient Care Services at Cooper. If you are a member of this team, we hope you’ll enjoy our thanks throughout the week! You can find the full schedule here.
Our thanks to Kathy Devine, DrNP, NEA-BC, Senior Vice President and Chief Nursing Executive, and Timothy D. Marks, DNP, MBA, RN, CEN, NEA-BC, Vice President and Associate Chief Nursing Officer, for their remarks on behalf of the entire senior team, and Nancy DeBerardinis, MSN, RN, BC, Administrative Director of Education, who helped answer our questions about these important Cooper team members.
Thank you to this incredible team of skilled and compassionate individuals for all you do to care for our patients and their families!
Below is a special message from Kathy and Tim:
We wish to extend our thanks and appreciation to all Cooper nurse associates, patient care technicians, and patient companions. You are such valued and respected members of our care team, ensuring our patients remain safe, comforted, and well-cared for.
In the busyness of day-to-day operations, we often forget to say thanks for your partnership and flexibility, as you consistently rise to the occasion to get the job done! Additionally, our patients share their gratitude for your genuine caring and compassionate manner, which makes a huge impact in their recovery from their illness or injury.
We hope you enjoy the activities planned for this special week, as we celebrate your contribution to the patient care services team and your dedication to our patients and families. Thank you.
Kathy Devine, DrNP, NEA-BC, Senior Vice President and Chief Nursing Executive
Timothy D. Marks, DNP, MBA, RN, CEN, NEA-BC, Vice President and Associate Chief Nursing Officer
What is the patient care technician’s role at Cooper?
The role of a patient care technician includes assisting members of health care teams in providing direct, indirect, and non-patient care responsibilities. This includes obtaining vital signs, performing EKGs, phlebotomy, specimen collection, bladder scanning, and assisting patients in activities of daily living (ADLs). Patient care technicians perform additional tasks within the scope of practice.
When do patients interact with patient care technician team members at Cooper?
Patients can expect to interact with patient care technicians, nurse associates, and patient companions from the time they enter Cooper, throughout their stay, until discharged. The patient care technician team works in all inpatient units and other specialty patient-care areas throughout Cooper.
How does someone become a patient care technician while working at Cooper?
Cooper’s Patient Care Technician Program is designed to prepare students to provide care to patients for one of the fastest growing professions in health care. Our program focuses on building a complete and solid foundation for patient care technician students in classroom theory/didactics, skills/simulation lab, and clinical rotation on inpatient care units. Patient care technician students build skillsets to provide safe and quality patient care in collaboration with nurses, providers, and ancillary teams.
Cooper, in collaboration with Camden County College and Impact Charity Services, provides employees the opportunity to advance to a health care career. For more information on applying, please contact the Cooper University Health Care Tech Program here.