Pros
I worked for four years as a tech. This job isn’t easy but you can make the decision if you’ll let it break you or make you. I decided to conquer the challenge and in no time became an expert cannulator with a real technical skill with needles, became one of the fastest techs in my clinic, entered the float pull and operated at over 25 clinics in the region which gave me immense freedom to build my own schedule and form tons of professional relationships with facility administrators and garner extra pay through bonuses and travel. I formed really wonderful connections with patients. You always have the opportunity to make someone’s day shine a little brighter. I’ve been invited to memorial services and life celebrations, met their family and friends— I mean, you really become part of someone’s life with how often you see them. And, I would say this job truly prepared me for nursing school. It pretty much primes you for everything: charting, handling blood, infection control, vitals assessment, interdisciplinary collaboration, medication administration, communicating with patients, interacting with various demographics— highly recommend for someone who wants to start gaining healthcare experience.
Cons
Hours are long — depending on patient census and clinic-specific operations, on average I was working 12 hours a day that often started before 4AM (15-16 hours on the long end). There is a disconnect between cooperate expectations and clinic operations — The work load is intense which leads to necessitating cutting a lot of corners so that patients can run their full treatments. When the state comes to audit us and we have to perform perfect procedures, the contrast is stark. Greed is an indisputable reality of this company and any like it (again, coming from someone who has seen it at over 25 clinics— it’s the culture everywhere). Coworkers — this really depends on the clinic. If the clinic “pod-shares” and you are thrown in a general corner with another tech as your partner, the difference in your work ethics will determine who is going to have a bad day. As an experienced tech, I always shouldered the burden in a sharing system. Always best when a clinic divides pods; you get your four chairs and that’s all you have to worry about. But even then, if you have a general pull in you to help when someone else is drowning you’ll always end up working harder than you should. I always do. Patients — they might be a highlight but they come with some caveats; I’ve been cussed out, threatened, yelled at, etc. I’ve had needles pulled out and their blood drenched me head to toe (it was actually kind of cool, and now I have a dope story to tell). I’ve had people code and not make it while I did compressions— this isn’t retail, you’re dealing with some real ish. Not as much a con as it is just reality.
