By Elena Hodgskin

Mikela is a Patient Care Technician at Saint Luke’s Hospital working toward becoming a registered nurse. Her desire to pursue a career in nursing first ignited when she was only eight years old, after her father died. She remembers the nurses who cared for him and how they treated her with kindness and compassion during such a difficult time. Now, years later, Mikela finds herself on the other side of the hospital bed, stepping into the patient’s room and introducing herself this time as the person who will be taking care of them. Although working twelve-hour shifts constantly on the move can be exhausting, she says that knowing someone needs her gives her a sense of purpose.

What do you remember about the nurses who took care of your dad when you were eight?

I remember how they talked to me. I was eight, so I didn’t fully understand everything that was happening, but I remember them being so kind. They had these warm smiles and soft voices. They would say things like, “Hello, I’m going to be taking care of your dad today.” I think that stuck with me way more than I realized at the time. They made being in a hospital feel a little less scary.

What is it like now being the person walking into a patient’s room and introducing yourself?

It’s honestly really special. Sometimes I’ll walk into a room and say, “Hi, I’m Mikela. I’m going to be taking care of you today,” and I’ll think about how I heard those same words when I was little. Except now I’m the one saying them. I get to be that person for someone else. I don’t think I fully understood how meaningful that would be until I actually started working.

What do people who aren’t familiar with the job usually misunderstand about being a PCT?

A lot of people think it’s just taking vitals and helping patients get the bathroom, but there’s so much more to it. We’re constantly communicating with nurses and watching our patients. We help with basic needs, mobility, hygiene, meals, and whatever else comes up. We’re around the patients a lot, so we notice things. That’s why we always say we’re the nurses’ eyes and ears.

What is the most difficult part of the job for you?

Of course I hate waking up before the sun. I hate standing on my feet for 12 hours. But when someone asks me to just sit with them for a while, or talk to them because they are lonely, all of that exhaustion and frustration kind of just melts off of me. I become filled with empathy, compassion, and fulfillment from this amazing opportunity I have to take care of people for a living. That’s the biggest blessing.

How has working as a PCT affected the way you think about becoming a nurse?

School can of course teach you the science and the textbook skills, but being in the hospital teaches you what it’s actually like to care for people. You see different kinds of patients, different families, different situations. Every single day is different. It’s made me realize that I don’t just want to know how to do my job, I want to be someone patients feel comfortable with. I think that’s something important you learn from experience.

What are you hoping to accomplish during the next two years before becoming an RN?

I just wanted to become more confident. I want to learn as much as I can while I’m here because I know this experience is going to follow me into nursing. I also want to figure out what kind of nurse I actually want to be. I don’t really think I have to have every part of my career figured out right now. I just know I want to be good at what I do and make people feel like they’re honestly being cared for, not just treated.

Mikela’s work may eventually lead her to an RN position, but for right now, she is finding comfort in knowing that her role matters. It’s not just a stepping stone, or something to put at the top of her resume. Whether she is getting a patient water, checking in on their vitals, or simply taking time to sit with someone when they feel lonely, she knows she is already making a difference. When Mikela thinks back to that eight-year-old girl who once watched nurses care for her father, she believes that girl would be surprised by who she has become, but also comforted, and proud.