Being a Tech

CNA - Nurse Tech, Med Surg, Critical Care, Emergency and Endoscopy - Surgical Tech

Technicians have a very special role at AGH. The skills and collaboration of a nurse tech make their role one of the most important in safe, effective patient care. Whether you’re fresh out of training or a more experienced nurse tech, a career at AGH can be very rewarding. For new techs, our hospital offers on-the-job training, which allows them to gain the proficiencies they need as member of the health care team.

Techs are especially valued by the nursing staff at AGH. Our RNs greatly respect and appreciate the support that nurse techs offer. In fact, each spring during Nurses Week, our nursing staff at AGH has insisted that this celebration includes nurse techs just as much as nurses, as they know that they would not be able to deliver good nursing care without a strong support staff.

Med-Surg charge nurse Katie Zidanic, RN, recognizes the value of a skilled nurse tech. “I always say that nursing is team sport. Having a great nurse tech on your team means that the day goes smoothly and ultimately, that means patients are happier and getting the care they deserve.”

Since joining our team as a nurse tech almost three years ago, Kim Purnell has been very happy with her decision to join the staff at AGH. “I’ve worked in other places, but it really is different at AGH—there’s a very positive, energetic atmosphere here,” she says. “The techs and the nurses partner together to take care of patients.” Kim also points out that being able to self-schedule has been a great benefit of working at AGH. “I can pick and choose my shifts when we make our schedules, and this makes a huge difference to my family and me.”

A career as a tech in any specialty at AGH can also offer ample opportunity for professional growth. As their skills become more advanced, nurse techs have the ability to branch out into more specialized areas such as critical care, endoscopy, surgery and other disciplines. For techs who wish to pursue a career as a registered nurse, AGH offers scholarships that are specifically designed for the nurse pathway.

Priscilla Brown has worked as a nurse technician at AGH for almost 17 years. “What I love about my job as a tech is being able to work in such a variety of areas. There are so many units where I’m able to go—the ICU, the Infusion Center, ER Fast Track, the Joint Unit and Med-Surg, for example,” she explains. “You never have the chance to get bored because there is so much to learn. If you want to get hands-on experience, AGH is a great place to start your career.”

Allison Willey has had the unique experience of working as both a tech and as a nurse at AGH. In 2013 she joined AGH as a patient sitter on the Med-Surg floor, went on to become a nurse tech and eventually received the James Barrett Nursing Scholarship. She currently works as an RN on the same unit where she was once a tech. “I’ve always felt like I was an important member of a team, whether I was a sitter, a tech or a nurse,” she describes. “I’ve been to other facilities but at AGH it feels like you’re a person, not a number. As a smaller hospital, AGH really makes it feel like I’m working with family.”

Joining AGH as a nurse tech will open the doors to a fulfilling career where you will continually grow as a valued member of our award-winning patient care team.