How to Become a Patient Care Technician
The Definitive Career Guide

What is a Patient Care Technician?

Patient care technicians work directly with patients and help them with daily activities.

Because most of these facilities are open 24/7, as a patient care technician you will probably also work night and weekend shifts.

If this career sounds interesting, we invite you to read this article to find out more about what patient care technicians do, how much they earn, and how to become one.

Duties

Salary

Salaries for medical professions vary widely depending on the employee’s skills and certifications and what tasks they are allowed to perform.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median annual wage reported by nursing assistants in the United States was $30,310 as of May 2020.

This tells us that half of all workers in this profession earned less than this amount while half earned more.

Salaries vary widely depending on the industry of employment, level of experience, region, and a variety of other factors.

The lowest 10 percent of all nursing assistants reportedly made less than $23,880 while the highest 10 percent made more than $44,240 annually.

The highest paying industry for this profession is junior colleges, a sector where nursing assistants were reportedly remunerated with $49,250 per year.

However, junior colleges hire only a few nursing assistants and if you want a career in this sector you may need additional training and certifications.

The biggest employer for nursing assistants, in general, are nursing care facilities, where nursing assistants were remunerated with $31,000 per year on average.

One way to improve your earnings is by earning additional certifications or by continuing your training and becoming a registered nurse- a profession remunerated by $75,330 on average.

To become a registered nurse, you need a Bachelor’s degree in nursing, an Associate’s degree, or a diploma from an approved nursing school.

This usually means that you will need between 2-4 years of training.

• Annually
• Monthly
• Hourly

How to Become a Patient Care Technician

Popular Programs

Education Requirements

As a Patient Care Technician, you will need at least a high school diploma or equivalent, and you have to complete a post-secondary training program at a technical school or community college.

One option is to start your career as a nursing assistant after finishing a CNA training program and learning additional skills, such as phlebotomy or EKG, and gain additional certifications on the job.

Another option is to enroll in a dedicated Patient Care Technician Program or in a Medical Assistant program.

Some schools offer only on-site classes while others offer hybrid classes that can be completed either part-time or full-time.

Regardless of the type of program you choose, there are a few important areas that you need to cover:

• CPR and BLS
• Infection Control
• First Aid
• Safety and Sanitation
• Phlebotomy
• EKG

CNA training usually lasts a few weeks and costs around $1,500-$2,000 on average.

Medical assistant programs are also available at many trade schools across the nation and teach all the relevant skills a patient care technician needs but take between a few months and two years to complete.

Costs for medical assistant programs range from less than $5,000 to more than $15,000.

There are also dedicated Patient Care Technician classes available at several schools in the country, such as:

Cambridge College of Healthcare & Technology- Atlanta

This diploma program can be completed in 9 months and combines classroom learning with hands-on training.

According to their website, this is a hybrid program that is offered online and on-campus.

The curriculum covers many technical skills, including:

• Electrocardiography
• Restorative Care
• Phlebotomy
• Home Health Care Protocol

New Age Training – New York

This 125-hour program includes theory and clinical hands-on training and is designed for those who are already licensed CNAs and want to further their skills.

Lincoln Tech – Moorestown, New Jersey

The hands-on career training program offered by Lincoln Tech teaches students a variety of skills, including:

• Phlebotomy
• How to operate EKG machines
• CPR and BLS
• How to work with patients with diabetes
• How to practice wound care and ostomy care

Video About The Career

Certification Requirements

As mentioned before, in order to be allowed to practice and to perform specific medical procedures on patients you will need to be certified by the nursing regulatory body in your area.

In order to receive this designation, you have to pass the NCLEX exam after graduating from an accredited training program.

Before taking the exam, you will need an Authorization to Test from the nursing regulatory body (NRB).

Eligibility requirements may vary depending on the region and it’s best to check with NRB from the region where you wish to practice.

You will also have to pay a $200 registration fee.

You can also improve your employment and earning prospects as a patient care technician by becoming certified through the National Center for Competency Testing.

Several routes can help you become certified by NCCT:

1. You can apply for certification while you are enrolled in a Patient Care Technician Program but you will be required to submit the graduation documents within two years after completing the program to receive your certification.
2. If you have already graduated from an accredited program within the last five years you can apply for certification by submitting a copy of your diploma or equivalent and paying a fee. This fee is $90 for those who want to take the test within six months of graduation and $135 for those who take the test after more than six months of graduation.
3. You can also apply for certification if you have 1 year of work experience as a patient care technician under the supervision of a certified physician or primary care technician. In this case, the exam fee is $135.
4. Those who have completed training during U.S. military service or are members of the United States Armed Forces and their spouses can also apply for this credential if they have relevant work experience of at least 1 year. The exam fee is $90.

Average Training Program Duration: 0-1 Year

Job Outlook

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment for nursing assistants will grow 8 percent from 2019 to 2029.

As the baby boom generation ages, the demand for medical services is expected to grow because more nursing assistants and patient care technicians will be hired to help older patients with their daily activities.

Job openings will occur especially in nursing or residential care facilities.

Patient care technicians will also be needed in hospitals and clinics that provide care for patients who live with chronic heart conditions or diabetes.

Employment Growth Projection: 8%

That's a higher than average projected growth of 118,400

Should You Become a Patient Care Technician?

Overall Satisfaction: Medium

Factors such as salary, work environment, job-related stress, skills, purpose, and personality are usually taken into account when someone decides if they are happy or not with their profession.

According to Payscale, the average job satisfaction reported by Patient Care Technicians is 3.79 out of 5 stars- which means that, on average, workers in this profession are satisfied with their job.

In other words, if you’re a compassionate person who likes helping others, this profession can be a lucrative and fulfilling career path.

However, it can also be physically and emotionally demanding, and many workers leave this occupation due to stress.

Average Salary: Medium

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median annual salary reported by nursing assistants in the United States was $30,310  as of May 2020- which means that half of all workers in this profession earned less than this amount while half earned more.

Salaries for nursing assistants vary depending on a variety of factors, and the lowest 10 percent of all nursing assistants earned less than $23,880, while the highest 10 percent made more than $44,240. as of May 2020.

This is lower than the national average salary, but if you have additional skills, like phlebotomy or ECG, you can have more job responsibilities and higher pay.

BLS reports that the median annual wage for medical assistants- a profession with a job description similar to that of patient care technicians- was $35,850 as of May 2020.

Salaries for medical assistants are influenced by many factors, including the worker’s level of experience, education, and region of employment.

The lowest 10 percent of all medical assistants earned less than $23,970, while the top 10 percent made more than $46,470.

However, salaries are also determined by the industry of employment, the region of employment, level of experience, local economy-among other factors.

Medical assistants who work in outpatient care centers reportedly made $38,860 on average, while those in offices of chiropractors made $31,470.

Job Growth Outlook: High

If you want to start a career as a patient care technician, your prospects are looking good, especially if you specialize in working with older people.

The BLS doesn’t include Patient Care Technicians as a stand-alone profession in their report, but employment for medical assistants is projected to grow 19 percent from 2019 to 2029, much faster than the average across all occupations.

The demand for nursing assistants is projected to grow 8 percent from 2019 to 2029, also faster than the average across all occupations.

Education Duration: 0-1 Year

Depending on the path you choose, your training can last between a few weeks and two years.

If you want to start your career as a nursing assistant and gain additional certifications and skills on the job, then you can finish your education in a few weeks.

However, if you want a Degree or Diploma in Medical Assisting, you will need to finish a training program that lasts between a few months and two years.

Personal Skills Needed

To perform all the above tasks, Patient Care Technicians need a variety of skills, including:

• Compassion
• Empathy
• Communication skills
• Attention to detail
• Time management skills
• Physical strength

Patient Care Technician Info by State

Patient Care Technician Resources

• 13 Pros and Cons of Being a Patient Care Technician
• How Much Does a PCT Make an Hour?
• Is There a Demand for Patient Care Technicians?
• Medical Assistant VS Patient Care Technician
• Online PCT Classes and Schools
• Patient Care Technician Certification Requirements
• Patient Care Technician: 5 Things You Need to Know Before Becoming One
• PCT VS CNA: What’s The Difference?
• The Costs for Becoming a Patient Care Technician
• Travel PCT: Jobs, Training, Salary and Everything Else
• What is a Patient Care Technician?

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