Not everyone is made to work with or around sick people, but there are many who like to help others.
If you always wanted to work in the healthcare industry, perhaps you could consider becoming a patient care technician in Alaska.
Read this guide to learn more about this occupation!
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- Patient Care Technician Job Description and Duties in Alaska
- Patient Care Technician Job Requirements in Alaska
- Patient Care Technician Education in Alaska
- Patient Care Technician Certification in Alaska
- Patient Care Technician Employment and Salary in Alaska
- Additional Information for Patient Care Technician in Alaska
Patient Care Technician Job Description and Duties in Alaska
Nurses, doctors, and other medical staff sometimes need extra help to look after patients.
Patient care technicians can offer this extra help.
PTAs need to be registered in the Alaska Nurse Aide Registry before they can start working.
These professionals have a very similar job as certified nurse assistants, but the former don’t usually need surveillance like the latter do.
Here are some of the main job duties of a PTA in Alaska, and not only:
- Bathing and feeding the patients
- Catheter care
- Maintaining patient rooms clean
- Vital sign monitoring
- Performing phlebotomy procedures
- Talking to the patients’ families
- Escorting patients to various places for further investigations
Additional responsibilities can be assigned to PTAs based on a case-by-case scenario.
Patient Care Technician Job Requirements in Alaska
The prerequisites to become a patient care technician can be seen below:
- Having a high school diploma or GED
- Having good communication skills
- Being detail-oriented
- Being compassionate
- Having a clean criminal background
- Being certified
- Having physical stamina
One should know that the requirements can vary based on the employer.
Patient Care Technician Education in Alaska
As seen already, some of the duties will require specific training.
The schools that offer specialized training to future PTAs can be seen in the next table.
Top 3 Schools in Alaska
| School Name | Address |
|---|---|
| Ilisagvik College | 100 Stevenson St, Utqiagvik, AK 99723 |
| University of Alaska Fairbanks | 1731 South Chandalar Drive, Fairbanks, Alaska 99775 |
| University of Alaska Southeast | 11066 Auke Lake Way, Juneau, Alaska 99801-8697 |
There are several diplomas that you can choose from when trying to decide on a school to enroll at.
Depending on the type of certification you want, the program will vary in length.
In any case, the shortest programs last for about 3 months and the longer ones about 2 years if not even more.
Upon enrolling, schools will usually look at the following:
- Have a clean criminal record
- Passed a drug screening test
- Have the following health immunizations done:
- TB Skin Test
- MMR
- Varicella
- Hepatitis B
- Flu
- Tetanus
If you’re accepted, you’ll be studying:
- Providing patient safety
- Providing basic care
- Medical terminology and abbreviations
- Basic infection control procedures and techniques
- The structure and function of body systems
- Identifying and reporting changes in the patient’s condition
- Monitoring and recording bodily functions
- CPR
- First aide techniques
- Drawing blood
- Inserting catheters
Students who want to become patient care techs need to attend the clinical rotation hours included in the program.
It’s imperative to attend all the clinical hours of the program.
Patient Care Technician Certification in Alaska
As mentioned already, you’ll want to become certified to work as a PTA.
The best exam to pass is the one organized by the National Healthcare Association (NHA).
When registering for the exam, NHA asks for the following:
- Being over the age of 18
- Having a high school diploma or GED
- Graduated from a specialized training program
The training prerequisite can be replaced with 1 year of experience in the field.
The NHA exam consists of 20 pre-test questions as well as the 100 questions of the exam itself.
Candidates have a time limit of 1 hour and 50 minutes to answer.
Pearson Vue is the agency where the exam is organized at and its website even offers a candidate’s handbook to help you prepare for the test.
Patient Care Technician Employment and Salary in Alaska
The healthcare industry is one of the fastest-growing in the country.
It comes as no wonder that choosing to become a patient care technician sounds like a wise decision.
PTAs are needed the most in:
- Hospitals,
- Clinics,
- Rehabilitation centers,
- Long term care and assisted living facilities,
- Hospices
- Home care
Your experience will usually have the greatest impact on how much you’ll earn as a PTA in Alaska.
Do know that average salaries in this state are usually higher than in other states and a breakdown by the city can be seen next.
Annual Salary Range:Average Salary of Patient Care Technicians in Alaska
| City Name | Salary |
|---|---|
| Anchorage | $37,924 |
| Juneau | $37,586 |
| Fairbanks | $37,767 |
| Wasilla | $37,412 |
| Sitka | $37,075 |
| Ketchikan | $37,075 |
| Kenai | $37,412 |
| Palmer | $37,412 |
| Bethel | $37,412 |
| Kodiak | $37,412 |
Regional Salary in Alaska
| Region | Employed | Avg. Annual Salary | Avg. Hourly Pay | Top 10% Annual Salary | Bottom 10% Annual Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anchorage, AK | 910 | $45,220 | $21.74 | $54,290 | $40,060 |
* Employment conditions in your area may vary.
Additional Information for Patient Care Technician in Alaska
You might need further help with finding a job, and these resources could be good to have on hand:
- Patient Care Assistant Headquarters
- National Healthcare Association
