How to Become a PCT in Florida

Being a patient care technician, what  PCT stands for, is not one of the easiest medical jobs out there.

This guide will present the path you must follow if you want to enter this career field in Florida, so read on!

Patient Care Technician Job Description and Duties in Florida

Not everyone knows that PCTs and nurse assistants or home health nurses have similar jobs.

Patient care techs have more freedom when performing their tasks, as they don’t need supervision.

Among the most common tasks, you can have:

• 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

Of course, you could be assigned other duties.

This usually depends on where you work, the patients you must care for, and more.

Patient Care Technician Job Requirements in Florida

You probably wonder what kind of person is fit for such a job.

If you meet these requirements, you could be the ideal candidate:

• Having a high school diploma or GED
• Having good communication skills
• Being detail-oriented
• Being reliable
• Being compassionate
• Having a clean criminal background
• Being certified
• Having physical stamina
• Being listed in the Florida Nurse Aide Registry

Various employers may ask for additional things during the hiring process, such as having some related experience.

Patient Care Technician Education in Florida

One should know they can’t register with the Nurse Aide Registry in this state without receiving proper education and passing an exam.

As far as education goes, Florida has close to 80 schools that offer a variety f training programs for future PCTs.

These institutions are listed next.

The duration of many of the offered courses is under 2 years.

These will award a certification upon graduation.

If you want to obtain a degree, for more career options, look for the schools that offer programs with a duration of at least 2 and 4 years.

You could obtain an Associates’ or a Bachelor’s degree, respectively, through those classes.

No matter your choice, you must attend all the hours assigned for clinical practice.

Most schools have a limited number of spots available per program.

The students that will be accepted will usually meet at least these criteria:

• A clean criminal record
• A passed drug screening test
• A passed TB skin test
• Had vaccinations done for:
  • MMR
  • Varicella
  • Hepatitis B
  • Flu
  • Tetanus

The name of the actual classes you’ll attend may vary, but will cover at minimum these topics:

• 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

Patient Care Technician Certification in Florida

The National Healthcare Association (NHA) issues the best certification for patient care technicians.

The exam you’re expected to pass for this credential is for a nursing assistant.

These are the minimum documents you’ll have to submit when signing up for the test:

• Are at least 18 years old
• Have a high school diploma or GED
• Graduated from a specialized training program
• Paid the exam fee – $149
• Show proof of citizenship or nationality
• Submit a set of fingerprints

You could substitute the nursing assistant training program with 1 year of experience in the field.

Make sure not to pay twice for the exam, if you choose the formal education route.

Many schools include this fee in the tuition they charge, making this path more attractive.

Patient Care Technician Employment and Salary in Florida

But, where will you work as a PCT?

Luckily, you can pick any of these establishments to work for:

• Hospitals,
• Clinics,
• Rehabilitation centers,
• Long term care and assisted living facilities,
• Hospices
• Home care

One disadvantage of choosing the training program over the 1 year of experience for the certification test, is the experience aspect.

With more experience under your belt, you can earn more compared to someone who is a rookie in the field.

Here are the average salaries for PCTs across Florida.

Regional Salary in Florida

Additional Information for Patient Care Technician in Florida

When you find yourself a bit stuck, these resources could help out:

• Florida Nurse Aide Registry
• National Health Association