How to Become a PCT in Pennsylvania

Some industries need personnel more than others and one of the ones with high demand is the medical field.

One of the positions you could consider in Pennsylvania is that of a patient care technician.

Grab a drink and read on if you want to know the path you must follow for this medical career!

Patient Care Technician Job Description and Duties in Pennsylvania

One of the first things you need to know about this occupation is that is it very similar to that of a nurse assistant.

PCTs have more skills and training than CNAs and can also complete their tasks unsupervised.

Speaking of tasks, some of the most common of them are:

• 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

It shouldn’t even be mentioned that actual duties will vary based on the patients you’ll care for.

Patient Care Technician Job Requirements in Pennsylvania

You probably wonder what kind of person can or should become a PCT in this state.

The ideal candidate has the following qualities:

• Has a high school diploma or GED
• Has good communication skills
• Is detail-oriented
• Is compassionate
• Has a clean criminal background
• Is certified
• Has physical stamina
• Is listed on the Pennsylvania Nurse Aide Registry

Patient Care Technician Education in Pennsylvania

As already mentioned, a patient care tech needs more education and training than a certified nurse assistant.

The State of Pennsylvania has a dozen schools offering training to those who hope to have a career as a PCT.

The schools are listed below, though institutions from other states are also acceptable for this occupation.

When choosing your school, keep in mind the diploma you could earn upon graduation:

• Certificate
• Associates’ degree
• Bachelor’s degree

Many students go for a certificate, though a degree opens the doors to more possibilities.

However, the higher the diploma you want, the more time you’ll spend studying.

Certifications usually take about a year to complete for instance.

Regardless of the type of diploma you choose, you need to make sure you fit the criteria set by the school when enrolling in a program.

These are the most widespread criteria for future PCT students:

• Have a clean criminal record
• Passed a drug screening test
• Passed a TB skin test
• Have the following health immunizations done:
  • MMR
  • Varicella
  • Hepatitis B
  • Flu
  • Tetanus

Once you’re in, these are some of the skills you’ll develop:

• 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

Many of these classes have a practical aspect.

This means you’ll have to attend 100% of the clinical practice hours the program has.

Patient Care Technician Certification in Pennsylvania

After the training program ends, you have to sign up for and pass an exam.

This is how you get certified.

The best certification for patient care technicians is offered by the NHA or the National Health Association.

Here’s how you sign up for this test:

• Are over the age of 18
• Have a high school diploma or GED
• Graduate from a specialized training program
• Paid the exam fee – $149
• Show proof of citizenship or nationality
• Submit a set of fingerprints

There are at least 2 things to remember when signing up:

• The exam fee can be included in the tuition for the training course, so make sure not to pay it twice.
• NHA accepts the substitution of education with 1 year of experience in the field.

You’ll have almost 2 hours to answer 20 pre-test questions and 100 exam questions.

Patient Care Technician Employment and Salary in Pennsylvania

As we already mentioned, it will be relatively easy to find employment even as a freshly certified PCT.

These are the locations hiring the most:

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

The average salary for a patient care tech in Pennsylvania is $34,000 a year.

Aspects like experience, shifts, and locations, may drag the number lower or higher.

Upper Darby, Philadelphia, and Abington are the cities where the wages are higher by default.

Regional Salary in Pennsylvania

Additional Information for Patient Care Technician in Pennsylvania

Use these resources when you feel you need more help:

• Pennsylvania Nurse Aide Registry
• Pennsylvania Department of Health
• National Health Association