How to Become a PCT in South Carolina

Not all the positions in the healthcare industry require a lot of time spent studying, some of them require no certification while others do.

In South Carolina, one of the jobs you can get with just a certification while having real career opportunities is that of a patient care technician.

Read this guide if you think that being a PCT in South Carolina is interesting!

Patient Care Technician Job Description and Duties in South Carolina

One of the first things you should know about this job is what you’ll be doing.

PCTs are often confused with certified nurse aides (CNAs), but there are some differences between the two.

The most outstanding is that a PCT has more training than a CNA and as such can perform more tasks.

Patient care techs also work without being supervised.

Here are the most common tasks a PCT completes:

• 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

These duties are completed and combined with others, based on the specifics of each patient.

Patient Care Technician Job Requirements in South Carolina

Everyone should know if they can actually do a job or not, before deciding to apply for the position.

The ideal candidates for a PCT job:

• Have a high school diploma or GED
• Have good communication skills
• Are detail-oriented
• Are compassionate
• Have a clean criminal background
• Are certified
• Have physical stamina
• Are listed on the South Carolina Nurse Aide Registry

Furthermore, employers might add other characteristics, such as having some previous experience in the field.

Patient Care Technician Education in South Carolina

Certification and getting listed in the Registry can’t happen without some training.

In South Carolina, you can enroll in a training course at one of the schools below.

The types of credentials you could earn are listed below:

• Certificate
• Associates’ degree
• Bachelor’s degree

Certificates are the easiest to obtain as the courses last about a year.

With the Associates’ degree, however, you can easier climb the career ladder.

You can even enroll in a school from a different part of the country if the ones in South Carolina don’t offer the credential you hope for.

Usually, the spots in these programs are limited and you’ll have to show you:

• 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

Going to all the clinical practice hours included in the course is mandatory if you want to graduate.

And speaking of the classes you’ll have, here are some of them:

• 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 South Carolina

The certification exam is available once you graduate.

The one offered by the National Health Association is the one recommended the most for future patient care techs.

Various testing centers proctor this exam, and this means you’ll have to register for it.

Only the candidates that meet these criteria can take the exam:

• 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

When you submit your papers, remember these two aspects:

• The exam fee can be included in the tuition for the training course
• NHA accepts the substitution of education with 1 year of experience in the field

The test itself has a total of 120 questions and you’ll have to answer them in close to 2 hours.

Patient Care Technician Employment and Salary in South Carolina

The demand for PCTs is strong all across the country, not just in South Carolina.

These establishments hire patient care technicians more than others:

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

If you want to earn more, you’ll have to move to cities like Charleston, Mount Pleasant, or Rock Hill.

Regional Salary in South Carolina

Additional Information for Patient Care Technician in South Carolina

These are some useful resources for all patient care technicians in this state:

• South Carolina Nurse Aide Registry
• South Carolina Department of Health and Human Services
• Division of Community and Facility Services
• National Health Association