Patient Care Technician Training Offers Flexible Career Options
A Patient Care Technician (PCT) is a healthcare technician working under the supervision of a nurse, doctor, or other health professional to administer basic care and emotional support to people in need. This hands-on role involves interacting with patients face-to-face and assisting with daily tasks, which means it can be demanding. However, it is also very rewarding – allowing you to make a meaningful difference in the lives of patients and their families.
Patient care technicians work in hospitals, medical offices, and long-term care and rehabilitation facilities. While specific responsibilities vary, they generally include serving meals, managing food and liquid intake, changing bedding, helping with mobility issues, and taking note of patient concerns. In addition, PCTs are skilled at measuring and monitoring vital signs, drawing blood, administering IVs, and performing CPR.
Becoming a patient care technician gives you the flexibility to choose from a range of related career paths, including a nurse assistant, home health aide, phlebotomist, or EKG technician. Some PCTs use their training and experience to pursue more advanced health care careers, such as becoming a registered nurse. Another plus is that the PCT training program can be completed in less than a year, making it more convenient than longer-term training programs.
Job opportunities are plentiful, especially as the aging baby-boom generation requires more medical care. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment for this type of work is expected to grow by about eight percent from 2020 to 2030, which is faster than the national average.
Because PCTs are often members of medical teams that spend the most time with patients, they must be compassionate, attentive, and responsive to a patient’s needs. Having strong interpersonal and organizational skills is vital, as is having good communication skills to interact with patients, families, and medical staff.
To become a PCT, you must have a high school diploma or its equivalent and complete a patient care technician training course. Dorson Vocational Training Institute offers a Patient Care Technician course that prepares graduates to work as an entry level technician. You will learn to check vital signs, assist in medical examinations, and perform electrocardiograms, basic laboratory procedures, and phlebotomy. Our program combines lectures, practical exercises in the medical laboratory, and real-world experience during the externship portion of training conducted off-campus at a medical facility.
Dorson Vocational Training Institute is fully licensed by the State of New Jersey and our courses are certified by The National Health Association. We also offer affordable tuition payment plans and access to financial aid. To learn more about our Patient Care Technician course or other healthcare classes and training programs, call us at 973-676-6300 or fill out our online form and we will contact you.