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Patient Care Technician

Are you a Certified Nurse Aide wishing to advance your skills, earn a better salary and have more job opportunities? The Patient Care Technician program can help you do all that and more!

health care worker helps patient fill out paperworkPatient Care Technicians (PCT) are valuable members of many healthcare teams. As a PCT, you will work in hospitals, rehabilitation settings, physician offices, clinics or long-term care facilities alongside doctors, nurses, CNAs and other healthcare professionals. 

Upon completion of this program, you will be eligible to sit for the National Health Career Association Certified Patient Care Technician Exam. This program does not prepare you to become certified Phlebotomy Technicians or certified ECG Technicians.

There are two options for completing the Patient Care Technician program:

Option 1

  • Advanced Nurse Aide Skills 48 hours 
  • Phlebotomy Skills for PCT 30 hours
  • EKG Skills for PCT 20 hours
  • BLS 6 hours (optional course earning AHA BLS certification)
  • PCT Clinical Experience 24 hours (optional course)

Program Total: 128 hours/Earn NHA PCT Certification

Option 2

  • Advanced Nurse Aide Skills 48 hours
  • Phlebotomy Technician 120 hours (earns NHA Phlebotomy Tech certification)
  • EKG Technician 40 hours (earns NHA EKG Tech certification)
  • BLS 6 hours (optional course earning AHA BLS certification)
  • PCT Clinical Experience 24 hours (optional course)

Program Total: 238 hours/Earn NHA PCT Certification

In This Course You'll Learn To:

  • describe, demonstrate and record vital signs
  • describe the role of the PCT in assisting the patient with their daily activities
  • describe compliance, safety and professionalism as a Patient Care Technician
  • practice infection control in an acute care setting
  • analyze an EKG strip for artifacts, errors and abnormalities to inform the provider
  • prepare a specimen sample for the laboratory through appropriate aseptic technique, draw order and labeling/handling
  • facilitate patient safety through adherence to regulatory and facility guidelines
  • apply clinical skills towards scope of practice to foster optimal patient outcomes in coordination with team members

Admission Requirements:

  • Must be at least 18 years of age
  • GED or high school diploma
  • Must hold an ACTIVE Certified Nurse Aide certificate (CNAs from states other than Connecticut may be asked by an employer to obtain Connecticut CNA certification.)
  • Completed health form signed by your physician (if clinical is included)
  • Proof of COVID-19 vaccination, including booster (if clinical is included)
  • Reliable transportation to clinical sites (if clinical is included)
  • Criminal background check (may be required). Students who have a criminal record may be denied access to clinical training sites. Students with a criminal record may have difficulty finding employment in the healthcare industry.

Upcoming Courses

Next Steps

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Find Your Course

Use our course finder to get info about upcoming classes including dates, times, locations, and more. (Select WFD/CE 2024-2025 for summer, fall and winter courses.)

Register

Registering for a course is easy and can be done in-person, online, or by mail.

Learn About Funding Options

Many of our courses have funding options available for qualifying students.

The Patient Care Technician Certificate program is approved by the National Healthcareer Association, 11161 Overbrook Road, Leawood, Kansas 66211, 800-499-9092