Overview

The Certified Patient Care Technician program is designed to train students to function safely and effectively as integral members of the health care delivery team. In this multi-occupational program, students are cross-trained to perform a variety of healthcare functions, including among others, patient care, the performance of electrocardiograms as an EKG Technician, and collecting laboratory specimens as a Phlebotomist.

This program prepares students for a position as a Certified Patient Care Technician with Instructor-Led Live Online Classes and safe on-campus practices. The program is comprised of 11 modular units of learning and 80 hours of Clinical Externship in different clinical environments.  During the Clinical Externship, students have the opportunity to observe and become part of a health care team as they gain hands-on experience working side-by-side with other health care practitioners. PCT’s have opportunities to earn nursing scholarships and advance their careers. If you have a passion for healthcare and would like to enter the workforce through a vocational program as a stepping stone we at Praxis can help you find the way.

This program is a planned sequence of instruction consisting of 6 occupational completion points:

1. Nurse Aide and Orderly (Articulated)
2. Advanced Home Health Aide
3. Patient Care Assistant
4. Allied Health Assistant
5. Advanced Allied Health Assistant
6. Patient Care Technician

Licensing or certification exams are independent of graduation requirements. 

What Patient Care Technician do?

Patient Care Technicians or PCTs work with doctors, nurses, and other health care professionals to provide direct patient care in a variety of health care environments. The responsibilities of a PCT include patient care in all settings such as ER’s, ICUs, med Surg floors, long-term care facilities, rehabilitation centers, etc. PCT’s are trained in sterilization techniques for hospital procedures. Normally, PCTs will monitor patients’ vital signs. Communicate changes or abnormalities with the healthcare team. Collect laboratory specimens, and perform electrocardiograms. PCTs also monitor patients’ food intake, help to perform a physical exam, make sure that patients receive medications needed, change bedding, help patients bathe, shave or change clothes, and maintain the room properly sterilized. PCTs, handle medical records and patient communication.

Currently, PCT’s can train as Dialysis technicians, provide direct patient care in dialysis centers working side by side with nurses and physicians providing care to those in need.

Patient Care Technicians are one of the fastest-growing employment positions in health care. PCT’s can choose to work in many different settings. Also, this can be the stepping stone used to enter the healthcare world and advance in your career at your pace and desire.

Where Patient Care Technician Work?

After completion, you will also open the doors to many employment opportunities in a multitude of settings such as:

• Hospitals ( ER, ICU, Med Surge, Ortho, Telemetry, etc )
• Nursing home facilities
• Blood banks
• Rehabilitation centers
• Dialysis facilities
• Home health care agencies
• Extended care facilities
• Other healthcare-related environments
• Doctors offices