Not many people have the ability to work with the sick, yet many see this as a noble calling.
If you want to know more about being or becoming a patient care technician in Alabama, then read this guide!
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- Patient Care Technician Job Description and Duties in Alabama
- Patient Care Technician Job Requirements in Alabama
- Patient Care Technician Education in Alabama
- Patient Care Technician Certification in Alabama
- Patient Care Technician Employment and Salary in Alabama
- Additional Information for Patient Care Technician in Alabama
Patient Care Technician Job Description and Duties in Alabama
Patient care technicians are medical personnel who assist nurses, doctors, and other medical staff in giving the appropriate care to patients.
PCTs have a very similar job to that of certified nurse assistants, however, there are some differences as well.
The main difference is that a PTA doesn’t need supervision when caring about their patients, unlike CNAs.
Like any other job, that of a patient care tech also has its duties, as seen below:
- 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
Patient Care Technician Job Requirements in Alabama
Like the majority of jobs, there are some requirements a person has to meet, to become a PCT.
These prerequisites include:
- Having a high school diploma or GED
- Having good communication skills
- Being detail-oriented
- Being compassionate
- Having a clean criminal background
- Being certified
- Having physical stamina
All these requirements will usually depend from position to position, as duties and responsibilities will also vary.
Patient Care Technician Education in Alabama
Currently, Alabama has several schools with programs for those who want to become patient care technicians.
These institutions can be seen in the table below.
Top 13 Schools in Alabama
| School Name | Address |
|---|---|
| Advance Career Training Solutions ACTS | 214 24th Street North Birmingham, AL 35203 |
| Coastal Alabama Community College | 1900 US Highway 31 South, Bay Minette, Alabama 36507-2698 |
| George C Wallace State Community College | 3000 Earl Goodwin Parkway, Selma, Alabama 36703-2808 |
| J. F. Drake State Community and Technical College | 3421 Meridian St N, Huntsville, Alabama 3581 |
| Jefferson State Community College | 2601 Carson Road George Wallace Hall, Office 202 Birmingham, AL 35215 |
| Jefferson State Community College | 4600 Valleydale Road Health Science Building, Office 432 Birmingham, AL 35242 |
| Jeremiah’s Hope Academy | 2800 University Boulevard, Suite 234 Birmingham, Alabama 35233 |
| MacArthur State Technical College | P.O. Box Drawer 910 1708 North Main Street Opp, AL 36467 |
| Northeast Alabama Community College | 138 AL Hwy 35, Rainsville, Alabama 35986 |
| Nursing Assistant Solutions | 609 Bessemer Super Highway Midfield, Alabama 35228 |
| Selma University | 1501 Lapsley St, Dinkins Hall, Selma, Alabama 36701 |
| Shelton State Community College | 9500 Old Greensboro Rd, Tuscaloosa, Alabama 35405-8522 |
| Snead State Community College | 102 Elder Street, Boaz, Alabama 35957-0734 |
If you attend Jefferson State Community College, you’ll receive a certification of completion as well as being allowed to take the Patient Care Technician/Assistant Certification (CPCT/A) test.
Courses last for as little as 3 months though one can even attempt to obtain an Associates’ degree in the field, which takes 2 years to complete.
It’s common for schools to have sets of requirements for future students.
Schools usually accept only students that meet these prerequisites, among others:
- Have a clean criminal record
- Passed a drug screening test
- Have the following health immunizations done:
- TB Skin Test
- MMR
- Varicella
- Hepatitis B
- Flu
- Tetanus
This is what you can expect to learn in these classes:
- 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
The courses have clinical rotations and students are expected to attend all the hours allotted to this.
Not all schools cost the same, however, students have the possibility of signing up and receiving help to pay for their tuition.
Patient Care Technician Certification in Alabama
To become a patient care tech in Alabama, you need to pass the Certified Patient Care Technician/Assistant (CPCT/A) Certification exam.
This test is offered by the NHA, has a duration of 1 hour and 50 minutes.
Candidates have to answer 120 questions, with 20 of them being pre-test.
Another test individuals can take is the National Nurse Aide Assessment Program (NNAAP).
Patient Care Technician Employment and Salary in Alabama
It might seem that being or becoming a PCT requires a lot of work, but this is a safe career to get into.
The demand for such professionals is expected to increase all across the nation, not just Alabama.
These are the facilities that need PCTs the most:
- Hospitals,
- Clinics,
- Rehabilitation centers,
- Long term care and assisted living facilities,
- Hospices
- Home care
How much you’ll earn will of course depend on a variety of factors, most notably location and experience.
Annual Salary Range:Average Salary of Patient Care Technicians in Alabama
| City Name | Salary |
|---|---|
| Birmingham | $32,284 |
| Montgomery | $30,579 |
| Huntsville | $32,257 |
| Mobile | $31,564 |
| Tuscaloosa | $31,968 |
| Dothan | $30,126 |
| Auburn | $30,773 |
| Decatur | $31,271 |
| Madison | $32,257 |
| Florence | $29,405 |
Regional Salary in Alabama
| Region | Employed | Avg. Annual Salary | Avg. Hourly Pay | Top 10% Annual Salary | Bottom 10% Annual Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anniston-Oxford-Jacksonville, AL | 510 | $25,890 | $12.45 | $31,830 | $19,940 |
| Auburn-Opelika, AL | 400 | $28,470 | $13.69 | $34,820 | $27,040 |
| Birmingham-Hoover, AL | 4,900 | $29,900 | $14.38 | $35,850 | $23,910 |
| Daphne-Fairhope-Foley, AL | 580 | $28,680 | $13.79 | $34,140 | $23,520 |
| Decatur, AL | 270 | $29,820 | $14.34 | $35,210 | $24,430 |
| Dothan, AL | 840 | $25,580 | $12.3 | $30,160 | $22,200 |
| Florence-Muscle Shoals, AL | 540 | $27,090 | $13.02 | $33,640 | $21,950 |
| Gadsden, AL | 530 | $26,770 | $12.87 | $33,680 | $21,680 |
| Huntsville, AL | 1,740 | $30,350 | $14.59 | $36,380 | $25,180 |
| Mobile, AL | 1,850 | $28,090 | $13.5 | $34,590 | $23,260 |
| Montgomery, AL | 1,580 | $27,960 | $13.44 | $35,930 | $23,220 |
| Tuscaloosa, AL | 1,070 | $29,380 | $14.13 | $40,910 | $21,540 |
* Employment conditions in your area may vary.
Additional Information for Patient Care Technician in Alabama
Future patient care technicians in Alabama can also find more help with finding a job with these resources:
- Alabama Career Centers
- Center for Workforce Education
