How to Become a PCT in Arizona

The medical industry has many fields and specialties, and becoming medical personnel is for someone who likes to care for others.

PCTs are one of the many positions and occupations in the healthcare industry, and it could be an interesting job to have!

If you want to become a patient care technician in Arizona then this guide is for you!

Patient Care Technician Job Description and Duties in Arizona

Patient care techs are usually helping patients, as the job name suggests, but not only.

These professionals also help other medical staff they work with.

PCTs have very similar job responsibilities to CNAs.

It’s normal for PCTs to have to complete these types of duties:

• 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

Duties and responsibilities will vary from one workplace to the next one.

It’s part of a patient care technician’s duties to be registered in the Arizona Nurse Aide Registry.

Patient Care Technician Job Requirements in Arizona

Knowing the requirements of a job is very important as you can realize if you’re actually made for it or not.

Here’s a list of the most common prerequisites for a patient care technician job:

• 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

Of course, different employers may also have additional and different requirements from the candidates for this position.

Aside from those aspects, the Arizona Nurse Aide Registry requires candidates to graduate from a Nurse Aide training course and then to pass the exam.

Patient Care Technician Education in Arizona

Patient care technicians can work unsupervised and perform certain procedures that require certification, as already stated.

This means that undergoing specialized training is very important for these professionals.

Arizona has many schools that have programs for those wanting to become PCTs, and they’re listed below.

These schools have several types of diplomas to offer, and the duration of a course depends on the type of diploma you want.

Typically, the most popular programs are the ones with a duration of a few months and up to two years.

This doesn’t mean longer programs aren’t available.

Generally speaking, these institutions accept students that:

• 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

Here’s a non-all-inclusive list of the topics you’ll be studying:

• 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

All the programs also have a number of clinical practice hours included.

All students must attend all these classes if they want to graduate.

Patient Care Technician Certification in Arizona

It’s best for all candidates to obtain their certification through the National Healthcare Association (NHA).

To sign up for the NHA exam you’ll need to:

• Be over the age of 18
• Have a high school diploma or GED
• Graduate from a specialized training program
• Pay the exam fee – $149
• Show proof of citizenship or nationality
• Submit a set of fingerprints

NHA also accepts 1 year of experience in the field au lieu of the training program.

Some of the training courses include the fee for the exam in their tuition fee.

Patient Care Technician Employment and Salary in Arizona

Future PCTs would be happy to learn they enter an industry that has a high demand for personnel.

Here are the places that hire patient care techs the most:

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

Usually, your experience and certifications are the ones influencing the most how much you’ll earn.

In cities like Phoenix, Gilbert, and Tempe, salaries are higher and the average one for this occupation is $33,600 per year.

Regional Salary in Arizona

Additional Information for Patient Care Technician in Arizona

The following resources can help with the various forms you might need when signing up for exams and not only:

• Arizona State Board of Nursing
• Arizona Medication Assistant Testing and Certification
• Department of Health Services (Division of Licensure)