How to Become a PCT in Arizona

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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!

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Get information on Patient Care Technician programs by entering your zip code and request enrollment information.

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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.

Top 34 Schools in Arizona

School NameAddress
Arizona Western College2020 S. Avenue 8E, Yuma, Arizona 85365-8834
Arizona Medical Training Institute1530 N. Country Club, Suite 11 Mesa, AZ 85201
Brookline College2445 W. Dunlap Ave., Ste. 100, Phoenix, Arizona 85021
Brookline College1140-1150 S. Priest Drive, Tempe, Arizona 85281
Brookline College5441 E. 22nd St, Ste.125, Tucson, Arizona 85711
Cochise County Community College District901 N Colombo Ave, Sierra Vista, Arizona 85635-2317
Coconino Community College2800 S. Lone Tree Rd., Flagstaff, Arizona 86005-2701
East Valley Institute of Technology1601 W Main St, Mesa, Arizona 85201
East Valley Medical College1220 S. Alma School Rd. Suite 208 Mesa, Az 85210
Eastern Arizona College615 N. Stadium Ave., Thatcher, Arizona 85552-0769
Estrella Mountain Community College3000 N Dysart Rd, Avondale, Arizona 85392-1000
GateWay Community College108 N. 40th Street, Phoenix, Arizona 85034
GateWay Community College1245 E Buckeye, Phoenix, Arizona 85034-4101
Glendale Community College6000 W Olive Ave, Glendale, Arizona 85302
Horizon Health Care Institute555 E. Wilcox Drive, Ste. H Sierra Vista, AZ 85635
Maricopa Community Colleges2411 West 14th Street Tempe, Arizona 85281
Mesa Community College1833 W Southern Ave, Mesa, Arizona 85202
Mohave Community College1971 Jagerson Ave, Kingman, Arizona 86409-1238
Northland Pioneer College2251 E. Navajo Blvd., Holbrook, Arizona 86025-0610
Paradise Valley Community College18401 N 32nd St, Phoenix, Arizona 85032
Petra Allied Health4300 Rogers Ave, Suite 42 Ft. Smith, AR 72903
Petra Allied Health3889 Willowood Avenue, Springdale, AR 72762
Phoenix College1202 W Thomas Rd, Phoenix, Arizona 85013
Pima Community College4905C East Broadway Blvd., Tucson, Arizona 85709-1275
Pima Community College401 N. Bonita Avenue Tucson, AZ 85709-5400
Pima Medical Institute-East Valley2160 S Power Rd, Mesa, Arizona 85209
Pima Medical Institute-Mesa957 S. Dobson Road, Mesa, Arizona 85202
Providence Training Institute4041 E Thomas Rd, Suite 200 Phoenix, AZ 85018
Providence Training Institute9189 N. 59th Ave. #2 Glendale, AZ 85302
Regional Center for Border Health950 E. Main St Building A, Somerton, Arizona 85350
Scottsdale Community College9000 E Chaparral Rd, Scottsdale, Arizona 85256
Tucson College7310 E. 22nd Street Tucson, AZ 85710
Tucson Medical Center5301 East Grant Road, Tucson, Arizona 85712
Yavapai College1100 E Sheldon St, Prescott, Arizona 86301

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.

Annual Salary Range:
$28K
$33K
$42K

Average Salary of Patient Care Technicians in Arizona

City NameSalary
Phoenix$33,684
Tucson$32,039
Mesa$33,689
Chandler$33,689
Scottsdale$33,689
Glendale$33,684
Gilbert$33,689
Tempe$33,689
Peoria$33,616
Surprise$33,388
* Salary information last updated 2024

Regional Salary in Arizona

RegionEmployedAvg. Annual SalaryAvg. Hourly PayTop 10% Annual SalaryBottom 10% Annual Salary
Flagstaff, AZ370$40,500$19.47$47,120$38,270
Lake Havasu City-Kingman, AZ430$38,060$18.3$44,860$32,640
Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ10,420$41,800$20.1$48,750$35,710
Prescott, AZ590$40,520$19.48$47,760$34,760
Sierra Vista-Douglas, AZ190$37,290$17.93$43,700$32,120
Tucson, AZ2,220$39,260$18.88$45,750$33,690
Yuma, AZ480$36,790$17.69$42,330$34,020
* Salary information based on the May 2023 Occupational Employment Statistics (OES) Survey for Nursing Assistants, OCC Code 31-1131, BLS.
* Employment conditions in your area may vary.

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)
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