How to Become a PCT in California

Many people are interested in becoming a nurse or working in the medical field in some sort of way.

If you’re one of these people, you could be interested in a position as a patient care technician in California.

If this is the case, then read this article!

Patient Care Technician Job Description and Duties in California

Individuals should know that PCTs have a very similar occupation as CNAs.

The main difference is that the former can perform most of their job duties without supervision, unlike the latter.

Patient care techs not only help the patients but also their families as well as the remaining staff of the institution they work for.

This list of PCT job duties will paint a clearer picture of this occupation:

• 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

In this state, it is mandatory for patient care technicians to be found in the California Nurse Aide Registry.

Additionally, each medical facility hiring PCTs may assign extra duties to these professionals.

Patient Care Technician Job Requirements in California

You can’t decide if you really want to become a PCT or not without knowing the qualities you must have.

Here are the main job requirements for a PCT position:

• 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

It’s also not uncommon for employers to ask for additional skills and qualities from the candidates.

What’s more, is that you need to pass an exam if you want to be listed in the Registry.

Patient Care Technician Education in California

The California Nurse Registry requires future PCTs to get trained before passing the certification exam.

This is important because these professionals will work unsupervised while performing certain procedures for which one needs some credentials.

The schools below offer many good training programs you can consider enrolling into.

Of course, not all the courses are made the same.

This is especially true when it comes to the program’s duration.

None of them lasts for less than several months usually up to a year.

These classes issue a certification upon completion.

However, those who want better career prospects, later on, choose to attend courses at the Associates’ degree level or higher.

This means spending at least 2 years studying.

Regardless of the option you prefer, you’ll have to attend all the clinical hours included in the class.

Most commonly, only those who meet these prerequisites are accepted in these programs:

• Have a clean criminal record
• Passed a drug screening test
• Passed a TB skin test
• Have the following health immunizations done:
  • MMR
  • Varicella
  • Hepatitis B
  • Flu
  • Tetanus

Patient cate techs need to learn about the following:

• 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

Patient Care Technician Certification in California

Getting the certification in California is rather easy as all you need to do is to complete your training and then pass the exam.

This is what you need to sign up for the NHA test:

• 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 accepts at least 1 year of experience in the field instead of an educational program.

However, you might want to enroll in the training program because the tuition may often cover the fee for the exam.

Regarding the test itself, it is 10 minutes short of 2 hours.

You’ll also have to answer 20 pre-test questions before you can complete the 100 questions of the exam.

Patient Care Technician Employment and Salary in California

You should know that the healthcare industry is in high need of personnel, including PCTs.

Finding a job at the following facilities could be the easiest:

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

In California, a patient care technician earns an average salary of $38,000 per year, with salaries being higher in cities like San Jose or San Francisco.

Regional Salary in California

Additional Information for Patient Care Technician in California

PCTs could use these resources when needing further help:

• California Nurse Aide Registry
• National Health Association