How to Become a PCT in Indiana

Maybe you want to work as a PCT, or patient care technician, in Indiana.

Before getting hired, you have to meet some requirements.

Have a look below in order to learn more.

Patient Care Technician Job Description and Duties in Indiana

As a PCT, you will have close job duties to the ones of a CNA, or certified nurse assistant.

The main difference is that patient care techs don’t require supervision, while CNAs do.

As a patient care tech, you will assist patients, as well as their families and the other employees.

Your main job tasks will be the following:

• 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 Indiana, you are required to register in the Indiana Nurse Aide Registry.

A lot of facilities ask patient care technicians to finish some extra daily tasks.

Patient Care Technician Job Requirements in Indiana

Some significant job criteria for PCTs 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

But, you may have to get extra skills to work as a PCT.

You also need to pass a certification test to be listed in the Registry.

Patient Care Technician Education in Indiana

The IndianaNurse Registry needs candidates to take training courses before signing up for the licensing exam.

This is required because PCTs perform many unsupervised job duties.

Indiana has just one school offering patient care tech programs, seen below.

Often, the program will last for a few months and up to a year.

Your new certification will be available after you complete training.

You may also want to pursue an Associates’ degree instead of just a certificate.

While this degree lasts for more than 2 years, it also allows you to get a better job in the future.

Your training will include theory as well as clinical practice.

To enroll in a training program, you need to:

• 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

These are the subjects you can expect to study during your training:

• 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 Indiana

It is not difficult to get the patient care tech certification in Indiana.

The first step is completing the training program, after which you will take the certification exam.

To join the NHA test, you 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 requests 1 year of experience in the industry if you don’t want to join a training program.

As a training program covers the exam fee, you should consider joining one.

This PCT exam lasts for 2 hours and features 100 questions.

You also need to take 20 pre-test questions.

Patient Care Technician Employment and Salary in Indiana

In Indiana, you can get work in any of the below facilities:

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

In Indiana, a patient care tech earns a salary of around $33,000 per year.

You might receive a higher salary if you live in a bigger city.

Regional Salary in Indiana

Additional Information for Patient Care Technician in Indiana

The following resources might help you in your job search:

• Indiana Nurse Aide Registry
• National Health Association