How to Become a PCT in West Virginia

Do you plan on working in the medical field?

If that is true, you should think about becoming a PCT in West Virginia.

Have a look at the article below to learn more about this job and its education requirements.

Patient Care Technician Job Description and Duties in West Virginia

You will have to take on many job tasks as a PCT, and most of these will be performed unsupervised.

As a rule, you will be in charge of physically helping patients and their families.

Remember that many facilities may ask you to take on some other duties as well.

Your day to day schedule will include the following tasks:

• Bathing and feeding 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 West Virginia

First of all, you will have to provide the following:

• Have a high school diploma or GED
• Have good communication skills
• Are detail-oriented
• Are compassionate
• Have a clean criminal background
• Are certified
• Have physical stamina
• Some previous experience

If you perform as a patient care tech in this state, you will have to be listed on the West Virginia Nurse Aide Registry.

Patient Care Technician Education in West Virginia

If you to develop your skills, you will need to join a training program.

Generally, you can easily find a training program in your area.

The PCT training programs are provided by several schools in West Virginia.

Some of the institutions offering programs for patient care techs in West Virginia are:

The training programs usually last for a few months, with some programs lasting a full year.

If you choose to join an Associate’s degree program, you should know that it lasts for 4 years.

Higher education will bring you increased job opportunities in the future.

To attend a program, you need to:

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

The classes you will attend include theory and practice.

The classes you will encounter most often are:

• 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 West Virginia

Taking an NHA test is important if you plan on getting a license.

To attend the exam, you have to:

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

If you join a program, you don’t need any extra experience.

But, if you did not finish a program you must accumulate one year of experience.

The licensing exam has 100 questions and a span of 2 hours.

Before the exam, you have to take 20 pre-test questions.

Patient Care Technician Employment and Salary in West Virginia

After you pass the exam, your new certification will be issued.

This will allow you to work in any facility of your choice.

These include:

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

In West Virginia, the median salary is about $30,256 per year.

You can get paid more if you live in a larger area or city.

Regional Salary in West Virginia

Additional Information for Patient Care Technician in West Virginia

Those who need extra resources can have a look at the following:

• West Virginia Nurse Aide Registry
• National Health Association