How much does a patient care technician make?

In other words, what is the typical patient care technician salary?

Fortunately for us there are folks who keep track of that type of information and we can use some of that to give us a look inside the patient care technician / patient care assistant profession.

Knowing a little about the job can go a long way to helping you decide if it is a career option you want to pursue. Perhaps you intend to work as a patient care tech for long term or perhaps you see it as a stepping stone to more advanced positions in the medical arena.

Regardless of your intentions for getting started as a PCT knowing what level of compensation you will receive is a good thing since we all need to support ourselves and our families in some way.

So How Much Does a Patient Care Technician Make?

The average patient care technician salary is $11.54 per hour according to data provided by the BLS.

Depending on where you live and work as well as what type of establishment you work for you could start as low as $8.55 or make as much as $16.62 per hour.

Naturally there are a lot of different factors that go into the wage numbers for any position and patient care technician jobs are no different.

Depending on your credentials such as previous experience, courses of study you have completed and certifications you may be able to command a higher wage level than you would with the most basic qualifications.

Keep in mind that even if you can’t start out earning as much as you would like to in a patient care technician position that you might want to look at it as a sort of paid educational experience.

Typically real world work experience is worth a lot on a resume -especially compared to someone with virtually no experience- so if you have your eyes on moving up into other lines of work in the medical field it is very valuable to have past experience to point to and give you a foot in the door so to speak.

Increasing Your Patient Care Technician Salary

If you are already working as a patient care technician or in another position and feel like you could be compensated better for the value you bring to your organization there are things you can do.

As we mentioned above the patient care technician salary data shows a fairly wide range in pay scale from ~$8.50 all the way to nearly double at ~$16.50 per hour. What if you wanted to move up from the lower end of the scale to the better compensated end?

Author Ramit Sethi talks a lot about making “big wins” in your career to reach your financial goals rather than skimping on little things that you like such as coffee, eating our or buying books.

One of the biggest wins you can make is to negotiate your way to a higher salary whether at your current job or when looking for a new position.

Here’s a video on Salary Negotiation 101 with Ramit to help you get started in learning how to negotiate your way to a more rewarding patient care technician salary level.

If your successful in employing some of these negotiation techniques perhaps the answer for the question, “how much does a patient care technician make?” can be different (i.e. more) for you going forward than it was in the past.

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The medical profession is full of positions in which working together as a team is essential to success.

Doctors and nurses have many responsibilities that must be accomplished in order to maintain the health and well-being of their patients.

To achieve their goals, they sometimes have to rely on the help of assistants and technicians.

What Is a Hemodialysis Patient Care Technician?

Hemodialysis Patient Care Technicians assist nurses with dialysis procedures.

Dialysis is the process of cleansing the blood by removing excess water and waste for patients who suffer from kidney failure.

Technicians are responsible for operating the equipment during the treatment.

In addition, they perform tasks such as recording and monitoring vital signs, taking blood samples, and managing the equipment.

Depending on state laws and the policy of the facility, additional duties may include:

• Sanitizing equipment and discarding supplies

• Assembling the supplies as needed

• Monitoring, managing, and adjusting blood flow rates

• Testing of the monitor, alarms, and temperature of the machine and ensure they are in appropriate working condition

• Changing the patient’s position and fluid removal rate, as approved by the nurse

• Inserting needles and administering local anesthesia

Dialysis Technicians are responsible for the direct patient care throughout the entire dialysis treatment.

They perform treatment under the supervision of a nurse and are in charge of all the duties associated with the treatment; however, the nurse is responsible for the overall care of the patient and is in control of any necessary actions that may relate to the patient’s condition should it become unstable or abnormal.

Technicians must report all activity related to the treatment to the nurse.

Work Setting

Dialysis Technicians are qualified to work in a variety of settings. They may work in hospitals, ambulatory services, home dialysis programs, and outpatient treatment centers.

The hemodialysis unit is a technical, fast-paced environment in which technicians are expected to maintain professionalism and perform the procedures in an efficient manner.

Education and Training Requirements

While some employers offer on-the-job training, many places require certification and training to begin working as a Hemodialysis Patient Care Technician.

Some companies may also offer employer-sponsored training programs. Community colleges and vocational schools offer certification programs that allow students to obtain the knowledge to become successful technicians.

To get into a training program, applicants must have a high school diploma or GED. Some programs may require a certain number of hours to be taken in courses such as biology in high school or in college.

In addition, CPR certification may be required upon acceptance. After successfully completing the program, students will now be prepared to apply for certification with an accredited organization.

Hemodialysis Patient Care Technician Skills & Talents

Technicians should possess strong communication skills as they are required to document and report all care to nursing staff.

They should be able to apply strong organizational and sound judgment skills to every procedure and to every patient they interact with.

As dialysis technicians come into direct contact with patients on a daily basis, essential qualities such as respect and a caring attitude are important characteristics to ensure a successful and fulfilling career as a Hemodialysis Patient Care Technician.

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The interesting thing about this particular specialty in the medical field is that it doesn’t seem to have an official name.

Besides the term “Patient Care Technician” additional titles used for nearly -if not completely- identical positions are:

• Nursing Assistant
• Nurse Auxiliary
• Patient Care Assistant
• Home Health Aide
• Nurse Aide
• Nurse Tech
• …and others

Obviously these do not all perform exactly the same functions in the same places but there is considerable overlap to be found.

Regardless of the name the main responsibility of someone in a PCT position is to assist patients who are sick or injured.

Typically people in this position will need help moving about -if they are mobile at all- as well as adjusting their bed, wheel chair or the like.

There are also medications to keep track of and administer besides other tasks that might be directed by a more senior medical professional.

Wikipedia lists some of the common tasks for patient care technicians as:

• Observing, documenting and reporting clinical information such as patient behavioral changes
• Assisting patients with rehabilitation exercises
• Recording patient data such as blood pressure, temperature etc.
• Helping patients move about
• Assisting with hygiene

If you pursue a position as a patient care technician your daily tasks will depend largely on the type of work environment you find yourself in.

Getting your training for becoming an unlicensed assistive technician is actually fairly straightforward since you should be able to find a program of study -such as a one semester CNA course- at a community college in your area.

You can click here to read more about patient care technician training.

One thing to keep in mind is that though classroom training my be necessary and helpful getting real world experience is going to be the biggest benefit to your career whether you decide to move on from an entry level type position or are merely getting a feel for whether you want to work in this sector of the medical field or not.

Three specific areas of certification come under the auspices of patient care technician:

Certified Patient Care Technician (CPCT)

Certified Patient Care Associate (CPCA)

Certified Nurse Technician (CNT)

One examination encompasses the requirements for all three areas of certification. The National Healthcareer Association is a certification organization that serves to implement national competency standards to ensure patient safety. The organization is an information resource and support network for health care professionals and the health care industry.

They are the certification body that will administer the examination and issue the patient care technician certification. Contact them directly to find out about fees and the application process for the examination: http://www.nhanow.com/patient-care-technician.aspx

Patient Care Technician Certification Eligibility Requirements

In order to be eligible to take the examination the applicant must have a high school diploma or equivalency. The following are also requirements for the certification examination:

• Recently successfully completed a training program or have one year of work experience within the field. The on-the-job training with a self employed patient care technician might meet the requirement for this aspect but it is advisable to contact the certification board before taking a job in order to insure that it meets this requirement.

• Written proof of training or experience is mandatory. The primary purpose for certification is patient safety, so to that end it is in a candidates best interest to keep track of the work they perform and the skills they learn through an on the job training program. Although a candidate may obtain the patient care technician certification with 1 year of work experience only, this may not be sufficient to meet a specific state registration or licensure requirements. The state might require a candidate to complete a patient care technician training program. It is the candidate’s responsibility to check and verify the requirements for the state where they intend to work.

• The patient care technician is expected to comply with the established code of ethics. They must uphold standards of professionalism. Honesty and trust must be paramount for the patient care technician. They should conduct themselves in a manner that is in the best interest of the profession and the patient care technician certification organization. Patient care technicians who continue to learn will advance in their position and will help to increase the awareness about new and emerging procedures and trends. They must protect patient confidentiality in all activities and interactions with others professional health care or social services providers. Patients or clients must have full confidence and know that they can depend on the patient care technician not to disclose any harmful or erroneous information.

Why Patient Care Technician Certification?

To sum it up in one sentence: The profession is only as good as the people who work in it.

The guidelines established to gain the certification of CPCT/CPCA/CNT are meant to insure every patient care technician understands the essential elements of professionalism and ethics.

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The best way to prepare for the job as a patient care technician is to complete a training program that focuses on the core responsibilities for the position. As mentioned in the earlier section, there are several options available for training.

Patient Care Technician Training Options

The types of schools that offer patient care technician courses generally fall into three main categories: distance learning programs, internet programs and career schools. These are not exclusive categories. You can also get on the job training when you work with a self-employed patient care technician.

If you decide to pursue training through this option, make sure you contact the local State Department of health to find out if this training will meet the criteria to apply for patient care technician certification.

You might be able to have a limited number of the required hours approved through on the job training. Students still might need to take traditional classes such as get a CPR and first aid certification from an organization certified to offer that type of training.

Patient Care Technician Training – Distance Learning

Distance learning programs are a popular resource for patient care technician training. This type of program allows students the flexibility and time they might need to complete the course. Self paced and individualized modules help student take the time they need to complete the program. People who decide to earn a certification as a patient care technician through distance learning usually have too many obligations and prefer to be in control of when to advance in the course.

This is a great option for stay at home moms or dads, people who do not have transportation, or other restriction that prevent them from attending traditional classroom. In some cases, distance learning is just a preferred option. Even though the student might get access to the course material online, the internet is the resource to get the information, not the setting for study.

Patient Care Technician Training - Internet Programs

Internet programs are similar to the traditional correspondence program with several significant differences. Although the student is not on a traditional campus as in a brick and mortar school, the student class and activities element is still essential for success in the program.

The internet is an interactive experience and can put the student in the cyber classroom with the click of a radio button. Here, students can interact with each other, take courses, submit papers and take exams. The internet class might require you to complete a certain module by a particular date. In that sense, internet study is not self paced learning.

Schools like Ultimate Medical Academy, Brookline College and Kaplan College can offer both distance learning and internet learning programs. The best practice is to choose your favorite search engine to search by school name and conduct a search under patient care technician training programs.

Patient Care Technician Training – Career Schools

Career schools are the most traditional environment where you can learn to become a patient care technician. These schools are different from the community college and continuing education or adult learning schools. This is the setting where students come and attend structured classes, study and might spend a significant portion of the day. Some career schools require student wear scrubs or some other kind of medical uniform.

Each of these types of program might require students to pay a tuition and registration fee on top of program costs. Check to find out what kind of financial aid is available and how to go about applying for financial assistance. The future looks bright and the demand for qualified patient care technicians continues to grow. Specialized sectors within the medical field and traditional settings such as clinics and hospitals always need good patient care technicians. Quality patient care technician training is a good way to get started in the career on the right foot.

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Patient Care Technician Salary & Career Info

The outlook for this job is strong and the wages for this position reflect the growing demand across the different setting where you can expect to find employment as a patient care technician. According to the 2010 OES (Occupational Employment Statistics), you can expect the wages to be somewhere within the following ranges. What will make the ultimate difference is the setting, skills, qualifications and local cost of living adjustments.

• Overall the wage range for this type of position falls between $8.55 per hour on the low end and a high of $16.62 per hour. The average is $11.54/hr.

It is also important to remember that the wages do not necessarily mean that there is no room for adjustment or that they are exclusive to the position no matter where you find employment. Another key factor is the wages listed below do not reflect the patient care technician salary data for self-employed individuals.

The most fundamental expectation for this position would be the federal mandated minimum salary for any position listed through the US Department of Labor. Therefore, it is safe to say you can expect to start at the basic minimum wage for this position. Beyond that here is what you can expect in the way of patient care technician salary levels.

Keep in mind that this is an entry level medical position so the wages are not as high as in other sectors of the profession. The thing about working as a patient care tech though is that it can provide you with an “in” to other more advanced medical positions with salary figures that improve upon the patient care technician salary numbers you’ll see here.

Also it makes more sense to spend time gaining real-world experience for a wage than to get a lot of book learning if that coursework does not translate into landing a job.

Patient Care Technician Types of Jobs: Hourly Mean (Average) Wage

Health Care and Social Assistance: $11.96/hr

Ambulatory Health Care Services: $11.80/hr

Offices of Physicians: $12.70/hr

Offices of Other Health Practitioners: $11.64/hr

Offices of Chiropractors: $9.42/hr

Offices of Mental Health Practitioners: $9.07/hr

Offices of Physical Occupational and Speech Therapists and Audiologists: $11.45/hr

Offices of All Other Health Practitioners: $12.80/hr

Outpatient Care Centers: $13.21/hr

Outpatient Mental Health and Substance Abuse Centers: $12.08/hr

Medical and Diagnostic Laboratories: $12.83/hr

Home Health Care Services: $11.14/hr

Other Ambulatory Health Care Services: $11.41/hr

All Other Ambulatory Health Care Services: $11.46/hr

Hospitals: $12.85/hr

Hospitals – State government owned: $12.73/hr

Hospitals – Local government owned: $12.02/hr

Hospitals – Privately owned: $12.99

General Medical and Surgical Hospitals: $12.87/hr

General Medical and Surgical Hospitals – State government owned: $13.46/hr

General Medical and Surgical Hospitals – Local government owned: $12.01/hr

General Medical and Surgical Hospitals – Privately owned: $13.00/hr

Psychiatric and Substance Abuse Hospitals: $11.23/hr

Psychiatric and Substance Abuse Hospitals – State government owned: $11.12/hr

Psychiatric and Substance Abuse Hospitals – Privately owned: $11.31/hr

Specialty (except Psychiatric and Substance Abuse) Hospitals: $13.19/hr

Specialty hospitals State government owned: $13.19/hr

Specialty hospitals Privately owned: $13.20/hr

Nursing and Residential Care Facilities: $11.56/hr

Nursing Care Facilities: $11.66/hr

Residential Mental Retardation Mental Health and Substance Abuse Facilities: $11.30/hr

Residential Mental Retardation Facilities: $11.14/hr

Residential Mental Health and Substance Abuse Facilities: $12.05/hr

Community Care Facilities for the Elderly: $11.26/hr

Other Residential Care Facilities: $11.16/hr

Social Assistance: $10.38/hr

Individual and Family Services: $10.32/hr

Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities: $10.27/hr

Community Food and Housing and Emergency and Other Relief Services: $13.05/hr

Vocational Rehabilitation Services: $10.51/hr

Child Day Care Services: $10.88/hr

What Does This Patient Care Technician Salary Data Mean?

This table is a listing of mean (average) salaries.

The patient care technician salary information in this table indicate that it is a good chance you can earn much more than this with the correct certifications, skill and years of experience.

Wage data from: BLS

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This section will point you in the direction of good places to find patient care technician jobs and employment opportunities.

Patient Care Technician Jobs – Hospital Oppurtunities

Hospitals are traditional settings for patient care technician jobs. In the emergency room, you can find a patient care technician working along with the rest of the medical team to assist with whatever medical need arises.

They will multitask sometimes, monitoring vital signs, collecting samples, testing specimen or cleaning wounds on patients. In some cases, the patient care technician might be responsible to monitor vital signs for one specific function so other members of the clinical team can better perform lifesaving procedures for the patient.

Throughout the hospital, the responsibilities of the position differ from unit to unit. The PCT will answer call bells, refill water pitchers, changed linen, transport patients throughout the hospital, direct visitors and answer phones. All of these responsibilities are important to the overall smooth operation of the hospital and are essential for quality patient care.

Community Organizations

In a community-based organization, they might be assigned the primary task to take and record blood pressure readings and serve as the primary first aid coordinator for the center. The PCT usually has to take on the responsibilities for more than one job in a non profit organization that has a limited operating budget. In some centers, the patient care technician might take on the roll as program driver and transport clients to the center so they can receive services. Access to services is critical for many community programs and if the center needs a driver who can monitor client care and perform CPR the primary care technician may take on this responsibility.

Laboratories and Clinics

The patient care technician that works in a rural setting or small clinics might take on the responsibility to triage clients and perform some pre and post-surgical procedures. They might dress wounds, clean rooms, assist with ability of living skills and even preparing meals.

Medical laboratories might have the patient care technician take on the job to collect specimens for drug or toxicity screen testing. In addition to this job, they might be the point person to have patients complete the necessary legal forms that go along with testing and collecting samples.

Overall, the best places to find patient care technician jobs is to check with local, regional and national health care facilities. Find out if they have job boards and how often they update their job boards.

A Final Word on Patient Care Technician Jobs

Use the resources of the internet to search job boards, message boards and job search engines. Senior citizens organizations will sometimes have excellent resources and many listings for a PCT to work with elderly patients. Keep in mind that word of mouth and talking to people who already work in health care are good resources. They might be able to give you the name or make a referral for you to a department within an organization that has an opening in the patient care technician jobs arena.

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This section will discuss the types of schools that offer patient care technician courses and training. The types of schools that offer patient care technician courses generally fall into three main categories

• Distance learning programs

• Internet programs

• Career schools

These are not exclusive categories.

Patient Care Technician Schools – Distance Learning Options

The distance learning schools are the types of programs and courses that can be available through the internet or other resources such as coursework offered by an institution that might not be in the same geographic location as the student. These schools might have programs that meet on a regular frequency in a local area with a representative from the institution.

Sometimes students receive course work in the mail or email, complete the assignment them meet with the instructor for review and instruction. Distance learning programs are convenient for student who might not otherwise have time to set aside to attend classes on a regular basis.

Another name for these programs is self-paced correspondence courses. When you decide to pursue a patient care technician certificate through a correspondence course, make sure that the program will include the correct preparation for the certificate in your home state. Check with your State Department of Health if you have any questions about the program before you invest in these types of patient care technician schools and courses.

Patient Care Technician Schools – Internet Programs

The Internet is a global portal to online courses and study that can prepare you to become a certificated patient care technician. Although it might not provide the classroom atmosphere that a traditional school program offers, you can still get the same results, which is to prepare to take the exam to become a certified patient care technician.

When you search for schools that offer courses to prepare you for work as a patient care technician, you want to know certain things about the program of study. Most important is the program accreditation. What organizations recognize the school? Before you spend money take time to ask a few questions about the course of study and will it be adequate to prepare you to sit for the certificate examination in you state.

Patient Care Technician Schools – Career Schools

Traditional career schools are perhaps the most popular. These are the most familiar and usually offer their students a campus environment in some capacity.

When you want to take advantage of the collective student experience, enroll in a career school to study for your patient care technician certificate coursework. The main advantage of the local career school program is that you do not need to worry if the course work will help you to prepare for the certification examination in your state.

The options for patient care technician training are as diverse as the categories. An effective course is for students to train in a clinical setting so they can observe as they learn. You might consider this an on the job training program and usually the different types of patient care technician schools will offer a clinical practicum in some manner.

Usually study material and structured classes meet regularly throughout the program. Students will have an opportunity to see what it is really like to be a patient care technician before they actually complete the certification.

Academic study and research is a method that will mainly require lots of reading and study. You might be required to read case studies about what to expect for the job and mainly learn the do’s and don’ts of the position in a classroom setting.

A typical program of study might include:

• Anatomy and Physiology

• Blood Collection Techniques

• Documentation

• Medical Terminology

• OSHA Standards

• Patient Preparation

• Pharmacology

• Phlebotomy

• Specimen Collection

• Universal precautions

• Vital Signs

Find Out More About Patient Care Technician Schools

The types of schools that offer patient care technician courses prepare you to work in a growing profession with room for advancement and lateral career changes. You can find out more information about the certification process through your State Department of Health and by contacting an organization such as the National Healthcareer Association. If you’re interested in more beyond information on patient care technician schools be sure to check out the other information on the career right here on the website.

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