Patient Care Technician

The program is designed for students preparing to enter health career as a Patient Care Technicians. It is focused on direct patient care services for various hospital or ambulatory care units under supervision of a registered nurse. Students will obtain knowledge and skills necessary to perform routine personal care to complex patients and observe and report changes in patient conditions. Program covers basic techniques of venipuncture and skin puncture for obtaining blood specimens for laboratory analysis. Infection control and the labeling of blood specimens are emphasized. Training includes performance of non-invasive electrocardiographic procedures, such as an electrocardiogram (EKG) as well as anatomy and physiology of the heart and monitoring of artifacts and gross abnormalities. Training includes clinical internship at the Highland Park Phlebotomy Lab and Brandell Care Center.

Occupational Outlook
Patient Care technicians usually work a 40-hour week. Some overtime may be required. In hospitals—where departments often are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week—technicians may work day, evening, and night shifts.

Job prospects should be very good. Employment of Patient Care technicians is expected to grow much faster than the average for all occupations through 2012, due to rapid growth in the number of medical tests, treatments, and procedures.

Although employment growth in hospitals will not keep pace with growth in other healthcare industries, many new jobs will nevertheless be created. The fastest employment growth and a majority of the new jobs are expected in offices of physicians, due to increasing demand for detailed records, especially in large group practices. Rapid growth also is expected in nursing care facilities, home healthcare services, and outpatient care centers. Additional job openings will result from the need to replace technicians who retire or leave the occupation permanently.

Salaries
These fields have a wage range between $10-$12 an hour to start and up to $16-$20 an hour for years of experience and responsibility.

This program is approved by: IL Board of Education; National HealthCareer Association
This program prepares you for: Patient Care Technician Certification Exam

Patient Care Technician program
Total Duration: 424 clock hours
Prerequisites: Basic oral, written and conversational skills in English language.
Course Fee: $5,249