How can you become a Patient Care Technician, or PCT, in Florida? This high-demand career path is easier to enter than becoming a Registered Nurse or a Licensed Physician.

It can also be a starting point for other healthcare career paths in the future. The possibilities for a PCT are open. You just need to know how and where to start. Learn more about what you need to join this career.

The Path to Patient Care Technician

Patient Care Technicians must receive qualified training. Once they are trained they can sit for the Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) exam. A background check is also done to ensure patient safety.

Schooling is the first step on this career path. The Patient Care Technician program at CompuMed Vocational Careers covers the baseline requirements for the position. Learn about medical terminology and human anatomy and physiology.

You will also learn about nursing procedures, diet and nutrition, and basic emergency care. Become knowledgeable about different types of dementia and how to care for patients in nursing homes.

For PCTs, it is beneficial to have a positive temperament. Your job will be to make sure that patients are safe and comfortable. This can be done with changing bed sheets or providing a listening ear.

Start a career as a Patient Care Technician

Once you have gone through school and passed the exam, you can begin looking for PCT jobs. Training only takes 45 weeks, which is the same as two college semesters. You will need to study hard to improve your chances of success.

Career readiness is an essential part of the program. Basic communication skills, office procedures, and pre-emolument training is designed to help students enter the workforce. An externship provides hands-on experience.

Apply for the types of jobs that you want. Do you want to work in a nursing home or at a group home? Duties will vary by work setting but the idea is the same: provide supportive care to patients.