The Patient Care Technician (PCT) program provides hands-on assistance in serving the basic needs of patients in a hospital setting. The PCT will perform bathing, feeding catheter care, safety checks, and ensure patient room cleanliness. The PCT will also obtain EKG readings, monitor vital signs, and provide phlebotomy procedures. Ethical decision-making will provide patient-centered care and compassionate support to families.
The program is designed to be completed within eight weeks and will be offered every semester.
Completion of the PCT program allows the student to sit for the National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA) accredited National Health Career Association (NHA) Certified Patient Care Technician Exam (CPCT). The student will sit for the exam at College of DuPage during the last week of the program.
Registration Information
Prospective students must follow specific registration criteria before being admitted into the program. Review the Patient Care Technician Registration Packet for more information.
Students are expected to provide proof of a Comprehensive Health Insurance Plan prior to the start of the program or clinical start for PTA and SLPA. The insurance plan must cover you throughout the length of your clinical experience, which is most cases, consists of the entire length of the program. If you are in need of Health Insurance, please note the following important dates and visit cod.studentbenefitplans.com.
Important Dates
- November 1 through January 15: Open Enrollment
If you will need health insurance ANYTIME within the next year, you must apply during the current open enrollment period. - December 15: Deadline to enroll in a plan that will start January 1.
- January 15: Deadline to enroll in a plan that will start February 1.
- After January 15: Enrollment is closed.
If you miss open enrollment, but have a qualifying life event, you can still apply during a Special Enrollment Period.
While we cannot guarantee your official acceptance into the program, you need to be aware that there is short timeframe of when you are able to purchase a Health Insurance plan. The purpose of this step is to make you aware and that the time to research and purchase is NOW. Purchasing health insurance outside of this timeframe will take months and may prohibit your admittance into the Program. NOTE: Obtaining Health Insurance is NOT an application requirement but it is a requirement to be in the program.
First Step to Register - Attend an Information Session
Determine Your Path
Nursing teams will continue to need PCTs in the future. PCTs have various career paths to becoming a nurses aid, medical assistant, phlebotomist, EKG technician and more.
Whether you are interested in becoming a patient care technician, certified nursing assistant or continuing your education, COD can help you start. COD offers:
- Passionate instructors with years of working in the nursing field.
Patient Care Technician, Certificate
The Patient Care Technician (PCT) provides hands-on assistance in serving the basic needs of patients in a hospital setting. The PCT will perform bathing, feeding, catheter care, safety checks, and ensure patient room cleanliness. The PCT will also obtain EKG readings, monitor vital signs, and provide phlebotomy procedures. Ethical decision-making will provide patient-centered care and compassionate support to families.
Get Started Today
The first step to getting started in the program is to read the Patient Care Technician Registration Packet. The packet contains a registration checklist that you will need to follow in order to be eligible to register for the class.
Academic and Career Pathways give you a roadmap to achieving your career goals. Follow a pathway based on your degree or certificate that outlines which classes you need to take and when so you graduate on time or move on to the next phase in your career.
Patient Care Technician program graduates will:
- Consider the needs of all patients, regardless of race, gender, religion, disability, or background
- Assist doctors, nurses, and other healthcare professionals with the critical day-to-day care of patients
- Consistently practice in accordance with professional, legal, and ethical standards
- Adhere to evidence-based practices that provide hands-on assistance to serve patients' basic needs
- Implement strong teamwork skills to effectively communicate, resolve conflicts, and make decisions
Career Information
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