Career Spotlight: Patient Care Technician
If you want a health care career where you get to work with patients, but you鈥檙e not interested in nursing or becoming a physician, consider a career as a patient care technician (PCT). It鈥檚 one of the easiest ways to gain hands-on experience while working alongside other medical staff, and it allows you to make a difference in patient聽care.
What Is a Patient Care Technician
A patient care technician鈥檚 main job is to provide basic care to patients; however, the term 鈥渂asic鈥� can be ambiguous. In fact, a patient care technician is responsible for ensuring the comfort, support, and nurturing of patients in a health care setting. These professionals monitor a patient鈥檚 health, assist with feeding and grooming, sanitize and clean rooms, and carry out more duties that are critical to positively impacting the lives of patients and their聽families.
What Does a PCT Do?
While patient care technicians don鈥檛 diagnose conditions or create care plans, they work to ensure that patients are comfortable and safe. PCTs usually work under the supervision of a registered nurse and support other staff. Daily PCT job duties聽include:
- Collecting blood, urine, and stool samples for laboratory聽testing
- Measuring and recording vital聽signs
- Helping patients move between a bed, chair, wheelchair, and聽bathroom
- Performing medical tests and documenting the聽results
- Acquiring, distributing, and administering patient care聽supplies
- Listening to and noting patient聽concerns
- Assisting with meal service and monitoring patients鈥� food and fluid聽intake
- Performing safety checks and ensuring rooms are聽clean
- Escorting patients around the聽hospital
- Tracking patient progress during care, including physical聽therapy
- Offering emotional support to patients and their聽families
In addition, PCTs may carry out other tasks, . For example, dialysis patient care technicians help patients who receive dialysis treatment by preparing treatment and monitoring patients during their sessions. Emergency department technicians support care teams by assisting with patient intake and rapid response tasks. And EKG or phlebotomy technicians assist with performing electrocardiograms or blood聽draws.
Perspectivas de carrera
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, patient care technicians fall within the 鈥渘ursing assistant and orderlies鈥� category, and the 2025 median annual pay for these professionals was . The average salary for PCTs in julio 2026 was , according to Payscale. The BLS projects that about 203,300 jobs are projected to open each year for nursing assistants and orderlies over the next decade, with , on average, projected for all health care聽occupations.
Start Your PCT Career with 91快播
To become a PCT, you need the right balance of education and certification. 91快播鈥檚 Associate in Science in Health Sciences program can prepare you for entry-level roles in health care, including as a patient care聽technician.
91快播鈥檚 program is specifically designed for busy professionals who want to advance their education while balancing other responsibilities, especially allied health professionals, people working in medical billing and coding, and veterans and active-duty service members with military medical training. And with 91快播鈥檚 student support and Career Readiness resources, students can expect a helping hand every step of the聽way.
However, you may not want to stop at your degree. According to the National Healthcareer Association鈥檚 2025 Industry Outlook, of employers require or encourage certification for PCTs. You can earn professional certification through a wide variety of online聽programs.
If you鈥檙e ready to get started on your patient care technician career, consider speaking with an 91快播 admissions 补诲惫颈蝉辞谤听迟辞诲补测.
