If you want to take care of patients but don’t want to become a doctor or a nurse, you may want to consider patient care assistant/technician programs. As a patient care assistant or technician you will work in a doctor’s office, hospital, nursing home or other facility that offers patient care. Your duties will include assisting with lab specimens, helping with various hygienic needs, taking vital signs and performing other functions that are important to direct patient care. Your skills will be in demand, and you will be able to begin working right away after completing an accredited training program. The first step to becoming a patient care assistant or technician is finding the right program. Make sure the school you choose is accredited, the classes work with your schedule and the cost of tuition will fit in your budget. You may find programs at community colleges, health agencies or local health care colleges. At the end of your coursework and examinations you will become certified as a PCA. Some of your courses may also be applicable towards a LPN or RN program if you should choose to pursue that later on. Patient care assistant/technician programs prepare students to administer CPR, assist in medical exams, conduct lab tests, lead clinical exercises, perform first aid, take vital signs, withdraw blood and undertake various other important tasks. At the end of the program you may also need to pass the Certified Nursing Assistant exam to a get PCA job in certain states. You will need to have mastered all the practical skills and have the writing ability to pass a written exam. Then you can apply for a state license, if applicable, and begin interviewing for jobs. Considering the shortage of trained healthcare professionals in the nation, you should be able to find work right away. As a patient care assistant you can expect to find steady work and get good benefits as well, but you may start out making less than $30,000 per year. With experience and merit, however, there is no reason you can’t make more than $40,000. Perhaps this could be the right career for you.
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