Getting started in one of the great options for patient care tech training in Alaska is looking like a smart career choice because the patient care technician is becoming one of the fastest growing careers in healthcare right now! The healthcare field as a whole is growing across Alaska and the patient care technician is a great career choice for those who want to become a RN or other higher level and higher paying medical field careers.
Though the patient care tech and a CNA and a HHA do share many job duties, the patient care tech title requires more training and in return, carries more responsibility than the other jobs do. For example, a CNA is not permitted to read EKGs or perform a phlebotomy procedure, but a PCT is if they are certified.
The path to become a PCT is pretty simple. Once you enroll in a program, complete it, pass the certification exam, you are on your way to success!
PCT Certification in Alaska
The (CPCT/A) Certification from the NHA is the certification you will want to earn if you want to continue your career path as a patient care tech in Alaska. Candidates become eligible for CPCT certification after completion of their respective patient care tech program. It is common for training programs in Alaska to be around 3-6 months in length. The state of Alaska has basic requirements for certification and considers a patient care tech a nurse aide. But as we mentioned, certifications are the difference. At the most basic level PTCs are nursing assistants but they can perform other tasks like and have higher level skillsets. They can then use those skills in subjects like dialysis, phlebotomy and EKG reading. Phlebotomy and EKG certification is highly recommended. Here is a breakdown of the testing parameters.
Test Breakdown – 100 questions with 20 pretest questions
Time limit for Testing – 1 hour and 50 minutes
Patient Care Technician Schools in Alaska
Here is the list of the largest schools that have PCT training programs in the state of Alaska.
Ilisagvik College Narl Facility, Barrow, Alaska 99723 4-year, primarily associate’s, Public Less than one year certificate|One but less than two years certificate|Associate’s degree|Bachelor’s degree Rural: Fringe
University of Alaska Fairbanks 1731 South Chandalar Drive, Fairbanks, Alaska 99775 4-year, Public Less than one year certificate|One but less than two years certificate|Associate’s degree|Bachelor’s degree|Postbaccalaureate certificate|Master’s degree|Doctor’s degree – research/scholarship Suburb: Small
University of Alaska Southeast 11066 Auke Lake Way, Juneau, Alaska 99801-8697 4-year, Public Less than one year certificate|One but less than two years certificate|Associate’s degree|Bachelor’s degree|Postbaccalaureate certificate|Master’s degree Town: Remote
Patient Care Tech Salary
The average pay for a patient care technician in Alaska is $28,875 and $14 per hour according to ziprecruiter.com. But, as we mentioned above, the more certifications you hold, the more you can make.