Any patient care technicians here?

IHeartPeds87 · Apr 9, 2015

I went to Health Care Solutions and Career group. I took phlebotomy, EKG and the CNA class through them. All three enabled me to sit for the NCCT certification exam and I became a patient care technician.

I thought that the school was good but it is not in a great area. I chose them because it was the cheapest I could find. If I had to do things again, I would probably go somewhere else.

I work at a hospital on a neuro unit. It's a tough job but great experience for school. I graduate from OCC's nursing program at the end of the month and will hopefully pass the NCLEX-RN soon!

pittnurse24, BSN, RN · Apr 9, 2015

I started work as a PCT when I was about half way done with nursing school and worked as one for a year and a half once I graduated. I didn't get certified or have to take any kind of test. I was in nursing school so I had the basic experience to be a PCT and I just got on the job training for all the other stuff while I worked. If I wasn't in nursing school I may have had to get certified but it wasn't necessary at my hospital!

ColleenJackson · Apr 10, 2015

I went to Health Care Solutions and Career group. I took phlebotomy, EKG and the CNA class through them. All three enabled me to sit for the NCCT certification exam and I became a patient care technician.
I thought that the school was good but it is not in a great area. I chose them because it was the cheapest I could find. If I had to do things again, I would probably go somewhere else.
I work at a hospital on a neuro unit. It's a tough job but great experience for school. I graduate from OCC's nursing program at the end of the month and will hopefully pass the NCLEX-RN soon!

Why would you have probably gone somewhere else? What, other than location, was not good? And do you recall roughly what the cost was?

IHeartPeds87 · Apr 11, 2015

If I remember correctly, phlebotomy was 600. I think the nurse aide training was around 500. I think EKG was around 200? These are guesstimates. It was a long time ago.

For one thing, it was in a not very safe part of town. I was always nervous walking from my car into the classroom.

The classroom supplies themselves were not great (ripped chairs, no "board" for the teacher, etc).

I thought that the teacher who taught phlebotomy was good. She was the same one who taught EKG. The teacher who taught the nurse aide training I thought was very abrasive and uninterested in teaching.

There were, if I remember correctly only a few dummies for the nurse aide training portion for the entire class. I felt like a lot of time was spent waiting.

Just my opinion. Good luck to you.

jeaniekadinee · Apr 11, 2015

I guess it depends on where you go. I'm in Phlebotomy right now and it was about 600 for enrolling, books, drug and background checks, scrubs. I go to a community college that uses Phlebotomy as continued education. Other schools use it as curriculum so you can try to get financial aid if its curriculum.

SopranoKris, MSN, RN, NP · Apr 11, 2015

Phlebotomy at LCC is like $83 per credit hour. Not too expensive. I did this before applying to the nursing program. It came in handy when it was time to do IV insertions in 4th level :)