Do PCT's get raises?

U.S.A. Missouri

Published

I am feeling kind of taken by the wim. I recently took a job as a PCT so that I could get some experience in a hospital before I decide if I want to be a nurse or and occupational therapist.

I have been working for a month or so. I had no idea that the job was so demanding and litterally non stop! I do like the experience but I feel like I should have asked for more money when I started. I like my job it's just that I feel that I should be paid more than I am....he he like we all do.

I already have a bachelors degree---non nursing and some basic experience in Home Health. I knew that I would be starting at the bottom. However, my husband is being laid of his job for the next 5 months and things are going to be in a crunch.

I used to make over 40K and now I make just about $10.00 an hour.

Any suggestions to people who are PCT's or have been in the very recent past. Who should I talk to? What should I say? Will they laugh at me?

Please help. I am very serious. :bowingpur

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Hello? Anyone? I see everyone reading this one. Any opinions???

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Specializes in Med/Surg <1; Epic Certified <1.

I honestly don't know....after my second semester when I took a job as a PCT, I was making $12/hour. But I think it's customary to get raises as you progress in your skills, knowledge, and schooling as well as time on the job.

As my mother used to say, all they can do is say, "No". They won't likely cause physical harm. Ask your HR person or manager and see what they say....

Best wishes....I survived 2 layoffs in my former career and was gone before this 3rd one last February. It is NOT pretty.

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What career were you in before and why did you decide to change. It seems like you had a good salary. I think with an RN you will start out lower about $18 an hour. I had thought about changing careers and I am currrently making about $40K but I finally decided not to do it due to the stress in nursing and also we could not affrod it financially for the two years I would be in school--not counting in the student loan and I wondered if I would end up ahead in the end.

I doubt you can get more than that as a PCT if RNs only make $18.

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Specializes in Med/Surg <1; Epic Certified <1.

New grads are being hired at $19/hour in this area right now. As mentioned as a PCT (without any raises) I was making $12/hour after second semester of NS.

As for the poster mentioning "getting ahead", it's probably a good idea you chose not to go this route. While I know I can eventually make more than the $50K/year I was making in my job in IT, I already have greater emotional satisfaction at the end of the day and the knowledge that if I want to work more than my 40 hours a week, I can make substantially more. In my IT position, I could work 80 hours week and got the same salary at payday. Additionally, there were two layoffs while I worked for this company; they were bought out last fall; and they just cut another 50% of their workforce.

While nursing school had its share of "stress", I will never go through the stress of wondering if I'm the next one walked out the door at management's whim or where I will find a replacement job.

Everything in life has its pluses and minuses. Sometimes sacrifice is made for the greater good; sometimes the sacrifices are not worth it. Salary, however, is not where some of the happiest people in life have found peace & contentment.

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My original question was not if I could get 40K being a PCT. The question was, "do PCT get raises"? I was meaning like a buck or two.

I agree with the other poster that working in corporate america is not all it is cracked up to be. There are SO many people loosing their jobs these days. Oviously if I was happy I would have not left to make $10 an hour as a tech.

Anyhoo, thanks for all the feedback.

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My original question was not if I could get 40K being a PCT. The question was, "do PCT get raises"? I was meaning like a buck or two.

I agree with the other poster that working in corporate america is not all it is cracked up to be. There are SO many people loosing their jobs these days. Oviously if I was happy I would have not left to make $10 an hour as a tech.

Anyhoo, thanks for all the feedback.

I'm a nurse intern (3rd semester student), making 12.50 an hr. If I work nights, it's .75 more per hour, weekends is .50 more per hour. We basically have the same duties as a tech. You may want to consider going PRN because the pay rate is higher. CNA's at my hospital earn 14.00 an hr for PRN, not sure for a tech, but I'm assuming it's about the same for PRN status.

I do know that techs get a cost of living raise, but I doubt it will be a dollar increase in your hourly rate.

Good luck to you!

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Specializes in Telemetry, Med-Surg.
New grads are being hired at $19/hour in this area right now. As mentioned as a PCT (without any raises) I was making $12/hour after second semester of NS.

As for the poster mentioning "getting ahead", it's probably a good idea you chose not to go this route. While I know I can eventually make more than the $50K/year I was making in my job in IT, I already have greater emotional satisfaction at the end of the day and the knowledge that if I want to work more than my 40 hours a week, I can make substantially more. In my IT position, I could work 80 hours week and got the same salary at payday. Additionally, there were two layoffs while I worked for this company; they were bought out last fall; and they just cut another 50% of their workforce.

While nursing school had its share of "stress", I will never go through the stress of wondering if I'm the next one walked out the door at management's whim or where I will find a replacement job.

Everything in life has its pluses and minuses. Sometimes sacrifice is made for the greater good; sometimes the sacrifices are not worth it. Salary, however, is not where some of the happiest people in life have found peace & contentment.

WDWpixie, about how many hours do you work a week? I'm starting the nursing program at St. Charles Community College in August, and most likely I'll have to get a job. I'm just wondering how many hours of work a week are possible with 10 hour clinicals, labs, lectures, and all of the other preparations we need to make. Thanks in advance for your reply.

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Specializes in Med/Surg <1; Epic Certified <1.
WDWpixie, about how many hours do you work a week? I'm starting the nursing program at St. Charles Community College in August, and most likely I'll have to get a job. I'm just wondering how many hours of work a week are possible with 10 hour clinicals, labs, lectures, and all of the other preparations we need to make. Thanks in advance for your reply.

I'm not a good gauge to go by.....I was fortunate for several reasons that I didn't have to work....but in my class, we had folks who worked anywhere from 1 day a week to 40 hours/week.....several would work all night, then come to class in the a.m.....and these folks ranged in age from 20's to 40's...

I think it's all a matter of how driven you are and how motivated you are to work and go to school. Also, I don't know what the time commitments are with SCCC, so I couldn't help you figure that out for you....

My best suggestion is to work as much as you can before the semester starts, then plan to have at least a week or two to figure out what the expectations are for school....then you can more appropriately figure out what you can expend for each....

Hopefully your job will be very flexible and allow you to work as much as you can when you can and to cut back near finals, etc. Most folks I know who worked in the hospitals had that kind of flexibility....

I wish you the best!! This will be one of the most challenging things you will ever do, but you will hopefully find it well worth it emotionally when it's over....and that will happen QUICKLY!!

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