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Patient care technicians help those who require assistance with mundane activities within their daily lives.
The most common patients are the terminally ill and the elderly, but patient care technicians sometimes spill over into other medical fields.
Although home health aides and nurse aides offer similar care, patient care technicians are more skilled and therefore can offer medical services these other functions cannot.
This is because patient care technicians have extra training and certifications that allow for a wide range of treatments.
If you are interested in entering the medical field and helping others by becoming a patient care technician in Delaware, then keep reading to learn more about the profession!
Article Table of Contents
Licensing Requirements to Become a Patient Care Technician
Before diving into a patient care technician program, it is important to understand the entire licensure process beyond the training.
These steps include:
Earning a High School Diploma
The bare minimum educational requirement is to have a high school diploma.
No program or employer will even consider you without meeting this criterion.
Entering a Training Program
Given the size of the state, Delaware only has a few schools that offer this specialized training, but there are national online schools if you cannot attend those in-person.
Most training programs require candidates to pass a background check and drug and tuberculosis test, plus they have Tetanus, Flu, Hepatitis B, Varicella, and MMR vaccines.
Most programs in Delaware can be completed within one year for an associate degree.
Taking the Certification Exam
Your training program will prepare you well for the certification examination, which is offered by the National Healthcare Association.
To sign up for the Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) examination, you must be at least 18 years of age, hold a high school diploma, graduate from a training program, and pay the $149 examination fee.
Additionally, you must submit fingerprints and show proof of citizenship.
Some training programs include the exam fee as part of the tuition, so it’s important to ask for this information at the beginning of the program.
Finding a Job
Once you have earned the certificate, you can start looking for a job and use the CNA designation.
Many patient care technician programs require internships, so you can gain real-world experience while in school.
Also, some schools offer job placement assistance with local medical facilities to help you find a job quicker after completing the requirements.
5 Patient Care Technician Schools in Delaware
There are only a handful of patient care technician schools in Delaware.
These schools only offer certificate-level diplomas:
Dawn Career Institute
The nursing aid program at the Dawn Career Institute helps students learn more about patient care and documentation, providing emotional support, serving meals, recording vital signs, taking medical histories, and much more.
The focus of the program is on preparing students for the certification exam while offering students internships, so they can gain real-world experience.
This program can be completed in approximately one year.
Delaware Technical and Community College
The patient care technician program offered by Delaware Technical and Community College is a hands-on curriculum that helps students become more acclimated to the terminology and requirements of this field.
Training includes anatomy and physiology, rehabilitation services, empathic care, critical thinking, nutrition support, EKG reading, and cardiac function monitoring.
The program length is 280 hours and is only offered at the Stanton location.
Maggie Career Institute
The Maggie Career Institute offers several certified patient care technician paths.
The first is the certified nursing assistant program, which takes five weeks to complete and costs $3,000.
The phlebotomy technician, which costs $2,500, patient care technician, which costs $5,000, and the medical assistant training, which runs $8,000.
Polytech Adult Education
Polytech Adult Education offers a certified nursing assistant training program, which costs $2,400 and requires 185 hours of schoolwork.
Students in this program learn the basics and nuances of becoming a certified nursing assistant with academic and real-world experience.
Tristate Technical School
The nursing assistant program offered by Tristate Technical School gives students the foundation for managing patients in a variety of medical settings, including in the home.
The program costs $2,000 and gives students the tools they need to pass the certification exam over one year.
The nursing assistant program can be taken at the Laurel or Wilmington locations.
Patient Care Technician Schools in Delaware – Summary Table
| School Name | Address |
|---|---|
| Dawn Career Institute | 252 Chapman Rd, Newark, DE 19702 |
| Delaware Technical and Community College | 400 Stanton Christiana Rd, Newark, DE 19713 |
| Maggie Career Institute | 102 Larch Ave #104, Wilmington, DE 19804 |
| Polytech Adult Education | 823 Walnut Shade Rd, Dover, DE 19901 |
| Tristate Technical School | 210 Front St, Laurel, DE 19801 |
Salary
Annual Salary Range:| Location | Avg. Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Wilmington | $36,808 |
| Dover | $36,748 |
| Newark | $36,781 |
| Milford | $36,836 |
| Seaford | $36,080 |
| Middletown | $36,683 |
| Bear | $36,767 |
| Smyrna | $36,708 |
| New Castle | $36,808 |
| Georgetown | $36,836 |
Regional Salary in Delaware
| Region | Employed | Avg. Annual Salary | Avg. Hourly Pay | Top 10% Annual Salary | Bottom 10% Annual Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dover, DE | 890 | $35,020 | $16.84 | $40,790 | $30,510 |
* Employment conditions in your area may vary.
Sources
- https://www.exploremedicalcareers.com/patient-care-technician/pct-delaware/
- https://www.dtcc.edu/continuing-education/workforce-training/stanton/certificate-programs/patient-care-technician
- https://www.dawncareerinstitute.edu/Nursing-Assistant.php
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the most common job duties of Delaware patient care technicians?
Patient care technicians have many responsibilities, most of which involve dealing directly with patients.
These include feeding and bathing patients, catheter maintenance, escorting patients to medical facilities, and maintaining patient rooms.
Other responsibilities include performing phlebotomy techniques, speaking with the patient’s families, and vital sign monitoring.
What are some of the most critical skills a patient care technician needs in Delaware?
The best patient care technicians have excellent communication skills since they are constantly dealing with patients, their families, and other medical professionals.
It is also important to be detail-oriented since you will be dealing with various medications and treatments.
Patient care technicians must be dependable, compassionate, empathetic, and have the physical stamina to provide care to a patient all day for many consecutive days.
Which Delaware medical facilities need patient care technicians the most?
While patient care technicians can work at a variety of medical locations, home care, hospices, assisted living facilities, long-term care, rehabilitation centers, clinics, and hospitals are in most need of this employee type.
Read the full guide: How to Become a Patient Care Technician
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PCT Schools by State