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The job of a patient care technician in Florida is both busy and productive, as well as filled with sunshine thanks to this sunny southern state.
If you are currently living in FL or want to go to school in the state for patient care technician (PCT) training, there are dozens of training programs and colleges.
Check out the way to get licensed as a PCT in Florida so you can start earning a good salary with this healthcare career.
Article Table of Contents
- 1 Licensing Requirements to Become a Patient Care Technician in Florida
- 2 5 Patient Care Technician Schools in Florida
- 3 Salary of a Patient Care Technician in FL
- 4 Frequently Asked Questions
- 4.1 Is it a state requirement to take the certified patient care technician exam provided by the National Center for Competency Testing?
- 4.2 Do students entering a patient care technician program in Florida need CPR/First Aid training?
- 4.3 Where do newly certified patient care technicians go in Florida to get a license?
Licensing Requirements to Become a Patient Care Technician in Florida
The State of Florida has certain requirements that students must take into account when becoming a patient care technician.
Since this is an advanced level of healthcare and medical assistant services, students have to be certified nursing assistants (CNA) first.
This requires training and successfully passing the CNA exam before being eligible to practice as a patient care technician in Florida.
Once you have completed your CNA training and certification, and have a CNA license, then you are ready to get certified as a PCT.
5 Patient Care Technician Schools in Florida
Florida Career College
At the Florida Career College (FCC) in only 10 months, students can become certified patient care technicians.
This program at FCC is part of the hybrid track with online and in-person coursework.
Graduates receive the skills needed to be certified nursing assistants, nursing aides, geriatric nursing assistants, and more.
Additionally, students are trained to pass the patient care technician certification exam or CPCT/A by the National Healthcareer Association (NHA).
The patient care technician program is offered at several FCC campuses in Florida.
Pricing for the course is not available for this program.
Florida National University
Florida National University (FNU) is offering a patient care technician program for entry-level healthcare professionals.
This program includes EKG and veniculture training and is geared for home health aides.
There are at least 20 credit hours for the course and 120 clinical hours of practice.
The program is in-person and on-campus with students wearing medical uniforms that they must provide for themselves.
The total costs are not listed by the school.
Florida Technical College
The patient care technician program at Florida Technical College (FTC) is ideal for students interested in the healthcare field.
The course leads to a patient care technician diploma and includes 160 hours of clinical practice.
Students pass the national certification exam upon graduation from the program at FTC.
Pricing is not available for this class.
Lake Technical College
At Lake Technical College, students interested in patient care technician certification can take one of the state’s more intensive programs.
The course is 600 hours and takes 20 weeks.
Tuition is $1,728 plus costs for materials and books.
The class takes place on the main LTC campus in Eustis, Florida on Kurt Street.
Care Hope College
Care Hope College (CHC) is offering students a chance to train to become patient care technicians.
The college-level courses for PCT are eligible for students who have completed the nursing assistant program.
The program at CHC runs during the day and evenings.
Day classes are for 16 weeks and the evening classes extend the program to 32 weeks or eight months.
Students have 600 contact hours, as they do with the LTC college program for PCT.
Additionally, students must have CPR certification in order to complete the patient care technician program at CHC.
Patient Care Technician Schools in Florida – Summary Table
| School Name | Address |
|---|---|
| Florida Career College | 1321 SW 107th Ave Ste. 201B, Miami, FL 33174 |
| Florida National University | 4425 W 20th Ave, Hialeah, FL 33012 |
| Florida Technical College | 12900 Challenger Pkwy, Orlando, FL 32826 |
| Lake Technical College | 2001 Kurt St, Eustis, FL 32726 |
| Care Hope College | 901 N Congress Ave C-201, Boynton Beach, FL 33426 |
Salary of a Patient Care Technician in FL
The average salary for a dialysis patient care technician in Florida is $42,050 a year.
This is within a range between $33,728 and $51,704 annually.
Other similar jobs include staff nurse, utilization review technician, and patient management coordinator.
Additionally, if you work as a top patient care services executive, you can earn up to $300,000 a year.
Annual Salary Range:| Location | Avg. Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Jacksonville | $32,727 |
| Miami | $33,615 |
| Tampa | $32,865 |
| St. Petersburg | $32,872 |
| Hialeah | $33,355 |
| Orlando | $32,848 |
| Fort Lauderdale | $33,531 |
| Tallahassee | $31,318 |
| Hollywood | $33,531 |
| Pembroke Pines | $33,314 |
Regional Salary in Florida
| Region | Employed | Avg. Annual Salary | Avg. Hourly Pay | Top 10% Annual Salary | Bottom 10% Annual Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL | 2,650 | $33,780 | $16.24 | $37,010 | $27,800 |
| Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin, FL | 770 | $32,490 | $15.62 | $39,620 | $25,830 |
| Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, FL | 2,650 | $30,790 | $14.8 | $35,840 | $24,620 |
| Gainesville, FL | 2,610 | $34,430 | $16.56 | $38,520 | $28,960 |
| Homosassa Springs, FL | 660 | $29,800 | $14.33 | $34,120 | $23,400 |
| Jacksonville, FL | 6,810 | $33,250 | $15.99 | $38,500 | $27,160 |
| Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL | 2,360 | $31,790 | $15.29 | $36,880 | $25,730 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | 22,600 | $33,640 | $16.17 | $39,760 | $27,070 |
| Naples-Immokalee-Marco Island, FL | 1,600 | $34,790 | $16.73 | $39,620 | $29,370 |
| North Port-Sarasota-Bradenton, FL | 3,450 | $33,310 | $16.01 | $40,030 | $27,420 |
| Ocala, FL | 1,360 | $30,740 | $14.78 | $34,200 | $26,910 |
| Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | 10,700 | $34,130 | $16.41 | $45,710 | $27,280 |
| Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL | 2,460 | $31,800 | $15.29 | $37,240 | $25,870 |
| Panama City, FL | 670 | $32,410 | $15.58 | $37,300 | $27,040 |
| Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL | 2,170 | $30,400 | $14.62 | $34,970 | $24,890 |
| Port St. Lucie, FL | 1,840 | $31,580 | $15.18 | $37,040 | $24,230 |
| Punta Gorda, FL | 810 | $32,710 | $15.72 | $39,830 | $28,440 |
| Sebastian-Vero Beach, FL | 890 | $32,940 | $15.84 | $37,280 | $27,310 |
| Sebring, FL | 560 | $29,950 | $14.4 | $34,150 | $24,790 |
| Tallahassee, FL | 1,450 | $28,320 | $13.62 | $34,010 | $22,640 |
| Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | 15,420 | $34,770 | $16.72 | $45,130 | $28,590 |
| The Villages, FL | 490 | $31,210 | $15.01 | $35,960 | $25,750 |
* Employment conditions in your area may vary.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it a state requirement to take the certified patient care technician exam provided by the National Center for Competency Testing?
No, students participating in a patient care technician program in Florida do not have to sit for the NCCT exam for certified patient care technicians.
This is not a state requirement, according to Care Hope College.
However, they must sit for a certification exam of their choosing that a training program or instructor should recommend.
Check with the program where you are going to school to be a PCT to see which certification exams they recommend for Florida patient care technicians.
Then choose the ones that will best suit your career focus when you are in the working world.
Do students entering a patient care technician program in Florida need CPR/First Aid training?
Yes, students who are participating in the patient care technician program in Florida must be CPR certified and should have First Aid certification as well.
This is a requirement as part of the healthcare certifications and safety procedures when working with patients in clinical settings.
Where do newly certified patient care technicians go in Florida to get a license?
In order to be a licensed and employed patient care technician, students must first get licensed as certified nursing assistants.
This can be done by the Florida Board of Nursing or the Florida Nurse Aide Registry.
Read the full guide: How to Become a Patient Care Technician
PCT Schools by City
PCT Schools by State
I am still thinking of where to pursue this career because my cousin said the pay is great and it has a continuous learning as well.
I am planning to transfer to another school because I don’t like the teachings of my current program. Anyway, thank you for this!
Lake Tech College seems like a pretty great choice for me since it’s near my home. I hope I can pass the entrance exam though.