How to Become a Patient Care Technician in New Jersey

Job Description

Patient Care Technicians provide direct care similar to nursing assistants but can also perform the duties of Phlebotomists and EKG technicians.

This wide range of responsibilities allows Patient Care Technicians to command average salaries in New Jersey that are 40 percent or higher than elsewhere in the United States.

In addition, they may draw blood from patients for diagnostic testing, reassure blood donors about the safety of donating blood, and monitor donors post-donation to ensure that they have no adverse reactions such as fainting or falling.

Moreover, a Certified Patient Care Technician will perform EKGs, telemetry, stress tests, and Holter monitoring.

New Jersey Certified Patient Care Technician Industry Information

New Jersey’s current unemployment rate of 4.1 percent lies only half a percent higher than the national average, making New Jersey a worker’s market.

As of 2020, New Jersey’s population numbered 8.885 million.

Of those, nearly 56 percent lie between 18 and 64.

Another 16.6 percent have reached age 65 or older.

Children receive phlebotomy and EKG services through Immunization and childbirth telemetry, and 5.8 percent of New Jersey residents have not yet attained their fifth birthday.

Consequently, pediatric patient care technicians see decent demand for their services in New Jersey.

Furthermore, since people 18 through 64 may need annual blood draws, a CPCT in New Jersey might work with people of any age.

Licensing

Like many other states, New Jersey regulates patient care technicians as unlicensed assistive persons.

Therefore, aspiring technicians must seek professional certification and complete their clinical training before working unsupervised.

Check with your prospective or current employer before embarking upon any training program since New Jersey employers set the bar for performance and experience in their facilities.

Patient Care Technician Schools in New Jersey

1. National Healthcareer Association Certified Patient Care Technician/Assistant (CPCT/A)

This exam costs $155 to $242, depending on whether you opt for the online study guide or practice tests.

You may opt to take the CPCT/A exam if you:

• Have a high school diploma or GED
• Completed Patient Care Technician training in the past five years or
• Received equivalent military medical training sometime in the past five years or
• Completed one year of supervised work experience as a Patient Care Technician in the past three years.

2. Americation Career and Training School

Their hybrid program costs $2900 to $3100.

Depending on the payment plan, you will pay $3850 to $4050 for the on-campus course.

Each program option includes:

• Practice exams
• Certificate of completion
• Resume writing assistance
• Job placement assistance
• Digital badges

3. Med Certs Patient Care Technician Career Training

This program costs $4000 upfront or $4284 in 12 payments.

• The program lasts 24 weeks.
• Eligible for tuition assistance through MyCAA, WIOA, and Army CA
• Cost includes all exam fees, books, and materials.
• 100 percent online, flexible 24/7 schedule
• Personal advisors
• Career coaching

4. Healthcare Training Institute Patient Care Technician Training in New Jersey

• This 900-hour program costs about $15,500 for tuition and fees plus $221 for books and supplies.
• AM classes between 8:15 AM and 2:45 PM Monday through Thursday
• PM classes between 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM Monday through Thursday
• Students must be 18 before day one of class
• A High School diploma or GED required

Other Programs

While other programs exist in New Jersey, they do not provide transparent tuition information, have broken or non-functional websites, or have other red flags.

Therefore, proceed with caution when searching for other schools and contact your intended or current employer before enrolling in any program, including the four options listed in this article.

Patient Care Technician Schools in New Jersey – Summary Table

Salary and Experience

On average, patient care technicians in New Jersey make approximately $68,584 a year.

Elsewhere in the United States, salaries average $34,529.

Since New Jersey’s cost of living is 20 percent higher than elsewhere in the country, this salary difference will prove crucial if you decide to live and work in New Jersey.

Most Patient Care Technicians in New Jersey already work as Nurse Aides or other direct patient care personnel before gaining their CPCT, typically for one to three years.

For this reason, taking courses to become a CPTC should begin as early as possible.

Education programs that start in high school, for example, provide extra time to gain real-life work experience while keeping education costs lower than options pursued after high school graduation, so take advantage of dual and concurrent enrollment where available.

Regional Salary in New Jersey

PCT Schools by City

PCT Schools by State