How to Become a Patient Care Technician in Oregon

Oregon Patient Care Technicians fall under the Certified Nursing Assistant umbrella, with two divisions: CNA I and II. However, PCTs can perform all CNA I duties plus administer EKGs, draw blood, and insert and remove catheters, Foleys, and IVs.

In addition, Oregon PCTs with CNA II certification perform some duties without direct RN supervision.

Generally, a CNA II program and national certification provide a superior occupational outlook.

Job Description

The Bureau of Labor Statistics classifies some Patient Care Technicians as Nursing Assistants and Orderlies and others as Phlebotomists or EKG Technicians.

Oregon’s Level I CNAs work under the supervision of a licensed medical professional, such as a Physician’s Assistant, Nurse Practitioner, or Registered Nurse.

However, Oregon’s CNA II positions include the responsibilities of EKG Technicians, Phlebotomists, and Dialysis Technicians.

In addition, since Oregon lacks in-state certification programs, completing a CNA program prepares you for the National Healthcareer Association’s Certified Patient Care Technician/Assistant (CPCT/A) exam.

Oregon Patient Care Technician Industry Information

Slightly more than 15 percent of Oregonians do not speak English, making multilingual Patient Care Technicians increasingly necessary.

Additionally, with many disabled or childbearing-age adults and an aging population, Patient Care Technicians find themselves in high demand.

For example, when you search the Oregon Employment Department’s database using the term Patient Care Technician, you find more than 50 exact-match job titles.

Search using Certified Nursing Assistant, and you discover another 765 jobs.

Contributing Factors to the Importance of Oregon Patient Care Technicians

In April 2022, Oregon unemployment reached 3.7 percent, just three-tenths of a percent higher than the next-lowest level in 2008.

Oregon’s current high employment rate provides a tremendous salary negotiation advantage.

In July 2021, Oregon had 4,246,155 residents. 18.2 percent were over 65, and a little over 50 percent were female.

Nearly ten percent of everyone under 65 had a disability, and almost nine percent lacked any health insurance coverage.

Additionally, only 62.5 percent of those aged 16 and older worked.

Licensing and Education Requirements

Because Patient Care Technicians perform the duties of a CNA II in Oregon, they must register using the same criteria as any other CNA.

Although the state does not set a minimum age to become a CNA, individual employers often require applicants to reach age 18.

Nevertheless, students begin CNA or pre-nursing courses as early as age 16.

In addition, CNA training programs in Oregon must offer a minimum of 80 in-class and 75 hands-on clinical hours.

Experience Requirements and Salary Expectations in Oregon

Oregon job listings reveal that employers desire a year’s experience in a medical facility or similar military medical training, so contact employers or recruiters before embarking on any Oregon certification program.

The average Oregonian CNA makes $38,091.

Certified Nursing Assistant Programs for Prospective Oregonian Patient Care Technicians

1. Oregon Job Corps Certified Nurse Assistant Program

When your boots have no bootstraps, it helps to know that Oregon Job Corps programs pose no cost to students or families.

Oregon has six Job Corps locations: Astoria, Portland, Troutdale, Estacada, Yachats, and Glide; students aged 16 through 24 complete the Career Preparation, Exploration, and Success/Workplace skills program first.

While enrolled, students receive a biweekly basic living allowance, a clothing allowance, residential housing, meals, driver’s education, and health and dental care.

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

The NHA program serves Oregonians who can afford a nominal cost, prefer self-directed learning and have a high school diploma or equivalent.

In addition, students must have completed any patient care technician training or education program or equivalent CNA I and II programs in the past five years.

Students may also qualify using one year of supervised work experience as a patient care technician in the previous three years.

The exam costs $155, excluding the study guide or practice tests. Save your receipts for reimbursement.

3. Pacific Healthcare Training Nursing Assistant Program

The $995 tuition includes 100 classroom hours and 75 clinical hours, a textbook, stethoscope, blood pressure cuff, gait belt, name badge, and pre-testing study sessions.

Additional costs include another $925.50 for fingerprinting, drug, screen, and background check; state board testing fees; Oregon State Board of Nursing fingerprint processing; liability insurance; lab fees; a TB test; navy blue scrubs; nursing shoes, and the AHA-BLS CPR class. Save all receipts.

4. Lane Community College Nursing Assistant I

The $709 tuition includes an AHA-BLS CPR card, the textbook, and a workbook, with a 10-student class size limit.

Expect additional fees, background checks, liability insurance, immunization, and uniform costs.

Adding the CNA II Acute Care Program more than doubles your expenses, but save your receipts for Nursing Assistant I.

5. Central Oregon Community College Nursing Assistant and CNA II Programs

Tuition costs $981 for the NA course and $654 for the CNA II program.

Additional costs include up to $1035 per program for registration; activity fees; the AHA-BLS CPR course fee; fingerprinting, criminal background check, drug screen; immunizations; textbook; course pack; uniform; stethoscope: protective eyewear; gait belt, and test application fees.

Keep every receipt.

Patient Care Technician Schools in Oregon – Summary Table

Salary

Regional Salary in Oregon

PCT Schools by City

PCT Schools by State