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From home healthcare services to nursing homes and hospitals, the medical industry requires compassionate, selfless, and caring individuals who work to help others.
One such role that can have a major impact on the lives of patients and their families is a patient care technician.
Best of all, you would not need decades of education to begin your career.
Instead, you only need a short training program to jump right on.
If this sounds like a position, you want to explore then keep reading to learn more about how to become a patient care technician in Rhode Island!
Article Table of Contents
Licensing Requirements to Become a Patient Care Technician in Rhode Island
Like most other states, there is a defined process for becoming a patient care technician in Rhode Island.
The steps include:
Earning a High School Diploma
The only educational prerequisite for enrolling in a patient care technician training program is to hold a high school diploma.
GEDs are also an equivalent option that all schools will accept.
Completing a Training Program
Once you have earned your diploma, you must find a training program that works best for your schedule.
Like in all states, Rhode Island offers in-person, online, and hybrid training educational opportunities to give students the flexibility to work and learn simultaneously.
Training programs typically last from several months to one year, but some may go into further detail and last two-to-three years for an associate degree.
To join any program, you must pass drug screening and tuberculosis tests, have a clean criminal record, and basic health immunizations.
Once you complete all classes, you will earn a certificate (or diploma) of completion and the coursework prepares you for the national licensing examination.
Passing the Licensing Exam
The patient care technician certification exam is offered by the National Healthcareer Association (NHA).
The exam requires you to submit a set of fingerprints, show proof of citizenship, pay the examination fee of $149, which is sometimes included in your education tuition, graduate from a training program, and be over 18 years of age.
While completing a training program is not required to take the exam, you must have at least one year of experience before enrolling in the exam.
The test is 100 questions long and you have two hours to complete it.
Getting Listed on the Rhode Island Nurse Aid Registry
Once you pass the exam, you must contact the Rhode Island Department of Health to be added to the registry.
5 Patient Care Technician Schools in Rhode Island
All schools in Rhode Island offer a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) certificate, which has similar responsibilities to being a patient care technician.
Five of these schools include:
Community College of Rhode Island
The Community College of Rhode Island is the only public school that offers an associate degree nursing program that allows students to become certified patient technicians.
Students develop the skills to come out of the program with mastery of medical topics as well as excellent communication, collaboration, clinical reasoning, and critical thinking skills.
The program lasts approximately two years and costs around $3,600.
Chariho Adult Education
At Chariho Adult Education, students are exposed to 80 hours of classroom instruction and 40 hours of clinical instruction at an external healthcare facility.
The program prepares students for the certification exam.
The entire program is offered at night and the tuition costs $1,000.
Cranston Adult Education
The CNA program offered by Cranston Adult Education was developed to train students in becoming critical members of the healthcare system through clinical training and classroom instruction.
The curriculum is 80 hours of theory and 40 hours in a clinical environment with hands-on learning.
Classes are held twice per week at night and the total program cost is $1,050.
Newport Community School
At Newport Community School, students must take 100 hours of live classroom lecturing and 40 hours of clinical training at a nursing home.
During this time, students learn the basics of providing patient care and nursing services to a variety of patients in different healthcare settings.
This is a Rhode Island Department of Health approved program.
Regional Career and Technical Center
Students that enroll in the Regional Career and Technical Center training program have a healthy mix of clinical and classroom experience to understand the foundations of assisting patients with a variety of ailments in different healthcare settings.
This course prepares students to take the certification exam after program completion.
Patient Care Technician Schools in Rhode Island – Summary Table
| School Name | Address |
|---|---|
| Community College of Rhode Island | 400 East Ave, Warwick, RI 02886 |
| Chariho Adult Education | 459 Switch Road Wood River Junction, RI 02894 |
| Cranston Adult Education | 83 Rolfe Square, Cranston, RI 02920 |
| Newport Community School | 55 Broadway, Newport, RI 02840 |
| Regional Career and Technical Center | 40 Reservoir Rd, Coventry, RI 02816 |
Salary
The median U.S. patient care technician salary is $34,500 with a range of $30,000 to $38,600.
The Rhode Island median salary is a little higher at $36,400 with a range from $31,700 to $40,700.
Annual Salary Range:| Location | Avg. Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Providence | $36,255 |
| Warwick | $36,255 |
| Cranston | $36,255 |
| Pawtucket | $36,255 |
| East Providence | $36,255 |
| Woonsocket | $36,221 |
| Coventry | $36,186 |
| North Providence | $36,255 |
| Cumberland | $36,255 |
| West Warwick | $36,255 |
Regional Salary in Rhode Island
| Region | Employed | Avg. Annual Salary | Avg. Hourly Pay | Top 10% Annual Salary | Bottom 10% Annual Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Providence-Warwick, RI-MA | 9,350 | $43,160 | $20.75 | $50,610 | $36,620 |
* Employment conditions in your area may vary.
Sources
- https://www.brooklinecollege.edu/blog/how-to-become-a-patient-care-technician/
- https://health.ri.gov/licenses/detail.php?id=232
- https://www.exploremedicalcareers.com/patient-care-technician/pct-rhode-island/
- https://www.ccri.edu/nursing/Tuition_and_Fees.html
- http://newportcommunityschool.org/ncs/index.php/2016-01-26-18-30-02/career-readiness-skill-training-programs
- https://eohhs.ri.gov/initiatives/healthcare-workforce-transformation/education-and-training-programs
Frequently Asked Questions
What does a patient care technician in Rhode Island do?
Patient care technicians work across numerous healthcare environments and perform a variety of duties.
One of their most common tasks is to assist patients with daily activities that they may not be able to do themselves.
Other responsibilities include helping patients move around safely, ensuring their comfort, and providing basic medical care like drawing blood for testing or measuring vital signs.
What skills do the best patient care technician’s in Rhode Island possess?
Compassion is the first word that comes to mind when thinking about patient care technicians.
Those in this role must care for those who cannot care for themselves, which requires a tremendous amount of empathy, kindness, and patience.
Communication skills are also critical to success since patient care technicians must understand their patient’s concerns and convey them to supervisors and other colleagues.
Additionally, those moving into this role must have physical stamina and strength to spend hours standing and helping life patients who cannot move.
What are the most common places that patient care technicians work in Rhode Island?
Patient care technicians can be found anywhere the elderly, injured, or sick are located.
That equates to retirement communities or nursing homes, outpatient care centers, home care providers, and hospitals.
Although most work in a full-time capacity, part-time positions are available through certain employers.
While shifts vary based on the employer and location, new patient care technicians should expect to work holidays, weeks, or nights since patients have around-the-clock requirements.
Read the full guide: How to Become a Patient Care Technician
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