Patient Care Technician

Curriculum

Our 462-hour curriculum is divided into 19 courses and a 100-hour externship, which cover everything from written and verbal communication skills to electrocardiogram operation.

Program Orientation: Patient Care Technician

• Identify the elements, expectations, and requirements of the program.
• Learn to navigate the program.
• Use the program tools.
• Identify and use program resources.
• HealthCare Foundational Knowledge and Basic Science
• Translate medical terminology using abbreviations, word building, and important terms.
• Identify the role psychology plays in dealing with patients and their behavior.

Anatomy and Physiology

• Identify the structures, locations, and functions of major body systems and the organs that comprise them.
• Explain how the organs of the major body systems interact and maintain homeostasis.
• Pharmacology Basics
• Identify the classifications of drugs.
• Review indications, side effects, and adverse reactions of various classifications of drugs.

General Patient Care

• Summarize the pharmacology basics needed by a medical assistant
• Outline the tasks required to prepare the examination room and the patient for examination.
• Summarize the medical assistant’s responsibilities in assisting the provider with examinations.

Infection Control

• Review the causes and diagnostic methods of various infectious and communicable diseases.
• Outline the treatments and protective measures required to manage and control the spread of infectious disease.
• Identify procedures and protocols for responding to infection control.
• Externship Readiness Skills
• Explore CareerStep Community career resources.
• Develop effective time management skills.
• Enhance your creative and critical thinking.
• Integrate critical and creative thinking skills into your life.
• Learn physical and emotional coping techniques to deal with stress.
• Explore essential ingredients of the communication process.
• Acquire methods to maximize verbal, nonverbal, and written communication.
• Relate the importance of professional image to career success.
• Learn strategies to write a powerful resume.
• Identify key elements of successful interviews.
• Relate the importance of good study habits to your personal success.
• Identify traits related to self-motivation and self-esteem.
• Incorporate a positive and professional attitude in dealing with others.
• Understand that failures are important learning tools.
• Testing and Laboratory Procedures
• Identify how specimens are collected and handled.
• Review common techniques and processes frequently used in medical laboratories.

Patient Care Coordination and Education

• Review how to administer and coordinate general patient care according to professional best practices.
• Explore the role and responsibilities in administering patient care and facilitating patient education.
• Communication and Customer Service in the Healthcare Office
• Identify the various types and styles of communication used in a healthcare office.
• Review how verbal, non-verbal, and written communication skills contribute to patient experience and outcome in a health care office.
• Outline protocols for providing customer service for a health care office.

Phlebotomy

• Identify equipment and supplies used to collect, store, and process blood samples.
• Describe common phlebotomy techniques.
• EKG and Cardiovascular
• Identify the basic anatomy of the heart.
• List the steps needed to ensure proper functioning of ECG/EKG equipment (calibration, standardization).

Medical Laws and Ethics

• Describe common legal issues related to prescriptions and medication administration.
• Identify key legal and regulatory aspects of the healthcare environment.
• Career Success in Healthcare
• Assess and develop your time management skills.
• Develop plans to enhance your creative and critical thinking.

Patient Care Technician Final Exam

• Identify the steps needed to take to be eligible for and effectively prepare for and access the final exam.
• Identify the format, restrictions, and policies of final exams, including scoring, retakes, allowed resources, and time limits.

Fundamentals of HIPAA

• Describe HIPAA basics.
• Understand the HIPAA Privacy Rule and Security Rules.
• Describe the HITECH Act.
• Clinical Externship Experience
• Earn hours and experience that lead directly to certification.

Initiating Your Externship

• Create your profile in the Learner Placement Portal.
• Review the externship preparation resources.
• Explore CareerStep Community career resources.
• Understand the benefits of an externship.
• Access externship participation eligibility requirements.
• Recognize the externship site placement process and considerations.
• Program Completion: Patient Care Technician

Course Requirements