Patient care technicians (PCTs) are vital members of the healthcare team, assisting with basic care needs (including activities of daily living and point of care tasks). Given current shortages, it can be challenging to recruit a skilled and qualified PCT; but, by developing a tailored patient care technician job description, you can get the edge you need to hire a top-tier employee.
Through this job description template, we'll introduce the essential PCT duties, skills, and qualifications in addition to the formatting and language you should use to entice high-quality candidates. However, a truly well-written job description requires additional background research.
Browse local patient care technician jobs to get a better understanding of competitive salaries, benefits, and scheduling options in your area. You'll then need to create a set of PCT interview questions to ensure your candidate selection process is fair. Once you've completed these steps of the recruitment process, you can begin drafting your job description.
Patient Care Technician
Tips: When introducing your patient care technician job description, you'll want to specify the patient population you serve and the type of facility you're hiring for as PCTs work in a variety of settings, including:
- Acute care hospitals
- Long-term care facilities
- Outpatient clinics
- Rehabilitation centers
- Community health clinics
As you inform candidates about the specifics of your opening, use this part of your job description to also share your organization's mission, vision, and values to excite prospective candidates while clarifying the immediate question: What is a patient care tech’s role within your organization?
Template:
Looking to make a direct impact on the lives of patients? Here at [facility name], we're seeking an experienced patient care technician (PCT) to join our orthopedic team in our downtown Cincinnati rehabilitation center. Our focus on compassion, dedication, and clinical excellence has helped us become one of the best places to work in Ohio.
We're looking to recruit a PCT with at least two years of relevant work experience. We value our employees and are proud to offer all members of our close-knit team a competitive salary and benefits package. If this sounds like a position you'd be interested in, continue reading as we highlight additional logistics of the position.
Benefits
Tips: The next section of your patient care technician job description should list key elements of your employee benefits package. Highlight a mix of professional, financial, and lifestyle incentives to appeal to candidates with varied interests and goals.
Template:
- Competitive pay
- Health, dental, and vision benefits
- FSA/HSA options
- 401(k) matching and access to our pension program
- Paid vacation and holidays, family leave, sick time
- $3,000 annual tuition reimbursement
- $200 annual scrub and shoe stipend
- Paid continuing education credits
- Free employee parking
Duties and Responsibilities
Tips: Patient care technician responsibilities can vary widely according to setting. Indeed, the PCT skills gained while working within an outpatient clinic may look completely different from those of an acute care hospital patient care technician. Job descriptions should specify the expectations of your unique position to give prospective candidates an idea of how prepared they are for a typical shift.
Template:
Patient care technicians at our organization are expected to perform the following duties:
- Collect vital signs and document findings in each patient's electronic health record (EHR)
- Assist patients with activities of daily living (bathing, skin care, eating, walking, toileting, etc.)
- Transport patients to physical and occupational therapy appointments
- Monitor patient safety and notify the chain-of-command of any problems or areas of concern
- Collaborate with other members of the multidisciplinary team to establish goals of care
Compensation and Schedule
Tips: Here, you'll want to list your organization's PCT hourly rate (or salary), along with any opportunities for shift differential, overtime pay, or bonuses. Pay transparency is key to attracting applicants whose salary expectations match what you're able to offer.
You'll also want to review your facility's scheduling policies in this section of your PCT job description. In hospitals, patient care technicians may be expected to work 12-hour shifts, while those working in clinics and care homes may only have to work 8-hour shifts. Provide clear expectations, along with any overtime and on-call requirements, to prevent frustration or confusion down the line.
Template:
- Starting salary of $38,000, with adjustments made for relevant education and experience
- Full-time employment, working three scheduled 12-hour shifts per week (7a-7p or 7p-7a)
- Overtime, holiday, and incentive pay available
- Night and weekend shift differential
- Bi-weekly pay periods
Patient Care Technician Qualifications and Skills
Tips: In this section of your PCT job description, you'll want to specify the degree, certifications, and skills you're looking for. Differentiate patient care technician job requirements that are truly necessary (such as any state-specific patient care technician education requirements) from those that are preferred (like a second language) to optimize your applicant pool.
Template:
Required Qualifications:
- High school diploma or GED required
- 2 years of previous PCT experience
- Basic Life Support certification (BLS)
- Strong communication and time management skills
Preferred Qualifications:
- Orthopedic PCT work experience
- Actively enrolled in an LPN or RN nursing program
- Previous experience working with the Epic charting system
- Bilingual in English and Spanish
Call to Action
Tips: Now that you’ve clarified the patient care technician job requirements, you'll want to guide interested applicants straight to the online application. Include a call to action button labeled "Apply Now" or "Click Here to Begin" to help them get started. You can also share details on what to expect next and list human resources contact details for applicants with questions or concerns about the hiring process.
Template:
Think you have what it takes to become our team's newest PCT? Apply today by clicking the link below. We've made it easy for you to upload your resume and cover letter straight to your application — the entire process takes less than 10 minutes. Feel free to reach out to our HR department at [phone number] with any questions. We look forward to hearing from you!
Connect With Qualified Clinicians Today
Once you've completed your patient care technician job description, you'll be ready to begin recruiting candidates. Want to appeal to industry-leading professionals? Post your vacancies on the nation's leading healthcare hiring board to connect with over 1 million qualified and vetted professionals actively searching for a job.