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Online Patient Care Technician Program
Stepful’s 100% online, 8-week Patient Care Technician program prepares you for the CPCT/A exam offered by the NHA. After you pass, we help you secure a full-time job working alongside nurses, doctors, and other healthcare professionals in Connecticut.
Receive your national CPCT/A certification
No in-person clinical hours required
Job interview prep and resume services
1:1 support from enrollment to employment
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Starting a career as a certified patient care technician is a meaningful way to help patients while stepping into the healthcare field.
Stepful’s Connecticut Patient Care Technician program is built to set you up for success. Our 8-week online course prepares you for the Certified Patient Care Technician/Assistant (CPCT/A) exam offered by the National Healthcareer Association (NHA).
The curriculum includes patient care skills, taking vital signs, infection control, phlebotomy, EKG monitoring, and more. Though clinical hours aren’t required, you’ll gain practical experience through interactive coursework and assignments. The program equips you with the confidence and skills to support a variety of healthcare teams and deliver direct patient care.
Your tuition covers live online classes, access to our learning platform, personalized coaching, certification exam prep, and career support that continues after you land your first job. We offer flexible scheduling so that you can complete your training without interruptions to your other responsibilities.
As a trusted provider of healthcare education, Stepful partners with the NHA to ensure you’re fully prepared for certification and career success. Stepful’s AI-powered platform helps students launch healthcare careers faster and more affordably than traditional programs.
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What you’ll learn
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Weeks 1-2
Learn the foundational healthcare knowledge and basic science you need to become a well-rounded Patient Care Technician (PCT). Topics include body systems, medical terminology, targeted patient care, and communication techniques.
Weeks 3-4
Master the ins and outs of clinical patient care, such as vitals and measurement, activities of daily living, infection control, compliance, and patient safety.
Weeks 5-6
Learn the foundations of phlebotomy and EKG techniques.
Weeks 7-8
Prepare for your national certification exam, get certified, and work with your dedicated coach to find a full-time job.
Pick Your Start Date
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Starting a career as a certified patient care technician in Connecticut involves three key steps:
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01
Complete a Patient Care Technician Training Program
Connecticut does not require patient care technicians to complete an education program, but most employers prefer candidates who have formal training.
Stepful’s 8-week online course teaches hands-on patient care skills, EKG monitoring, infection control, and more. Completing a program like Stepful’s shows employers you are prepared to get the job done on day one.
02
Pass the NHA CPCT/A Certification Exam
Stepful’s program is designed to fully prepare you for the Certified Patient Care Technician/Assistant (CPCT/A) exam from the National Healthcareer Association (NHA). This exam evaluates your knowledge of patient care, safety procedures, and clinical skills.
According to the NHA, 96% of employers require or encourage certification for patient care technicians. Passing this exam and earning your certification can improve both your job opportunities and potential salary.
03
Land a Full-Time Job in Connecticut
Stepful supports your job search with interview coaching, resume reviews, and connections with employers large and small.
Patient care technicians are in demand across Connecticut. Searching career opportunities at Connecticut’s major healthcare employers, including Hartford HealthCare, Yale New Haven Health, and Trinity Health of New England, will show what kinds of salaries they offer.
Patient care technicians, also called nursing assistants, provide hands-on care, help with daily needs, monitor health, and assist medical staff with procedures. They play a key role in making sure patients are safe, comfortable, and cared for.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the top employers of patient care technicians nationwide are hospitals, nursing care facilities, retirement communities, assisted living facilities, and home health care providers.
In Connecticut specifically, patient care technicians work in these settings and more, including outpatient clinics, private practices, and patients’ homes. Their skills make them valuable in both large medical centers and smaller community-based settings.
Common Patient Care Technician responsibilities
Certified patient care technicians support both patients and healthcare teams with responsibilities
Checking blood pressure, heart rate, and temperature to help detect early health problems
Assisting with bathing, grooming, dressing, and eating
Applying bandages, using warm compresses, and knowing when to call for help
Tidying areas, wiping surfaces, and preventing falls by keeping paths clear
Assisting with walking, transfers, wheelchair use, or accompanying patients to appointments
Helping patients with small tasks like picking up supplies or running quick errands
Supporting blood draws, EKGs, and basic clinical procedures
Monitoring for signs of health decline, elder abuse, or neglect, and reporting concerns
Providing companionship and social interaction, which can be critical for isolated patients
Certified patient care technicians support both patients and healthcare teams with responsibilities
In addition, you must meet one of these two requirements:
- Completed a patient care technician training program like Stepful’s within the last five years
or
- Completed one year of supervised work experience in a patient care technician field within the last three years, or two years of supervised work experience in a patient care technician field within the last five years
Connecticut does not mandate state licensing for patient care technicians, but many employers do require certification and may also conduct background checks.
Additionally, nursing facilities that accept Medicaid funding may require additional certification or registration with the state.
The demand for patient care technicians is strong. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects a steady job growth of 4% for patient care technicians until the end of the decade. They credit this growth to the aging of the baby-boomer generation, who will need increasing levels of healthcare services as they age.
In Connecticut, there were 21,390 patient care technicians as of 2024. That means there were 12.7 patient care technicians for every 1,000 jobs in the state, mostly concentrated in urban areas.
Because of Connecticut’s location, many patient care technicians there have access to jobs in New York and New Jersey, multiplying their opportunities. In fact, the New York-Newark-Jersey City metro area has the highest levels of patient care technician jobs in the country.
Even in areas with smaller populations, the demand for patient care technicians is steady.
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+4% Growth
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21,390
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Connecticut offers strong earning potential for certified patient care technicians compared to the national average. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the average salary for patient care technicians in Connecticut is $44,860 per year, or $21.57 per hour.
This is higher than the average annual salary of $39,610 per year in the country as a whole. In addition, home health and personal care aides in Connecticut, whose jobs require a similar educational level, make an average of $37,630 per year, much less than patient care technicians.
Patient care technician jobs are most concentrated in Connecticut’s larger cities and healthcare hubs. Here are average salaries and job numbers for key regions:
- The Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford metro area has 7,400 patient care technician jobs with an average salary of $43,430 per year.
- The New Haven metro area has 3,960 jobs that pay an average salary of $42,810.
- The Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk metro area has 3,930 jobs that make an average salary of $43,040 per year.
These areas offer strong employment prospects for certified patient care technicians starting their healthcare careers.
What is included in Stepful’s PCT Course tuition in Connecticut?
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Resources for aspiring certified Patient Care Technicians
Join thousands of students getting certified with Stepful!
