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Online Patient Care Technician Program
Prepare for the CPCT/A exam administered by the NHA in just 8 weeks with Stepful’s Patient Care Technician program. After you pass, we help you secure your first full-time job working alongside nurses, doctors, and other healthcare professionals in Indiana.
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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Becoming a certified patient care technician is a great way to start a healthcare career and make a difference in the lives of patients.
Stepful’s Indiana Patient Care Technician program is designed to help you succeed. 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 course covers essential skills like patient care, vital signs, phlebotomy, infection control, and EKG monitoring. While there are no clinical hour requirements, you’ll still practice real-world skills through interactive assignments. Stepful’s program will give you the confidence you need to work on healthcare teams that provide direct patient care.
Your tuition includes everything you need: live online classes, one-on-one coaching, certification exam prep, job search support, and ongoing mentorship once you start working. We provide flexible scheduling so that you can complete your training while you continue to work or tend 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 Indiana involves three key steps:
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01
Complete a Patient Care Technician Training Program
Although Indiana does not require patient care technicians to complete a training program, 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 succeed on day one.
02
Pass the NHA CPCT/A Certification Exam
The Certified Patient Care Technician/Assistant (CPCT/A) exam from the National Healthcareer Association (NHA) tests your skills in patient care, safety, and clinical tasks. Stepful’s program is designed to fully prepare you for this exam and help you earn your certification, which can boost your job prospects and salary.
According to the NHA, 96% of employers require or encourage certification for patient care technicians.
03
Land a Full-Time Job in Indiana
Patient care technicians are in demand across Indiana. Searching career opportunities at Indiana’s major healthcare employers will show you how in-demand patient care technicians are and what kinds of salaries they offer. These include Indiana University Health, Community Health Network, Franciscan Health, and Eskenazi Health.
Stepful helps graduates with interview prep, resume help, and job connections with local employers large and small.Our career mentorship is designed to help you find the job that’s right for you.
Patient care technicians, also called nursing assistants, work directly with patients to provide hands-on care, monitor health, assist with daily needs, and support medical procedures. They help patients feel comfortable and safe during care and recovery.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the top employers of patient care technicians are hospitals, nursing care facilities, retirement communities, assisted living facilities, and home health care providers. Their skills make them valuable in both large medical centers and smaller community-based settings.
Common Patient Care Technician responsibilities
Checking blood pressure, heart rate, and temperature to help detect early health problems
Assisting with bathing, grooming, dressing, and eating
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
Checking blood pressure, heart rate, and temperature to help detect early health problems
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
Indiana does not require 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 steady across the country. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics classifies patient care technicians as nursing assistants and projects a steady job growth of 4% through 2034. They credit this growth to the aging of the baby-boomer generation, who will need increasing levels of healthcare services as they age.
In Indiana, there were 31,240 patient care technicians as of 2024. That means there are 9.8 PCTs for every 1,000 jobs in the state.
Because of Indiana’s location, many patient care technicians there also have access to jobs in Chicago and Cincinnati, multiplying their opportunities. In fact, the Chicago metro area has the second highest level of employment of patient care technicians in the country, with 41,870 jobs.
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+4% Growth
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31,240
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According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average salary for patient care technicians in Indiana is $38,610 per year, or $18.56 per hour.
This is slightly lower than the national average of $39,610 per year. However, home health and personal care aides in Indiana, whose jobs require a similar educational level, make an average of $31,070 per year, which is significantly less than patient care technicians.
Patient care technician jobs are most concentrated in Indiana’s larger cities and healthcare hubs. Here are average salaries and job numbers for key regions:
- The Chicago-Naperville-Elgin metro area, which includes some Indiana residents, has 41,870 jobs, the second highest level of employment for patient care technicians in the country. These jobs have an average salary of $42,430 per year.
- The Cincinnati metro area, which also includes some Indiana residents, has 10,480 patient care technician jobs with an average salary of $39,430 per year.
- The Indianapolis-Carmel-Anderson metro area has 9,480 patient care technician jobs that make an average of $38,580 per year.
- The Fort Wayne metro area has 2,590 jobs that make an average of $35,650 per year.
These areas offer strong employment prospects for certified patient care technicians starting their healthcare careers.
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Resources for aspiring certified Patient Care Technicians
Join thousands of students getting certified with Stepful!
