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Online Patient Care Technician Program
Prepare for the NHA CPCT/A exam with Stepful’s 8-week, 100% online Patient Care Technician program. Once you pass, we’ll help you secure a full-time job working alongside nurses, doctors, and other healthcare professionals in South Carolina.
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 rewarding way to make a difference in patients' lives while starting a healthcare career with strong job prospects.
Stepful’s South Carolina Patient Care Technician program is built 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 program teaches patient care skills, vital signs monitoring, phlebotomy, infection control, EKG monitoring, and more. You’ll practice hands-on skills through interactive assignments, even though no in-person clinical hours are required. You’ll graduate ready to work in hospitals, clinics, or long-term care facilities.
Your tuition includes everything you need: live instructor-led online classes, certification exam prep, one-on-one coaching, and ongoing career support. Flexibility is built in, so you can complete your training while also meeting your existing 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 South Carolina involves three key steps:
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01
Complete a Patient Care Technician Training Program
South Carolina doesn’t require formal training to become a patient care technician, but most employers prefer it. Completing a recognized program like Stepful’s gives you essential skills and signals to employers that you are job-ready.
Stepful’s 8-week online program teaches you patient care, EKG monitoring, infection control, and other hands-on skills you’ll use every day.
02
Pass the NHA CPCT/A Certification Exam
The Certified Patient Care Technician/Assistant (CPCT/A) exam offered by the National Healthcareer Association (NHA) tests your knowledge of patient care, safety, and clinical procedures. Stepful’s program is specifically designed to prepare you to pass this exam.
According to the NHA, 96% of employers require or encourage certification for patient care technicians. Becoming certified can improve your job options and may help you earn a higher starting wage.
03
Land a Full-Time Job in South Carolina
Patient care technicians are in demand across South Carolina, and Stepful supports graduates throughout their job search. You’ll have access to interview prep, resume reviews, and one-on-one career coaching.
By exploring major healthcare systems like Prisma Health, MUSC Health, McLeod Health, and Spartanburg Regional Healthcare System, you’ll find job openings for patient care technicians. These listings will give you a clear sense of the demand for PCTs in South Carolina’s healthcare market.
Patient care technicians, also called nursing assistants, are key members of healthcare teams. They provide direct care, assist with patients’ daily needs, monitor patient health, and support medical staff. Their care helps patients feel safe, comfortable, and supported during treatment 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.
In South Carolina, patient care technicians work in a variety of healthcare settings. Whether in busy city hospitals or community clinics, patient care technicians are essential in delivering direct patient care.
Common Patient Care Technician responsibilities
Patient care technicians play a vital role in both patient care and the daily operation of healthcare facilities.
Checking blood pressure, heart rate, temperature, and other vital signs to help detect health concerns
Assisting patients with bathing, grooming, dressing, and eating
Applying bandages or warm compresses and knowing when to alert medical staff that more help is needed
Keeping patient areas tidy and reducing hazards like clutter or spills
Helping with simple tasks like delivering supplies or running small errands for patients
Helping with blood draws, EKGs, or assisting medical staff as needed
Assisting patients with walking, transfers, or using mobility aids
Watching for signs of health problems, abuse, or neglect and reporting concerns
Offering emotional support and friendly interaction to patients
Patient care technicians play a vital role in both patient care and the daily operation of healthcare facilities.
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
South Carolina does not have state licensing requirements for patient care technicians, but individual employers may require certification or 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 throughout the country. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) classifies patient care technicians as nursing assistants and reports that there are 1,469,400 of them in the U.S. as of 2023.
The BLS projects a steady job growth of 4% for patient care technicians through 2033. They credit this growth to the aging of the baby-boomer generation, who will need increasing levels of healthcare services as they age.
In South Carolina, there were 21,000 patient care technicians as of 2024. That means there are about 9 PCTs for every 1,000 jobs in the state.
Because of South Carolina’s location, patient care technicians also have access to the Charlotte, NC metro area, which has 11,170 jobs that pay an average salary of $37,240 per year, higher than the average in SC.
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+4% Growth
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21,000
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According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average salary for patient care technicians in South Carolina in 2024 was $35,970 per year, or $17.49 per hour.
Home health and personal care aides in South Carolina, whose jobs require a similar educational level, made an average of $28,420 per year, which is significantly less than patient care technicians.
Here’s a look at the demand and average salaries in some of South Carolina’s metro areas:
- The Charlotte, NC metro area, which includes some SC residents, has 11,170 nursing assistant jobs that pay an average salary of $37,240 per year, higher than the average in the rest of South Carolina.
- The Columbia metro area has 4,810 jobs that pay an average of $34,000 per year.
- The Greenville-Anderson-Mauldin metro area has 3,600 jobs that pay an average salary of $36,070 per year.
- The Charleston metro area has 2,440 jobs that pay an average salary of $37,770 per year, quite a bit higher than the average for the state.
These metro areas offer strong opportunities for certified patient care technicians looking to start a career in healthcare.
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Resources for aspiring certified Patient Care Technicians
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