When you enroll in this course, you'll also be enrolled in this Specialization.
Learn new concepts from industry experts
Gain a foundational understanding of a subject or tool
Develop job-relevant skills with hands-on projects
Earn a shareable career certificate
There are 5 modules in this course
MedCerts’ Patient Care Technician Essentials introduces students to the essential responsibilities of a Patient Care Technician and builds confidence through practical, patient-centered instruction.
The course includes five lessons starting with The Patient, where learners explore the healthcare environment, professional behavior, ethical responsibilities, and effective communication that fosters trust and respect with patients and care teams. Workplace Safety emphasizes infection control and personal safety practices to protect patients and healthcare workers. In Patient Positioning and Moving, students learn proper body mechanics and safe transfer techniques to prevent injury and promote patient comfort and mobility. Vital Signs for Caregivers provides hands-on training in measuring temperature, pulse, respiration, and blood pressure while recognizing normal and abnormal findings. Finally, Patient Hygiene and Grooming focuses on maintaining patient dignity, comfort, and well-being through daily care practices.
Together, these lessons equip learners with essential clinical skills, professionalism and confidence to succeed as valued members of the healthcare team.
In this lesson, learners explore the healthcare environment, professional behavior, ethical responsibilities, and effective communication that fosters trust and respect with patients and care teams.
What's included
6 videos1 reading1 assignment4 plugins
Show info about module content
6 videos•Total 24 minutes
Lesson 1 - Introduction and Objectives•2 minutes
Lesson 1 - Culture, Race and Ethnicity•5 minutes
Lesson 1 - Assisting with the Physical Examination•4 minutes
Lesson 1 - Patient's Rights, Laws and Ethics•6 minutes
Lesson 1 - Pain Management and Comfort•5 minutes
Lesson 1 - Review•2 minutes
1 reading•Total 15 minutes
Course Introduction•15 minutes
1 assignment•Total 30 minutes
Lesson 1 - The Patient•30 minutes
4 plugins•Total 60 minutes
Lesson 1 - Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs•15 minutes
Lesson 1 - Communication•15 minutes
Lesson 1 - Therapeutic Communication•15 minutes
Lesson 1 - Five Rights of Delegation•15 minutes
Module 2 - Workplace Safety
Module 2•3 hours to complete
Module details
This lesson emphasizes infection control and personal safety practices to protect patients and healthcare workers.
What's included
5 videos1 assignment8 plugins
Show info about module content
5 videos•Total 17 minutes
Lesson 2 - Introduction and Objectives•2 minutes
Lesson 2 - Infection Control•6 minutes
Lesson 2 - Surgical Asepsis•3 minutes
Lesson 2 - Safety in the Workplace•5 minutes
Lesson 2 - Review•1 minute
1 assignment•Total 30 minutes
Lesson 2 - Workplace Safety•30 minutes
8 plugins•Total 120 minutes
Lesson 2 - Perform Hand Hygiene•15 minutes
Lesson 2 - Isolation Precautions and Gowning•15 minutes
Lesson 2 - Don and Doff PPE•15 minutes
Lesson 2 - Prepare a Sterile Field•15 minutes
Lesson 2 - Perform Cough Etiquette•15 minutes
Lesson 2 - NIOSH•15 minutes
Lesson 2 - Waste Management•15 minutes
Lesson 2 - RACE and PASS•15 minutes
Module 3 - Patient Positioning and Moving
Module 3•4 hours to complete
Module details
In this lesson, students learn proper body mechanics and safe transfer techniques to prevent injury and promote patients comfort and mobility.
What's included
5 videos1 assignment12 plugins
Show info about module content
5 videos•Total 16 minutes
Lesson 3 - Introduction and Objectives•1 minute
Lesson 3 - Falls and Positioning•4 minutes
Lesson 3 - Moving Patients•3 minutes
Lesson 3 - Mobility•6 minutes
Lesson 3 - Review•2 minutes
1 assignment•Total 30 minutes
Lesson 3 - Patient Positioning and Moving•30 minutes
12 plugins•Total 180 minutes
Lesson 3 - Patient Positioning•15 minutes
Lesson 3 - Position on Side•15 minutes
Lesson 3 - Positioning a Patient•15 minutes
Lesson 3 - Assist with Wheelchair and Transfer Belt•15 minutes
Lesson 3 - Assist Long-Term Care Resident with Transfer•15 minutes
Lesson 3 - Perform Range of Motion Exercises•15 minutes
Lesson 3 - Perform Range of Motion - Shoulder•15 minutes
Lesson 3 - Perform Range of Motion - Knee and Ankle•15 minutes
Lesson 3 - Use of a Safety Reminder Device•15 minutes
Lesson 3 - Assist with Ambulation and Falls•15 minutes
Lesson 3 - Assist to Ambulate•15 minutes
Lesson 3 - Walking Aids•15 minutes
Module 4 - Vital Signs for Caregivers
Module 4•3 hours to complete
Module details
This lesson provides hands-on training in measuring temperature, pulse, respiration, and blood pressure while recognizing normal and abnormal findings.
What's included
5 videos1 assignment8 plugins
Show info about module content
5 videos•Total 35 minutes
Lesson 4 - Introduction and Objectives•4 minutes
Lesson 4 - Temperature•5 minutes
Lesson 4 - Pulse and Respirations•9 minutes
Lesson 4 - Blood Pressure•15 minutes
Lesson 4 - Review•2 minutes
1 assignment•Total 30 minutes
Lesson 4 - Vital Signs for Caregivers•30 minutes
8 plugins•Total 120 minutes
Lesson 4 - Overview of Vital Signs•15 minutes
Lesson 4 - Obtaining Vital Signs•15 minutes
Lesson 4 - Obtain Vital Signs•15 minutes
Lesson 4 - Measurement Conversions•15 minutes
Lesson 4 - Normal Blood Pressure and Hypertension•15 minutes
Lesson 4 - Measure a Manual Blood Pressure•15 minutes
Lesson 4 - Measure an Electronic Blood Pressure•15 minutes
Lesson 4 - Measuring a Manual Blood Pressure•15 minutes
Module 5 - Patient Hygiene and Grooming/Project
Module 5•4 hours to complete
Module details
This lesson focuses on maintaining patient dignity, comfort, and well-being through daily care practices.
What's included
5 videos1 reading2 assignments8 plugins
Show info about module content
5 videos•Total 22 minutes
Lesson 5 - Introduction and Objectives•2 minutes
Lesson 5 - Bathing•4 minutes
Lesson 5 - Personal Hygiene•6 minutes
Lesson 5 - Personal Grooming•8 minutes
Lesson 5 - Review•2 minutes
1 reading•Total 10 minutes
Project Instructions•10 minutes
2 assignments•Total 90 minutes
Lesson 5 - Patient Hygiene and Grooming•30 minutes
Documenting Patient Communication and Patient Care Tasks•60 minutes
8 plugins•Total 120 minutes
Lesson 5 - Perform a Modified Bed Bath•15 minutes
Lesson 5 - Perform a Complete Bed Bath•15 minutes
Lesson 5 - Eye, Ear and Nose Care•15 minutes
Lesson 5 - Provide Perineal Care•15 minutes
Lesson 5 - Provide Oral Care•15 minutes
Lesson 5 - Perform Denture Care•15 minutes
Lesson 5 - Performing Denture Care•15 minutes
Lesson 5 - Assist with Dressing•15 minutes
Earn a career certificate
Add this credential to your LinkedIn profile, resume, or CV. Share it on social media and in your performance review.
Since 2009, MedCerts has been helping individuals start new careers in the high-demand industries of healthcare and information technology through online certification training. These short-term, low-cost programs provide a flexible learning solution for busy adults seeking better careers, faster. As a Coursera student, you can get up to 20% OFF a full MedCerts program! Click our link to learn more and enroll today.
Does completing this course prepare me for a certification exam?
No. This course is considered an introduction to MedCerts career and certification training. It does not fully prepare students to test for national certification. To prepare for a national certification, students have the option to enroll in a more comprehensive program at MedCerts, where certification and job-readiness is the intent.
When will I have access to the lectures and assignments?
To access the course materials, assignments and to earn a Certificate, you will need to purchase the Certificate experience when you enroll in a course. You can try a Free Trial instead, or apply for Financial Aid. The course may offer 'Full Course, No Certificate' instead. This option lets you see all course materials, submit required assessments, and get a final grade. This also means that you will not be able to purchase a Certificate experience.
What will I get if I subscribe to this Specialization?
When you enroll in the course, you get access to all of the courses in the Specialization, and you earn a certificate when you complete the work. Your electronic Certificate will be added to your Accomplishments page - from there, you can print your Certificate or add it to your LinkedIn profile.
Is financial aid available?
Yes. In select learning programs, you can apply for financial aid or a scholarship if you can’t afford the enrollment fee. If fin aid or scholarship is available for your learning program selection, you’ll find a link to apply on the description page.