Emergency department technologist vs patient care technician

The differences between emergency department technologists and patient care technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, an emergency department technologist has an average salary of $37,086, which is higher than the $32,806 average annual salary of a patient care technician.

The top three skills for an emergency department technologist include patients, EMT and BLS. The most important skills for a patient care technician are patients, vital signs, and phlebotomy.

Emergency department technologist vs patient care technician overview

	Emergency Department Technologist	Patient Care Technician
Yearly salary	$37,086	$32,806
Hourly rate	$17.83	$15.77
Growth rate	7%	9%
Number of jobs	138,047	167,520
Job satisfaction	-	5
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 46%	Bachelor's Degree, 27%
Average age	36	34
Years of experience	-	-

What does an emergency department technologist do?

An Emergency Department Technologist collects samples for laboratory analysis, takes medical history, and records vital signs in patients medical records. They work with doctors, nurses, and other medical personnel.

What does a patient care technician do?

Patient care technicians are medical workers who work in clinics, hospitals, or other medical facilities under the supervision of doctors or other health professionals. They provide assistance to health professionals and patients. They help patients with mobility concerns get into hospital beds, bathrooms, wheelchairs, and more. They also help patients with their physical therapy sessions and other physical needs. They handle patient concerns and communicate these to attending physicians. They may be assigned to administer basic medical procedures such as checking vital signs and collecting samples from patients, among others.

Emergency department technologist vs patient care technician salary

Emergency department technologists and patient care technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Emergency Department Technologist	Patient Care Technician
Average salary	$37,086	$32,806
Salary range	Between $28,000 And $48,000	Between $24,000 And $43,000
Highest paying City	Newark, NJ	Rochester, NH
Highest paying state	Connecticut	Vermont
Best paying company	Valley Presbyterian Hospital	Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
Best paying industry	Health Care	Health Care

Differences between emergency department technologist and patient care technician education

There are a few differences between an emergency department technologist and a patient care technician in terms of educational background:

	Emergency Department Technologist	Patient Care Technician
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 46%	Bachelor's Degree, 27%
Most common major	Nursing	Nursing
Most common college	-	Emory University

Emergency department technologist vs patient care technician demographics

Here are the differences between emergency department technologists' and patient care technicians' demographics:

	Emergency Department Technologist	Patient Care Technician
Average age	36	34
Gender ratio	Male, 41.5% Female, 58.5%	Male, 19.0% Female, 81.0%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 6.5% Unknown, 5.5% Hispanic or Latino, 15.3% Asian, 4.5% White, 67.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%	Black or African American, 14.3% Unknown, 6.2% Hispanic or Latino, 20.1% Asian, 6.4% White, 51.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1%
LGBT Percentage	8%	15%

Differences between emergency department technologist and patient care technician duties and responsibilities

Emergency department technologist example responsibilities.

Assist in care of psychiatric patients by achieving placement and facilitating transport to hospitals that support psychiatric disorders.
Track emergency department ALS, BLS, and walk-in patients.
Perform BLS when need and assist with emergency care when direct by medical professional
Assist patient care assistants in patient transport , 12 lead EKG and splints.
Perform EKG's, wind care, wind dressing, splints and blood glucose checks as directed by physician.
Assist nurses with clinical tasks: discharge patients, prepare blood bags, assist with EKG tests, etc.

Patient care technician example responsibilities.

Manage care and prepare medical records, transcription and supply orders.
Manage daily care of high acuity patients with neurological trauma/disorders and post-surgery.
Qualify to perform patient care responsibilities on catheter patients.
Transport patients using wheelchairs and stretchers and assist patients to ambulate safely.
Assist with transferring patients in and out of wheelchairs, recliners, and stretchers.
Apply protective restraints safely and appropriately, assist in the admission, discharge and transfer of patients as needed.

Emergency department technologist vs patient care technician skills

Common emergency department technologist skills

Patients, 21%
EMT, 11%
BLS, 9%
Phlebotomy, 7%
CPR, 6%
Direct Patient Care, 3%

Common patient care technician skills

Patients, 24%
Vital Signs, 9%
Phlebotomy, 7%
CPR, 6%
Direct Patient Care, 5%
Customer Service, 5%

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Healthcare Practitioner and Technical Industry
Emergency Department Technologist
Emergency Department Technologist vs Patient Care Technician

Updated January 8, 2025

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