Patient Care Technician Jobs in Tucson, AZ
Patient care technicians are the bedside backbone of Tucson's hospitals, from TMC on Grant Road to Carondelet St. Joseph's and St. Mary's. Many PCT jobs here hire without a CNA if you have patient care experience or training. Current openings are below, followed by employers, pay and how to qualify.
Current Patient Care Technician Openings in Tucson, AZ
Listings marked External are sponsored openings provided by the Jobs2Careers network.
Patient Care Technician Work in Tucson
Tucson's hospital systems post PCT jobs across nearly every unit: float pools, progressive care, medical-surgical floors, oncology, orthopedics, telemetry and step-down, and the emergency department at TMC Rincon. TMC Health in midtown and Carondelet, with St. Joseph's on Wilmot Road and St. Mary's on the west side, post PCT openings steadily on their own sites. Northwest Healthcare hires the same family for Northwest Medical Center on La Cholla and Oro Valley Hospital on Tangerine Road.
The federal side adds the Tucson VA Medical Center on South Sixth Avenue, which hires nursing assistants on the GS scale for the same bedside work. Many Tucson hospital PCT postings accept more than one route in: a CNA, a PCT program, a year of patient care or EMT training, which makes the role one of the quicker ways into local health care.
Top Tucson Employers Hiring Patient Care Technicians
These Tucson employers have posted patient care technician or nursing assistant jobs on their own careers sites:
- TMC Health - Tucson Medical Center and TMC Rincon post PCT jobs in the float pool, progressive care, med surg, oncology, orthopedics and the ED.
- Carondelet Health Network - hires PCTs for neuro telemetry at St. Joseph's and step-down at St. Mary's, with sign-on bonuses of up to $2,500.
- Northwest Healthcare - the Community Health Systems hospitals in Tucson and Oro Valley hire PCTs and CNAs through their clinical support careers pages.
- Southern Arizona VA Health Care System - the Tucson VA Medical Center hired float pool nursing assistants at GS-3 to GS-5 in 2026.
Patient Care Technician Salaries in Tucson
- Entry level (new PCT or CNA): roughly $16 to $18 an hour.
- Experienced (1 to 3 years): roughly $18 to $21 an hour.
- Hospital specialty, nights or federal: roughly $20 to $24 an hour.
These are estimates that vary by employer and experience. The Bureau of Labor Statistics put the Tucson median for nursing assistants at $18.06 an hour in May 2023, and the Tucson VA posted its float pool nursing assistant job at $39,625 to $64,696 a year in 2026. Nights, weekends, specialty units and sign-on bonuses move private hospital pay; Tucson's hospitals do not post base rates.
How to Become a Patient Care Technician in Tucson
Arizona has no separate PCT license. The Arizona State Board of Nursing certifies nursing assistants (CNA) and licenses nursing assistants (LNA), and hospitals set their own PCT requirements. At TMC a CNA is one qualifying route, alongside a year of patient care experience, a PCT program or an LNA; its PACU PCT posting asks for a high school diploma or GED, six months of patient care or CNA or EMT training, and BLS. Carondelet asks for a diploma or GED, PCT or CNA training and CPR, with a CNA preferred. The quickest local start is Pima Community College's Nursing Assistant Certificate, one 8-week semester at West Campus on West Anklam Road, and Pima's 18-week Phlebotomy Certificate adds the blood-draw skills many PCT jobs use. High school students can earn a CNA through Pima JTED.
What the Job Involves
A PCT takes vital signs, helps patients bathe, eat, walk and turn, answers call lights, records intake and output, collects specimens, checks blood glucose and, on many units, draws blood and runs EKGs. The work is done under a registered nurse, usually for a full assignment of patients at once, and it is physical: lifting, transfers and a lot of walking.
Skills Employers Look For
- Accurate vital signs and charting in the electronic record
- Safe patient transfers and mobility
- Phlebotomy and EKG skills
- Current BLS or CPR certification
- Calm, clear communication with patients and families
- Stamina for long day or night shifts
- Bilingual English and Spanish
Career Path and Advancement
In Tucson the PCT job is a common bridge into nursing. Many techs move from the float pool into a specialty unit, then into Pima Community College's practical nurse or nursing programs at West Campus, or the University of Arizona College of Nursing, and come back as an LPN or RN. TMC describes a 12-month residency for new graduate RNs, which gives PCTs already on staff a clear next step.
Related Careers in Tucson
These Tucson guides cover the closest alternatives for patient care technicians:
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you need a CNA to be a patient care technician in Tucson?
Not always. TMC accepts a CNA, a year of patient care experience, a PCT program or an LNA, and Carondelet asks for PCT or CNA training with a CNA preferred. Arizona has no separate PCT license.
How much do patient care technicians make in Tucson?
Expect roughly $16 to $18 an hour to start, $18 to $21 with experience and $20 to $24 on specialty units, nights or federal jobs. These are estimates that vary by employer, and the Tucson VA posted nursing assistants at $39,625 to $64,696 a year in 2026.
How fast can you become a PCT in Tucson?
Pima Community College's Nursing Assistant Certificate takes one 8-week semester at West Campus, and passing the state exam puts you on the Arizona nurse aide registry. Add CPR or BLS and you meet the training route most Tucson hospital PCT postings accept.
What is the difference between a CNA and a PCT?
A CNA is a state certification from the Arizona State Board of Nursing. A PCT is a hospital job title that usually adds phlebotomy, EKGs and specimen work to CNA-level bedside care, and the hospital sets its requirements.
Which Tucson hospitals hire PCTs?
TMC Health and Carondelet post PCT jobs on their own sites across TMC, TMC Rincon, St. Joseph's and St. Mary's. Northwest Healthcare and the Tucson VA Medical Center also hire for the role.
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