Patient Care Technician Preceptor - PCT - Dialysis

Fresenius Medical Care•Sumter, SC

7d•Onsite

About The Position

The Patient Care Technician Preceptor works as part of the dialysis health care team to provide safe and effective dialysis therapy under the direct supervision of a licensed nurse. The role sets up and operates hemodialysis machines, supports a safe and clean environment, and participates in Quality Enhancement Program (QEP) and Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) activities. The preceptor also assists with patient education, clinical staff orientation and training, competency evaluations, infection-control practices, and transitional dialysis care for newly admitted patients. The position is part-time, 20 hours per week, at the clinic located at 520 Physicians Ln, Sumter, SC 29150. Clinic hours are Monday through Saturday, 0530–1700. The work takes place in a healthcare facility and includes direct patient care, desk and computer work, and interaction with patients, staff, and physicians. Travel between assigned facilities and community locations is required; travel to regional, Business Unit, and Corporate meetings may also be required. The role may involve exposure to infectious and contagious diseases or materials, moderate noise, and air-temperature-controlled conditions. Direct patient-care duties include preparing and initiating dialysis treatments, monitoring patients and vascular access, recording treatment information, responding to changes or problems, and evaluating patients before discharge. The position also involves maintaining dialysis equipment and the treatment area, collecting and preparing laboratory specimens, and completing required records. In the Transitional Care Unit, the preceptor follows newly admitted patients through their first four weeks of dialysis, reinforces education, coordinates care and modality transitions, and supports equipment and supply needs. Physical demands include frequent, prolonged standing, bending, and regularly lifting or moving patients and assisting with ambulation. The employee may occasionally push or pull equipment with up to 15 pounds of force, frequently lift or lower solutions weighing up to 30 pounds, and occasionally lift up to 40 pounds as high as five feet. Assistance from coworkers or equipment may be available. Employees must take the Ishihara color-blindness test; failing the test does not preclude employment, and reasonable accommodation will be considered.

Requirements

High school diploma or equivalent.
Valid PCT national certification or state-specific certification as defined by CMS; all applicable state licensure, education, and training are required.
CCHT certification is required, as stated in the posting.
Commitment to the organization's culture, values, and customer-service standards.
Attendance and active participation in applicable preceptor training programs established by education leadership.
Attend Fresenius and publicly offered skill-based training as assigned by the Clinical Manager.
Continued employment depends on successful completion of the organization's dialysis training program and CPR certification.
Ability to perform the stated physical demands, including prolonged standing, bending, lifting, moving patients, and assisting with ambulation.
Ability to travel between assigned facilities and community locations.

Nice To Haves

At least five years of patient-care experience in a hospital setting or related facility is preferred.

Responsibilities

Provide patient-specific education about adequacy measures, disease processes, and vascular access as appropriate.
Welcome assigned patients and ask about their wellbeing since their last treatment.
Assess vascular access, perform cannulation, and administer heparin when delegated or permitted by state law.
Obtain and document pre- and post-treatment vital signs and weights, and perform pre-treatment vascular access evaluations.
Initiate, monitor, and discontinue dialysis treatments according to prescribed orders and established procedures.
Calculate and enter prescribed dialysis-machine programming, including ultrafiltration goals, treatment time, and UF modeling; ensure required safety alarms are enabled.
Monitor patients' responses to treatment, assess intradialytic problems, provide prescribed or directed interventions, and report significant changes or unusual findings to a registered nurse or supervisor.
Document treatment parameters, evaluations, interventions, and patient responses accurately and promptly, including completing treatment sheets and progress notes when applicable.
Obtain prescribed laboratory tests and prepare specimens for collection.
Prepare and use supplies and equipment efficiently, clean blood spills, and maintain a safe, clean treatment environment.
Monitor patients performing self-care under RN supervision and assist with self-care as applicable.
Participate in recruitment of new clinical staff and assist with orientation, training, and ongoing competency evaluations for appropriate personnel.
Serve as a preceptor for direct patient-care training in accordance with state guidelines, regulations, organizational standards, and policies.
Collaborate with Clinical Managers, Education Coordinators, RNs, and interdisciplinary team staff on staff education, organizational development, quality standards, and training programs.
Educate appropriate personnel on facility water-system integrity and environmental safety as allowed by local regulations.
Monitor care-delivery processes through CQI activities and support compliance with organizational business policies and ethical practices.
Prepare dialysis machines and treatment areas, conduct required pretreatment alarm testing including Pressure Holding Testing (PHT), and initiate the Solution Delivery System (SDS).
Enter treatment data into the designated clinical application; review treatment sheets for completeness and ensure appropriate corrections or omitted entries are addressed.
Prepare patient charts and paperwork, print laboratory requisitions, collect and prepare lab samples, and ensure their pickup by the appropriate courier.
Assist with facility quality-assurance and infection-control audits; reinforce infection-control practices among staff, patients, and families as directed.
Follow newly admitted patients through their first four weeks of dialysis and coordinate transitional dialysis care.
Reinforce new-patient education, coordinate appointments with relevant staff, support understanding of home dialysis and treatment options, and assist with transition to the patient's chosen modality.
Set up and perform treatments on machines used in the Transitional Care Unit and assist with supply ordering and inventory.