Patient Care Technician Preceptor - PCT - Dialysis

Fresenius Medical Care•Hillsboro, OR

About The Position

The Patient Care Technician Preceptor works as part of a dialysis health care team to provide safe and effective dialysis therapy under the direct supervision of a licensed nurse. The role follows organizational policies and procedures and applicable state and federal regulations, operates and sets up hemodialysis machines, and helps maintain a safe, clean treatment environment. The position supports Quality Enhancement Program (QEP) and Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) activities aimed at improving patient satisfaction and outcomes. The preceptor provides direct patient care, including preparing and monitoring dialysis treatments, evaluating vascular access and patient response, documenting treatment information, and reporting changes or unusual findings to a registered nurse or supervisor. The role also supports staff recruitment, orientation, training, competency evaluation, infection-control practices, and quality initiatives. Additional duties include preparing laboratory specimens and records, maintaining equipment and the treatment environment, and coordinating education and care for newly admitted patients in the Transitional Care Unit. The job involves desk and computer work, interaction with patients and health care staff, and travel between assigned facilities and community locations. The work environment is a health care facility with controlled air temperature and moderate noise; exposure to infectious or contagious diseases and materials may occur. Direct patient care involves frequent and prolonged standing, bending, lifting and moving patients, and assisting with ambulation. The role may require pushing or pulling equipment with up to 15 pounds of force, frequently lifting or lowering solutions weighing up to 30 pounds, and occasionally lifting up to 40 pounds as high as five feet. Assistance and material-handling devices are available for heavier items. Employees must take the Ishihara Color Blindness test; failing it does not preclude employment, and reasonable accommodation may be considered.

Requirements

High school diploma or equivalent.
Valid PCT national certification or state-specific certification as defined by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).
All applicable state licensure, education, and training required for the role.
Demonstrated 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.
Successful completion of the organization's dialysis training program is required for continued employment.
Successful completion of CPR certification is required for continued employment.
Ability to perform the stated physical demands, with reasonable accommodation where applicable.
Must take the Ishihara Color Blindness test as a condition of employment; failing the test does not preclude employment, and reasonable accommodation may be considered.

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 dialysis adequacy measures, disease processes, and vascular access, as appropriate.
Welcome assigned patients and ask about their wellbeing since their prior treatment.
Assess vascular access, perform cannulation, and administer heparin when delegated or permitted by state law.
Obtain and document pre- and post-treatment weights and vital signs, including required identification and vascular access evaluations.
Initiate dialysis according to prescribed orders, including blood-flow and dialysate-flow settings, and program ultrafiltration goals, treatment time, and modeling as prescribed.
Monitor patients and machine safety during treatment; evaluate intradialytic problems, intervene as prescribed or directed, and report significant changes or unusual findings to a registered nurse or supervisor.
Complete treatment discontinuation procedures, obtain vital signs before reinfusion, assess patients before termination and discharge, achieve hemostasis, and apply dressings.
Document treatment parameters, evaluations, interventions, and patient responses accurately and promptly in the treatment sheet and applicable progress notes or clinical applications.
Ensure required safety alarms are enabled and perform and document required pretreatment machine alarm testing, including Pressure Holding Test (PHT).
Obtain prescribed laboratory tests; prepare, label, store, and arrange collection of specimens according to laboratory requirements.
Prepare and use supplies and equipment efficiently, clean blood spills with appropriate disinfectants, and maintain a safe and clean environment.
Monitor patients performing self-care under RN supervision and assist with self-care as applicable.
Participate in recruiting clinical staff; support orientation, ongoing training, and development of facility and direct patient care staff.
Serve as a preceptor for direct patient care training in accordance with state requirements, organizational standards, policies, procedures, and training manuals.
Conduct ongoing competency evaluations and audits for other patient care technicians.
Collaborate with Clinical Managers, Education Coordinators, RNs, and interdisciplinary team staff on training, regulatory and legal requirements, quality standards, CQI, and facility education programs.
Educate appropriate personnel, with RN and interdisciplinary team staff, about facility water-system integrity and safety and environmental integrity, as permitted by local regulations.
Support communication and scheduling of organizational training and development initiatives, and participate in or help design educational programs for patient care technician staff.
Monitor patient-care processes through CQI activities and incorporate organizational business policies, procedures, and systems into training, including ethical business practices.
Clean and disinfect dialysis machines, chairs, equipment, and surrounding areas between treatments; maintain the facility environment and initiate the Solution Delivery System (SDS).
Complete CQI documentation, review treatment sheets for completeness and signatures, and ensure omissions or corrections are handled by appropriate staff.
Prepare initial patient charts and paperwork, print laboratory requisitions, and ensure specimens are collected by the appropriate courier.
Assist with facility quality-assessment infection-control audits and reinforce infection-control policies and practices among staff, patients, and families under the direction of the Clinical Manager or designee.
Support infection-control education, new-hire adherence, patient and staff engagement, visual reminders, and responses to internal and external facility surveys.
Follow newly admitted patients through their first four weeks of dialysis and coordinate transitional dialysis care.
Reinforce education and care information for new patients as permitted by state law; coordinate visits with appropriate staff and help patients understand home dialysis products, benefits, and treatment options.
Set up and perform treatments on machines used in the Transitional Care Unit, demonstrate peritoneal dialysis setup, assist with transitions to the patient's chosen modality, and support TCU supply ordering and inventory.