Patient Care Technician Preceptor - PCT - Dialysis

Fresenius Medical Care•Tullahoma, TN

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 operates hemodialysis machines, supports a safe and clean treatment environment, and contributes to the organization’s Quality Enhancement Program (QEP) and Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) activities. The preceptor also supports staff recruitment, orientation, training, competency evaluation, and development in accordance with applicable regulations, organizational policies, procedures, and training standards. The position provides direct patient care throughout dialysis treatment, including patient assessment, vascular access care, treatment setup and monitoring, documentation, specimen collection, and discharge evaluation. It also supports infection-control practices, facility maintenance, and record keeping. In the Transitional Care Unit, the preceptor follows newly admitted patients through their first four weeks of dialysis and helps coordinate education and transitions to their chosen dialysis modality. Work takes place in a health care facility with controlled air temperature and moderate noise levels. The role involves interaction with patients, staff, and physicians; desk and computer work; and travel between assigned facilities and community locations. Regional, Business Unit, and Corporate meeting travel may be required. Exposure to infectious and contagious diseases or materials is possible. Direct patient care includes frequent, prolonged standing, bending, assisting with ambulation, and lifting or moving patients and supplies. The role may require lifting solutions up to 30 pounds frequently and up to 40 pounds occasionally, as high as five feet, as well as occasional pushing or pulling with up to 15 pounds of force. Assistance and material-handling devices are available for heavier items. Employees 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.

Requirements

High school diploma or equivalent.
Valid PCT national certification or state-specific certification as defined by CMS, along with any required state licensure, education, and training.
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 take the Ishihara color blindness test as a condition of employment; failing the test does not preclude employment, and reasonable accommodation may be considered.
Ability to meet the role’s physical demands, including frequent prolonged standing, bending, patient assistance and movement, and lifting as described in the posting.
Ability to travel between assigned facilities and locations in the community; travel to regional, Business Unit, and Corporate meetings may be required.

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 with other health care team members about adequacy measures, disease processes, and vascular access, as appropriate.
Welcome assigned patients and inquire about their wellbeing since their last treatment.
Assess vascular access, perform cannulation, and administer heparin as delegated or permitted by state law.
Obtain and document pre- and post-treatment weights and vital signs, including required initial identification, and perform vascular access evaluations.
Initiate dialysis according to prescribed orders, including blood flow and dialysate flow settings.
Monitor patient response and intradialytic issues, intervene as prescribed or directed, and report significant changes or unusual findings to a registered nurse or supervisor.
Discontinue dialysis according to established procedures; obtain required vital signs, assess patients before termination and discharge, achieve hemostasis, and apply dressings.
Calculate and enter prescribed dialysis machine programming, including ultrafiltration goal, treatment time, and ultrafiltration modeling; ensure appropriate safety alarms are enabled.
Complete accurate and timely treatment documentation, including treatment sheets and applicable progress notes, and document interventions and patient responses.
Perform machine safety checks and monitor vascular access pressures during treatment; document and report unusual findings.
Obtain prescribed laboratory tests, prepare specimens, and ensure appropriate collection and handling.
Maintain supplies and equipment efficiently, clean blood spills using appropriate disinfectants, and assist patients performing self-care under RN supervision.
Participate in recruiting clinical staff and assist with orientation and ongoing training of direct patient care personnel and facility staff.
Serve as a preceptor in direct patient care training in accordance with state requirements, organizational standards, policies, procedures, and training manuals.
Conduct ongoing competency evaluations and audits for other PCTs and provide developmental support to clinical and facility staff.
Collaborate with Clinical Managers, Education Coordinators, RNs, and interdisciplinary team members on training, quality standards, regulatory requirements, continuous quality improvement, and staff education.
Educate appropriate personnel, in partnership with RN and interdisciplinary team staff, about facility water-system integrity and environmental integrity, including patient and staff safety, as allowed by local regulations.
Support communication about training and organizational development programs; participate in, and potentially design, educational programs for PCT staff; and help schedule and implement training.
Monitor patient-care processes through regular CQI activities and incorporate organizational business policies, procedures, systems, and ethical business practices into training.
Maintain safe, clean, and orderly facility areas; disinfect dialysis machines, chairs, equipment, and surrounding areas between treatments.
Prepare for dialysis treatments, perform and document required machine alarm tests, including Pressure Holding Test (PHT), and initiate the Solution Delivery System (SDS).
Participate in CQI activities and enter treatment data into the designated clinical application accurately and promptly.
Review treatment sheets for completeness, confirm nursing signatures, and ensure omitted entries are completed or corrected by appropriate staff.
Prepare initial patient charts and paperwork, print lab requisitions, collect and prepare samples according to laboratory specifications, store samples appropriately, and ensure collection by the designated laboratory courier.
Assist with facility quality assurance and infection-control audits; monitor and reinforce staff and patient adherence to infection-control practices under the direction of the Clinical Manager or designee.
Reinforce infection-control practices with new hires, patients, and families; support engagement through patient lobby days, staff meetings, visual materials, and education related to facility surveys, as directed.
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 allowed by state law; coordinate with appropriate staff to support the patient experience and ensure disciplines are scheduled according to the care plan.
Help patients understand home dialysis products and benefits, treatment options, and modality choices, including demonstrating peritoneal dialysis setup.
Set up and perform treatments on machines used in the Transitional Care Unit and assist with modality transitions, supply ordering, and inventory.