Patient Care Technician Preceptor - PCT - Dialysis

Fresenius Medical Care•Gary, IN

About The Position

The Patient Care Technician Preceptor is part of the dialysis health care team and provides safe, effective dialysis therapy under the direct supervision of a licensed nurse. The role sets up and operates hemodialysis machines, helps maintain a safe and clean work environment, and supports the organization’s Quality Enhancement Program (QEP) and Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) activities, including initiatives related to patient satisfaction and quality goals. In addition to direct patient care, the preceptor supports clinical staffing and development. Duties include participating in recruitment, orienting and training staff, conducting competency evaluations, reinforcing regulatory and organizational standards, and supporting infection-control practices. The position also contributes to the care coordination and education of newly admitted patients in the Transitional Care Unit (TCU), including education about treatment options and assistance with transition to a chosen modality. The work takes place in a health care facility and involves interaction with patients, facility staff, and physicians. It includes desk and computer work, travel between assigned facilities and community locations, and potentially travel to regional, Business Unit, and Corporate meetings. The role may involve exposure to infectious and contagious diseases or materials. Direct patient care regularly involves heavy lifting and moving patients, assisting with ambulation, prolonged standing, bending, and handling equipment and solutions.

Requirements

High school diploma or equivalent.
Valid PCT national certification or state-specific certification as defined by CMS; applicable state licensure, education, and training are required.
CCHT/CHT certification required, as stated in the posting.
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.
Completion of Fresenius and publicly offered skill-based training as assigned by the Clinical Manager.
Successful completion of the organization’s dialysis training program and CPR certification is required for continued employment.
Ability to meet the position’s physical demands, including frequent prolonged standing, bending, patient lifting and moving, and lifting solutions and equipment as described in the posting.
Employees must take the Ishihara Color Blindness test as a condition of employment; failure 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 adequacy measures, disease processes, and vascular access, as appropriate.
Welcome assigned patients and ask about their wellbeing since their previous treatment.
Evaluate 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, and evaluate vascular access before treatment.
Initiate dialysis according to prescribed orders, including blood-flow and dialysate-flow settings.
Evaluate and address intradialytic problems as prescribed or directed, monitor patient response, and report significant changes to a registered nurse or supervisor.
Complete treatment discontinuation and discharge procedures, including reinfusion, vascular-access evaluation, hemostasis, dressings, and documentation.
Calculate and enter prescribed dialysis machine programming, including ultrafiltration goals, treatment time, and ultrafiltration modeling; ensure appropriate safety alarms are enabled.
Observe patients, perform machine safety checks, document treatment parameters and interventions, and report unusual findings.
Obtain prescribed laboratory tests, prepare and store specimens, and ensure collection by the appropriate laboratory courier.
Prepare and organize supplies and equipment to prevent waste; clean blood spills according to facility policy.
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 clinical orientation and ongoing staff training.
Serve as a preceptor for direct patient care training in accordance with state guidelines, regulations, clinical training standards, and organizational policies.
Conduct ongoing competency evaluations and audits for other patient care technicians.
Collaborate with Clinical Managers and Education Coordinators on quality standards, regulatory and legal requirements, Continuous Quality Improvement, and training programs.
Educate appropriate personnel, with RN and interdisciplinary team staff, about facility water-system integrity and safety and environmental integrity, as allowed by local regulations.
Support communication and implementation of training and organizational development programs; participate in or design educational programs for PCT staff.
Monitor patient-care processes through regular CQI activities and incorporate organizational business policies, procedures, systems, and ethical practices into training.
Maintain a safe and clean environment; clean and disinfect dialysis machines, chairs, equipment, and surrounding areas between treatments.
Prepare dialysis equipment and perform and document required pretreatment machine alarm testing, including Pressure Holding Test (PHT); initiate the Solution Delivery System (SDS).
Document CQI participation, enter treatment data, review treatment sheets for completeness, and ensure omissions are completed or corrected by appropriate staff.
Prepare initial patient charts and lab requisitions, and collect, label, prepare, and store laboratory samples according to specifications.
Assist with facility infection-control audits and reinforce infection-control practices among staff, patients, and families under the direction of the Clinical Manager or designee.
Participate in infection-control education and responses to internal and external facility surveys as directed.
Follow newly admitted TCU patients through their first four weeks of dialysis and coordinate transitional dialysis care.
Reinforce education for new patients, coordinate appointments with appropriate staff, and assist patients in understanding home dialysis products, benefits, and treatment options, including peritoneal dialysis setup demonstrations.
Set up and perform treatments on machines used in the TCU, assist with transition to the patient’s chosen modality, and help coordinate TCU supply ordering and inventory.