Patient Care Technician Preceptor - PCT - Dialysis

Fresenius Medical Care•Fort Wayne, IN

13d

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 and in accordance with organizational policies, procedures, training, and applicable regulations. The role sets up and operates hemodialysis machines, supports a safe and clean working environment, and participates in Quality Enhancement Program (QEP) and Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) activities aimed at improving patient satisfaction and outcomes. The position provides direct patient care throughout dialysis treatment, including access evaluation and cannulation, treatment initiation and discontinuation, monitoring, documentation, patient education, and reporting changes in patient condition. The preceptor also supports recruitment, staff orientation, training, competency evaluation, and ongoing development of patient care personnel. Additional responsibilities include infection control, facility and equipment maintenance, record keeping, and coordinating care and education for newly admitted patients in the Transitional Care Unit. The work takes place in a health care facility and includes desk and computer work, interaction with patients and clinical staff, and travel between assigned facilities and other locations. The role involves exposure to infectious or contagious materials and regular direct patient care activities requiring standing, bending, lifting, moving patients, and assisting with ambulation. Reasonable accommodations may be made for individuals with disabilities. Employees must take the Ishihara color blindness test; failure 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, along with applicable state licensure, education, and training requirements.
Commitment to the organization's culture, values, and customer service standards.
Attendance and active participation in applicable preceptor training programs established by education leadership.
Attendance at 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 role's physical demands, including frequent and prolonged standing, bending, lifting and moving patients, assisting with ambulation, and lifting solutions up to 30 pounds frequently and up to 40 pounds occasionally.
Ability to take the Ishihara color blindness test as a condition of employment; failing the test does not preclude employment, and reasonable accommodation will 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, including education about dialysis adequacy measures, disease processes, and 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 vital signs and weights, and perform vascular access evaluations.
Initiate and discontinue dialysis treatments according to prescribed orders and established procedures.
Monitor patients' responses to dialysis, evaluate intradialytic problems, provide or document interventions, and report significant changes or unusual findings to a registered nurse or supervisor.
Calculate and enter prescribed dialysis machine settings, including ultrafiltration goals, treatment time, and UF modeling, and ensure required safety alarms are enabled.
Document treatment parameters, evaluations, vital signs, interventions, and other relevant information accurately and promptly.
Obtain prescribed laboratory tests, prepare and store specimens according to laboratory specifications, and ensure collection by the appropriate courier.
Observe patients, perform machine safety checks, monitor vascular access during treatment, and document and report unusual findings.
Prepare, organize, and use supplies and equipment efficiently; immediately clean blood spills according to facility policy.
Monitor patients performing self-care under RN supervision and assist with self-care as applicable.
Participate in recruiting clinical staff; assist with staff orientation, training, competency evaluations, audits, and developmental support.
Function as a preceptor for direct patient care training in accordance with applicable state guidelines, regulations, organizational standards, and training manuals.
Collaborate with Clinical Managers, Education Coordinators, RNs, and interdisciplinary team staff on training, quality standards, regulatory requirements, and continuous quality improvement.
Support education and communication concerning facility water systems, environmental integrity, patient and staff safety, and organizational training initiatives.
Monitor patient care processes through CQI activities and incorporate organizational business policies, procedures, systems, and ethical practices into training.
Maintain safe and clean facility areas; clean and disinfect dialysis machines, chairs, equipment, and surrounding areas between treatments.
Prepare dialysis equipment and conduct required pretreatment machine alarm testing, including Pressure Holding Test (PHT); initiate the Solution Delivery System (SDS).
Enter treatment data into clinical applications, review treatment sheets for completeness, and ensure missing or incorrect entries are completed or corrected by appropriate staff.
Prepare initial patient charts and paperwork and prepare laboratory requisitions for prescribed or stat specimens.
Assist with facility quality assurance and infection control audits; reinforce infection control practices among staff, patients, and families under the direction of the Clinical Manager or designee.
Support infection control education, staff and patient engagement, new-hire adherence, 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, liaise with facility staff to support the patient experience, and help ensure disciplines are scheduled according to the care plan.
Help patients understand home dialysis products, the benefits of home dialysis, treatment options, and peritoneal dialysis setup; assist with transitions to the patient's chosen modality.
Set up and perform treatments on machines used in the Transitional Care Unit and assist with TCU supply ordering and inventory.