Patient Care Technician - PCT

Fresenius Medical Care•Lafayette, IN

13d•Onsite

About The Position

The Patient Care Technician (PCT) 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 includes setting up and operating hemodialysis machines, maintaining a safe and clean work environment, and supporting the organization’s Quality Enhancement Program (QEP) and continuous quality improvement activities. The technician welcomes and monitors patients, performs and documents pre-, intra-, and post-treatment assessments, evaluates vascular access, initiates and discontinues dialysis treatments according to prescribed orders, responds to treatment issues as directed, and reports significant changes to a registered nurse or supervisor. The role also includes documenting treatment information, collecting and preparing laboratory specimens, cleaning and testing equipment, following infection-control practices, and assisting with staff and patient education. In the Transitional Care Unit, the technician follows newly admitted patients through their first four weeks of dialysis, reinforces education, coordinates care with appropriate staff, supports patients in understanding home dialysis and treatment options, prepares and operates machines, and assists with inventory and supply ordering.

Requirements

High school diploma or GED.
Meet CMS-approved state and/or national certification requirements within the applicable state or CMS timeline.
Meet all applicable state licensure, education, and training requirements.
Demonstrate commitment to the organization’s culture, values, and customer service standards.
Successfully complete the organization’s dialysis training program to remain employed.
Successfully complete CPR certification to remain employed.
Be able to perform the stated physical demands, including frequent and prolonged standing, bending, patient lifting and movement, and occasional pushing or pulling equipment.
Take the Ishihara color blindness test as a condition of employment; failing the test does not preclude employment, and reasonable accommodations will be considered.

Nice To Haves

Previous patient care experience in a hospital setting or related facility is preferred.

Responsibilities

Assist health care team members with 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.
Evaluate vascular access patency and perform cannulation and heparin administration when delegated or permitted by state law.
Obtain and document pre- and post-treatment weights and vital signs, including initial patient identification and pre-treatment vascular access evaluation.
Initiate dialysis according to prescribed orders, including blood flow and dialysate flow settings.
Calculate and enter prescribed patient machine programming for ultrafiltration goal, treatment time, and ultrafiltration modeling.
Ensure required safety alarms are enabled, including Narrow Venous Limits.
Monitor patients’ responses to dialysis, evaluate intradialytic problems, and provide interventions as prescribed or directed.
Obtain vital signs before reinfusion and perform and document functions necessary to discontinue treatment.
Discontinue treatment according to established procedures, assess patients before termination of venous access, obtain hemostasis, and apply appropriate dressings.
Evaluate patients before discharge and document treatment evaluations, weights, vital signs, treatment parameters, and other required information accurately and promptly.
Observe patients and conduct machine safety checks; report changes or unusual findings to a registered nurse or supervisor.
Document interventions for unusual patient status and patients’ responses to those interventions.
Monitor vascular access during treatment, including arterial and venous pressures; intervene as appropriate, document, and report unusual findings.
Obtain prescribed laboratory tests; collect, label, prepare, store, and arrange collection of specimens according to laboratory requirements.
Clean blood spills immediately with appropriate disinfectant and follow facility policy.
Prepare, organize, and use supplies and equipment efficiently to prevent waste.
Monitor patients performing self-care under RN supervision.
Assist in training applicable direct patient care staff on appropriate programs under nurse supervision.
Follow organization policies, procedures, systems, and ethical business practices incorporated into training.
Maintain safe and clean work areas and environmental integrity.
Clean and disinfect dialysis machine surfaces, chairs, equipment, and surrounding areas between treatments according to facility policy.
Prepare for dialysis treatments, document preparation where appropriate, perform required pretreatment machine alarm testing including Pressure Holding Test, and initiate the Solution Delivery System.
Participate in and document Continuous Quality Improvement activities.
Enter treatment data accurately and promptly into the designated clinical application.
Review treatment sheets for completeness and nursing signatures, and ensure omissions are completed or corrected by appropriate staff.
Prepare initial patient charts for admission and compile paperwork for chart placement.
Prepare and print laboratory requisitions for prescribed or stat specimens according to laboratory destination.
Ensure laboratory specimens are collected by the appropriate courier.
Assist with collecting information for infection-control audits and support staff and patient adherence to infection-control practices.
Follow infection-control policies and procedures and reinforce patient and family infection-control education under the direction of the CM or designee, as allowed by state law.
Follow newly admitted patients through their first four weeks of dialysis and coordinate transitional dialysis care.
Reinforce education and care matters for new patients as allowed by state law.
Liaise with appropriate staff to support the patient experience and ensure disciplines are scheduled according to the care plan.
Help patients understand home dialysis products, the benefits of home dialysis, and how it may work for them.
Set up and perform treatments on all machines used in the Transitional Care Unit.
Help patients understand treatment options, including demonstrating peritoneal dialysis setup.
Assist with coordinating transition to the patient’s chosen modality.
Assist with Transitional Care Unit supply ordering and inventory.