Patient Care Technician - Dialysis

Fresenius Medical Care•Caldwell, ID

About The Position

The Patient Care Technician functions as part of the dialysis health care team, providing 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 is responsible for setup and operation of hemodialysis machines and helping maintain a safe, clean working environment. The technician supports the organization’s Quality Enhancement Program (QEP) and Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) activities, including patient satisfaction and process improvement initiatives. The position provides direct patient care throughout dialysis treatment, including patient education, vascular access evaluation and cannulation, vital signs and weight measurements, treatment initiation and discontinuation, monitoring patient response, documentation, and reporting changes in condition to a registered nurse or supervisor. It also includes laboratory specimen handling, machine and environmental preparation, infection-control activities, and record keeping. The technician may support clinical staff recruitment, orientation, training, competency evaluation, and education under the direction of clinical leadership. In the Transitional Care Unit, the technician helps coordinate care for newly admitted patients during their first four weeks of dialysis, reinforces education, supports understanding of treatment and home dialysis options, assists with modality transitions, and helps manage supplies and inventory. The role is based in a health care facility and involves interaction with patients, staff, and physicians, as well as travel between assigned facilities and community locations. Work may involve exposure to infectious or contagious materials, frequent standing and bending, and lifting or moving patients and supplies. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.

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.
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.
Continued employment depends on successful completion of the organization’s dialysis training program and CPR certification.
Ability to meet the physical demands of direct patient care, including frequent and prolonged standing, bending, assisting with patient movement and ambulation, and lifting or lowering solutions and equipment as described.
Employees must 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

Assist with 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 patency, perform cannulation, and administer heparin as delegated or permitted by state law.
Obtain and document pre- and post-treatment vital signs and weight, and evaluate vascular access before treatment.
Initiate dialysis according to prescribed orders, including blood-flow and dialysate-flow settings.
Evaluate intradialytic problems, provide prescribed or directed interventions, monitor patient response, and document interventions and outcomes.
Obtain vital signs before reinfusion, discontinue treatment according to established procedures, assess patients before and after treatment, and apply dressings after hemostasis.
Calculate and enter prescribed dialysis machine programming, including ultrafiltration goals, treatment time, and ultrafiltration modeling; ensure required safety alarms are enabled.
Record accurate and timely treatment information, vital signs, and parameters in the required treatment documentation and clinical applications.
Report significant information, changes in patient condition, and unusual findings to the registered nurse or supervisor.
Perform machine safety checks and monitor patients, including patients performing self-care under RN supervision; assist with self-care as applicable.
Obtain prescribed laboratory tests and collect, label, prepare, store, and route specimens according to laboratory requirements.
Prepare and efficiently use supplies and equipment to prevent waste, and clean blood spills using appropriate disinfectants.
Participate in clinical staff recruitment, orientation, training, precepting, competency evaluations, audits, and developmental support as assigned.
Collaborate with clinical managers, education coordinators, nurses, and interdisciplinary team members on staff education, quality standards, regulatory requirements, and CQI activities.
Educate or reinforce education for appropriate personnel about facility water systems, environmental integrity, safety, and organizational training programs, as permitted by local regulations.
Monitor patient-care processes through regular CQI activities and support ethical business practices in training.
Maintain facility cleanliness and environmental integrity; 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), and initiate the Solution Delivery System (SDS).
Complete and document ongoing CQI participation; review treatment sheets for completeness and ensure missing or incorrect entries are addressed by appropriate staff.
Prepare initial patient charts and paperwork, prepare laboratory requisitions, and ensure laboratory specimens are collected by the appropriate courier.
Assist with facility infection-control audits, monitor adherence to infection-control practices, reinforce policies with staff and patients, and participate in related education and survey responses under clinical leadership.
Follow newly admitted patients through their first four weeks of dialysis and coordinate transitional dialysis care.
Reinforce education for new patients, liaise with facility staff to support the patient experience, and help patients understand home dialysis products, treatment options, and modality choices.
Set up and perform treatments on machines used in the Transitional Care Unit, demonstrate peritoneal dialysis setup as appropriate, assist with modality transitions, and support supply ordering and inventory.