Patient Care Technician - PCT CCHT - Dialysis

Fresenius Medical Care•Columbia, TN

5d•Onsite

About The Position

The Patient Care Technician (PCT) works as part of the 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, supporting a safe and clean work environment, and participating in quality improvement activities focused on patient satisfaction and the organization’s Quality Enhancement Program (QEP) goals. The PCT provides patient care throughout dialysis treatment, including assessing patients and vascular access, initiating and monitoring treatment, responding to treatment issues, recording clinical information, and assisting with discharge. The position also includes preparing equipment and supplies, collecting and processing laboratory specimens, maintaining treatment records, reinforcing infection-control practices, and supporting patients new to dialysis through transitional care. The PCT may assist with training direct patient care staff under nurse supervision. Work takes place in a health care facility and involves interaction with patients, facility staff, and physicians. Travel between assigned facilities and locations in the community is required; travel to regional, Business Unit, and Corporate meetings may also be required. The role may involve exposure to infectious or contagious diseases and materials, heavy lifting and moving patients, assisting with ambulation, prolonged standing, bending, and handling equipment and solutions.

Requirements

High school diploma or GED.
Must meet CMS-approved state and/or national certification requirements within the applicable state or CMS timeline; CCHT is listed as required.
Must meet all applicable state licensure, education, and training requirements.
Demonstrated commitment to organizational culture, values, and customer service standards.
Successful completion of the organization’s dialysis training program is required for continued employment.
Successful completion of CPR certification is required for continued employment.
Must take the Ishihara Color Blindness test as a condition of employment; failure does not preclude employment, and reasonable accommodations may be considered.
Ability to meet the role’s physical demands, including frequent prolonged standing and bending, assisting patients with lifting, moving, and ambulation, and handling solutions and equipment as described.

Nice To Haves

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

Responsibilities

Welcome assigned patients and ask about their wellbeing since their last treatment.
Provide patient-specific education with other health care team members, including education about adequacy measures, disease processes, and access, where appropriate.
Evaluate vascular access for patency, cannulate vascular access, and administer heparin as delegated or permitted by state law.
Obtain and record pre- and post-treatment vital signs and weights, and perform pre-treatment vascular access evaluations.
Initiate dialysis according to prescribed orders, including blood-flow and dialysate-flow settings.
Calculate and enter prescribed dialysis machine programming, including ultrafiltration goals, treatment time, and ultrafiltration modeling.
Ensure required machine safety alarms are enabled, including Narrow Venous Limits (NVL) 160.
Monitor patients’ response to dialysis, observe patients, and conduct machine safety checks according to facility policy.
Evaluate and respond to intradialytic problems and unusual patient status as prescribed or directed; document interventions and patient responses, and report significant changes or unusual findings to the registered nurse or supervisor.
Monitor vascular access during treatment, including arterial and venous pressures, intervene as needed, and document and report unusual findings.
Obtain vital signs before reinfusion and perform and document the functions required to discontinue treatment, including evaluating the patient before termination of venous access and obtaining standing and sitting blood pressure measurements.
Obtain hemostasis, apply appropriate dressings, and evaluate patients before discharge.
Complete accurate and timely treatment documentation, including vital signs, treatment parameters, the Hemodialysis Treatment Sheet, and progress notes when applicable; ensure documentation has initial identification.
Obtain prescribed laboratory tests and collect, label, prepare, and store specimens according to laboratory specifications; prepare requisitions and ensure specimens are collected by the appropriate courier.
Clean blood spills immediately using the appropriate disinfectant and follow facility policy.
Prepare, organize, and efficiently use supplies and equipment 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 organizational business policies, procedures, systems, and ethical business practices.
Maintain a safe, clean environment and clean and disinfect dialysis machine surfaces, chairs, equipment, and surrounding areas between treatments.
Prepare for dialysis treatments, perform and document required pre-treatment machine alarm testing, including Pressure Holding (PHT), and initiate the Solution Delivery System (SDS).
Complete and document ongoing participation in Continuous Quality Improvement (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 compile paperwork for filing in the chart.
Assist with infection-control audits, support staff and patient adherence to infection-control practices, follow infection-control policies and procedures, and reinforce infection-control education for patients and families 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 their transitional dialysis care.
Reinforce education and care matters for new patients as allowed by state law, and liaise with appropriate staff to support the patient experience and ensure disciplines are scheduled according to the care plan.
Assist patients in understanding home dialysis products and benefits, treatment options, and how home dialysis may work for them, including demonstrating peritoneal dialysis setup.
Set up and perform treatments on all machines used in the Transitional Care Unit (TCU), assist with coordinating transition to the patient’s chosen modality, and help with TCU supply ordering and inventory.