Patient Care Technician - PCT

Fresenius Medical Care•Edmond, OK

18h

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, helping maintain a safe and clean work environment, and supporting the organization’s Quality Enhancement Program (QEP), Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) activities, and patient-satisfaction goals. The PCT welcomes and monitors patients before, during, and after dialysis; assesses vascular access; performs cannulation and delegated tasks such as heparin administration where permitted; initiates and discontinues treatments according to prescribed orders and established procedures; and records treatment information accurately. The role includes monitoring patient responses, identifying and reporting changes or unusual findings to a registered nurse or supervisor, performing prescribed interventions, collecting laboratory specimens, and ensuring equipment and supplies are prepared and used appropriately. The position also supports staff training under nurse supervision, infection-control practices, documentation and chart preparation, and transitional dialysis care. In the Transitional Care Unit, the PCT follows newly admitted patients through their first four weeks of dialysis, reinforces education, helps coordinate care and modality transitions, supports patients’ understanding of home dialysis and treatment options, and assists with supplies and inventory. Work includes desk and computer tasks and 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 work environment is characteristic of a health care facility, with controlled air temperature and moderate noise, and may involve exposure to infectious or contagious diseases and materials. The role involves direct patient care, frequent and prolonged standing, bending, and regularly lifting and moving patients or assisting with ambulation. Employees may need to push or pull equipment with up to 15 pounds of force, frequently lift or lower solutions up to 30 pounds, and occasionally lift up to 40 pounds as high as five feet. Assistance from coworkers and material-assist devices is available for heavier items. Employees must take the Ishihara Color Blindness test as a condition of employment; failing the test does not preclude employment, and reasonable accommodations may be considered.

Requirements

High school diploma or GED.
Meet applicable CMS-approved state and/or national certification requirements within the required state or CMS timeline.
Hold any state licensure and complete education or training required for the role.
Demonstrate commitment to the organization’s culture, values, and customer service standards.
Successfully complete the organization’s dialysis training program to continue employment.
Successfully complete CPR certification to continue employment.
Take the Ishihara Color Blindness test as a condition of employment; failing the test does not preclude employment, and reasonable accommodations may be considered.
Ability to meet the physical demands of the position, including frequent and prolonged standing, bending, lifting and moving patients or assisting with ambulation, and lifting or lowering solutions as described.
Ability to travel between assigned facilities and locations in the community; travel to regional, Business Unit, and Corporate meetings may be required.

Nice To Haves

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

Responsibilities

Assist other 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 previous treatment.
Evaluate vascular access for patency, perform cannulation, and administer heparin when 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 patient machine programming for ultrafiltration goals, treatment time, and ultrafiltration modeling.
Ensure required machine safety alarms are enabled, including Narrow Venous Limits, and perform machine safety checks according to facility policy.
Monitor patients’ responses to dialysis, evaluate intradialytic problems, and provide interventions as prescribed or directed.
Obtain vital signs before reinfusion, discontinue treatment according to established procedures, evaluate patients before termination and discharge, obtain hemostasis, and apply appropriate dressings.
Document treatment information accurately and promptly, including vital signs, treatment parameters, evaluations, interventions, and patient responses; complete treatment sheets and progress notes when applicable.
Report significant information, changes in patient condition, and unusual findings to the registered nurse or supervisor.
Monitor vascular access during treatment, including arterial and venous pressures, intervene as appropriate, and document and report unusual findings.
Obtain prescribed laboratory tests; prepare, label, store, and arrange collection of specimens according to laboratory requirements.
Clean blood spills immediately with appropriate disinfectant and prepare, organize, and use supplies and equipment efficiently to prevent waste.
Monitor patients performing self-care under RN supervision.
Assist with training applicable direct patient care staff on appropriate programs under nurse supervision.
Follow organization policies, procedures, systems, and ethical business practices; maintain safe, clean, and orderly areas.
Clean and disinfect dialysis machine surfaces, chairs, equipment, and surrounding areas between treatments according to facility policy.
Prepare for dialysis treatments, document as appropriate, perform required pretreatment machine alarm testing including Pressure Holding Test (PHT), and initiate the Solution Delivery System (SDS).
Participate in and document ongoing CQI activities; enter treatment data accurately and promptly in the designated clinical application.
Review treatment sheets for completeness, nursing signatures, and corrections or completion of omitted entries by appropriate staff.
Prepare initial patient charts for admission and compile paperwork for placement in charts.
Prepare and print laboratory requisitions for prescribed or stat specimens, and ensure specimens are collected by the appropriate laboratory courier.
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 permitted by state law.
Follow newly admitted patients through their first four weeks of dialysis and coordinate transitional dialysis care.
Reinforce education and care information for new patients as permitted by state law, and liaise with appropriate staff to support the patient experience and coordinate visits from disciplines according to the care plan.
Help patients understand home dialysis products, the benefits of home dialysis, and how it may work for them; assist with explaining treatment options, including demonstrating peritoneal dialysis setup.
Set up and perform treatments on machines used in the Transitional Care Unit, assist with transition to the patient’s selected modality, and help coordinate TCU supply ordering and inventory.