Patient Care Technician - PCT

Fresenius Medical Care•Augusta, GA

4d•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 quality improvement activities focused on patient satisfaction and organizational quality goals. The PCT assists with patient education and care throughout dialysis treatment, including assessment of patient wellbeing and vascular access, cannulation, obtaining vital signs and weights, initiating and discontinuing treatment, monitoring patient response, responding to intradialytic problems, and documenting treatment information. The role also involves collecting and preparing laboratory specimens, maintaining equipment and supplies, supporting infection control practices, and assisting with staff training under nurse supervision. In the Transitional Care Unit, the PCT supports newly admitted patients during their first four weeks of dialysis, reinforces education, coordinates with care team members, helps patients understand treatment and home dialysis options, assists with modality transitions, and supports supply ordering and inventory. The position requires travel between assigned facilities and community locations, and may require travel to regional, Business Unit, and Corporate meetings. Work takes place in a health care facility with controlled air temperature and moderate noise; exposure to infectious or contagious diseases and materials may occur. 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 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 for continued employment.
Successfully complete CPR certification for continued 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 perform direct patient care involving frequent, prolonged standing and bending, and regular heavy lifting and moving of patients and assistance with ambulation.
Ability to occasionally push or pull equipment using up to 15 pounds of force; frequently lift and lower solutions weighing up to 30 pounds; and occasionally lift up to 40 pounds as high as five feet. Assistance devices or coworkers may be used for heavier items.

Nice To Haves

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

Responsibilities

Assist health care team members in providing patient-specific education on adequacy measures, disease processes, and vascular access as appropriate.
Welcome assigned patients and inquire about their wellbeing since their previous treatment.
Assess 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 weights, and perform pre-treatment vascular access evaluations.
Initiate dialysis according to prescribed orders, including blood-flow and dialysate-flow settings.
Evaluate and respond to intradialytic problems as prescribed or directed, and monitor patients’ responses to therapy.
Obtain vital signs before reinfusion and perform and document procedures required to discontinue treatment.
Discontinue dialysis according to established procedures; evaluate patients before termination of venous access and obtain standing and sitting blood pressure readings.
Obtain hemostasis and apply appropriate dressings; evaluate patients before discharge.
Calculate and enter prescribed dialysis machine programming, including ultrafiltration goal, treatment time, and ultrafiltration modeling.
Ensure required safety alarms are enabled, including Narrow Venous Limits (NVL) 160.
Accurately and promptly record vital signs, treatment parameters, and other patient treatment information in treatment sheets, clinical applications, and progress notes as applicable.
Report significant information, changes in patient condition, unusual findings, and vascular access concerns to the registered nurse or supervisor.
Observe patients and conduct machine safety checks according to facility policy; perform, document, and report interventions and patient responses when status is unusual.
Obtain prescribed laboratory tests and collect, label, prepare, store, and arrange collection of specimens according to laboratory requirements.
Clean blood spills promptly with appropriate disinfectant and 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 organizational policies, procedures, training systems, and ethical business practices.
Maintain a safe and clean environment; clean and disinfect dialysis machines, chairs, equipment, and surrounding areas between treatments.
Prepare for dialysis treatments, document tasks as appropriate, perform required pretreatment machine alarm tests including Pressure Holding (PHT), and initiate the Solution Delivery System (SDS).
Complete and document participation in Continuous Quality Improvement activities.
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 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 patient and family education 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 matters for new patients as permitted by state law, and liaise with appropriate staff to support the patient experience and scheduled care.
Help patients understand home dialysis products, benefits, and potential suitability; demonstrate peritoneal dialysis setup and explain treatment options as appropriate.
Set up and perform treatments on machines used in the Transitional Care Unit, assist with transitions to patients’ chosen modalities, and help coordinate supply ordering and inventory.