Patient Care Technician - PCT

Fresenius Medical Care•Grand Prairie, TX

About The Position

The Patient Care Technician (PCT) works as part of a 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 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 provides direct patient care throughout dialysis treatments, including assessing patients and vascular access, obtaining vital signs and weights, initiating and discontinuing treatments, monitoring patient responses, documenting treatment information, and reporting changes or unusual findings to a registered nurse or supervisor. The role also includes specimen collection and preparation, machine and area cleaning, infection-control support, and assistance with staff training. In the Transitional Care Unit, the PCT follows newly admitted patients through their first four weeks of dialysis, reinforces education, coordinates with facility staff, supports patients in understanding treatment and home-dialysis options, and helps coordinate transitions to patients’ chosen modalities. The position involves work in a health care facility, interaction with patients and care teams, travel between assigned facilities and community locations, and physical duties that include frequent standing, bending, lifting, and assisting patients with movement.

Requirements

High school diploma or GED.
Meet CMS-approved state and/or national certification requirements within the applicable state or CMS timeline.
Hold all applicable state licensure and complete required education and training.
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 physical demands of the role, including frequent prolonged standing, bending, heavy lifting and moving of patients, and assisting with ambulation; lifting solutions frequently up to 30 pounds and occasionally up to 40 pounds as high as five feet; and occasionally pushing or pulling equipment with up to 15 pounds of force.
Take the Ishihara Color Blindness test as a condition of employment; failing the test does not preclude employment, and reasonable accommodations may be considered.

Nice To Haves

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

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 previous treatment.
Assess vascular access patency, perform cannulation, and administer heparin when delegated or permitted by state law.
Obtain and document pre- and post-treatment vital signs and weights, perform vascular access evaluations, and complete patient identification.
Initiate dialysis treatments 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 appropriate safety alarms are enabled, including Narrow Venous Limits.
Monitor patients’ responses to dialysis, conduct machine safety checks, evaluate intradialytic problems, and provide prescribed or directed interventions.
Obtain vital signs before reinfusion, discontinue treatments according to established procedures, assess patients before termination of venous access, obtain hemostasis, and apply dressings.
Evaluate patients before discharge and document treatment evaluations, vital signs, weights, treatment parameters, interventions, and patient responses.
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 needed and document and report unusual findings.
Obtain prescribed laboratory tests, prepare specimens, and collect, label, store, and arrange delivery of samples 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 with training applicable direct patient care staff on appropriate programs under nurse supervision.
Follow organizational business policies, procedures, systems, and ethical business practices.
Maintain safe and clean areas; clean and disinfect dialysis machines, chairs, equipment, and surrounding areas between treatments.
Prepare for dialysis treatments, document tasks as appropriate, complete required machine alarm testing including Pressure Holding Testing, and initiate the Solution Delivery System.
Participate in and document Continuous Quality Improvement activities; enter treatment data accurately and promptly; review treatment sheets for completeness and ensure missing or corrected entries are handled by appropriate staff.
Prepare initial patient charts and admission paperwork and prepare and print laboratory requisitions for prescribed or stat specimens.
Assist with infection-control audits, support staff and patient adherence to infection-control practices, follow infection-control policies, and reinforce patient and family education under appropriate direction.
Follow newly admitted Transitional Care Unit patients through their first four weeks of dialysis and coordinate transitional care.
Reinforce education and care matters for new patients as allowed by state law and liaise with appropriate staff to coordinate services according to the patient’s plan.
Help patients understand home-dialysis products and benefits, treatment options, and peritoneal dialysis setup; assist with transitions to the patient’s chosen modality.
Set up and perform treatments on all machines used in the Transitional Care Unit and assist with unit supply ordering and inventory.