Patient Care Technician - PCT

Fresenius Medical Care•Allen, TX

About The Position

Functions 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 follows organization policies, procedures, and training, as well as applicable corporate, state, and federal regulations. The technician sets up and operates hemodialysis machines, helps maintain a safe and clean work environment, and supports the Quality Enhancement Program (QEP), Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI), patient satisfaction, and process improvement activities. The position provides direct patient care throughout dialysis treatment, including assessing patients and vascular access, initiating and monitoring treatments, responding to patient or equipment issues, documenting treatment information, and communicating changes in patient condition to a nurse or supervisor. It also includes specimen collection and preparation, infection-control activities, maintaining equipment and treatment areas, and supporting patient education and staff training under appropriate supervision. In the Transitional Care Unit, the technician follows newly admitted patients through their first four weeks of dialysis, reinforces education, coordinates care with appropriate staff, helps patients understand treatment options and home dialysis, performs treatments on TCU machines, and supports transition to the patient’s chosen modality. The work includes desk and computer tasks, interaction with patients and health care staff, and travel between assigned facilities and community locations. The environment is a health care facility with controlled air temperature and moderate noise, with possible exposure to infectious or contagious diseases and materials. Direct patient care regularly involves heavy lifting and moving patients and assisting with ambulation. The role requires frequent, prolonged standing and bending, and may involve pushing or pulling equipment and lifting solutions. Reasonable accommodations may be made for individuals with disabilities. Employees must take the Ishihara Color Blindness test as a condition of employment; failing the test does not automatically preclude employment, and reasonable accommodations will be considered.

Requirements

High school diploma or GED required.
Must meet Center for Medicaid/Medicare Services (CMS)-approved state and/or national certification requirements within the required state or CMS timeline.
Must hold any appropriate state licensure and complete any required education and training.
Demonstrated commitment to the organization’s culture, values, and customer service standards.
Continued employment depends on successful completion of the organization’s dialysis training program and successful completion of CPR certification.
Must take the Ishihara Color Blindness test as a condition of employment; failure does not automatically preclude employment, and reasonable accommodations will be considered.
Able to perform the position’s physical demands, including frequent prolonged standing, bending, patient lifting and movement, assisting with ambulation, and lifting solutions as described; assistance and devices are available for heavier items.

Nice To Haves

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

Responsibilities

Assist health care team members with patient-specific education on adequacy measures, disease processes, and vascular access, as appropriate.
Welcome assigned patients and ask about their wellbeing since their last treatment.
Assess vascular access for patency, perform cannulation, and administer heparin when delegated or permitted by state law.
Obtain and document pre- and post-treatment vital signs and weights, and perform pre-treatment vascular access evaluation.
Initiate and discontinue dialysis treatments according to prescribed orders and established procedures.
Calculate and enter patient-specific dialysis machine programming, including ultrafiltration goal, treatment time, and UF modeling, as prescribed.
Ensure appropriate machine safety alarms are enabled, including Narrow Venous Limits (NVL) 160, and conduct machine safety checks according to facility policy.
Monitor patients’ response to dialysis, evaluate intradialytic problems, and provide interventions as prescribed or directed.
Obtain vital signs before reinfusion, perform functions required to discontinue treatment, assess patients before termination and discharge, and obtain hemostasis and apply dressings.
Document treatment evaluations, vital signs, weights, treatment parameters, interventions, patient responses, and other required information accurately and promptly.
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, document, and report unusual findings.
Obtain prescribed laboratory testing; collect, label, prepare, store, and arrange courier collection of specimens according to laboratory requirements.
Clean blood spills immediately using appropriate disinfectant and follow facility policy.
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 business policies, procedures, systems, and ethical business practices.
Maintain safe, clean, and orderly treatment areas; clean and disinfect dialysis machines, chairs, equipment, and surrounding areas between treatments.
Prepare for dialysis treatments, document as required, perform pretreatment machine alarm testing including Pressure Holding (PHT), and initiate the Solution Delivery System (SDS).
Participate in and document ongoing CQI activities.
Enter treatment data into the designated clinical application accurately and promptly.
Review treatment sheets for completeness, verify nursing signatures, and ensure omitted entries are completed or corrected by appropriate staff.
Prepare initial patient charts and compile paperwork for placement in the chart.
Prepare and print lab requisitions for prescribed or stat specimens according to laboratory destination.
Support infection-control audits, staff and patient adherence to infection-control practices, and 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 transitional dialysis care.
Reinforce education and care matters for new patients as allowed by state law.
Liaise with appropriate staff to support patient experience and ensure disciplines are scheduled according to the care plan.
Help patients understand home dialysis products, benefits, and how home dialysis may work for them.
Set up and perform treatments on machines used in the Transitional Care Unit.
Help patients understand treatment options, including demonstrating peritoneal dialysis setup, and coordinate transition to their chosen modality.
Assist with supply ordering and inventory for the Transitional Care Unit.