Patient Care technician - PCT

Fresenius Medical Care•Nixa, MO

9d•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 follows organizational 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 environment, and participates in Quality Enhancement Program (QEP) and Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) activities that support patient satisfaction and quality goals. The position provides direct patient care throughout dialysis treatment, including checking patients’ wellbeing and vascular access, collecting vital signs and weights, initiating and monitoring treatments, responding to patient or machine concerns, discontinuing treatments, documenting care, and reporting significant changes to a registered nurse or supervisor. The technician also handles prescribed laboratory collection and preparation, maintains treatment records, supports infection-control practices, and helps prepare and maintain treatment areas and equipment. In the Transitional Care Unit, the technician follows newly admitted patients through their first four weeks of dialysis, reinforces education, coordinates care with relevant staff, supports patients’ understanding of treatment and home-dialysis options, and assists with transition to a chosen modality. The role requires a high school diploma or GED and completion of applicable certification requirements within the required state or CMS timeline. Continued employment depends on successful completion of the organization’s dialysis training program and CPR certification.

Requirements

High school diploma or GED.
Meet applicable CMS-approved state and/or national certification requirements within the required state or CMS timeline.
Meet all applicable state licensure, education, and training requirements.
Demonstrated commitment to organizational 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 perform direct patient care involving frequent and prolonged standing, bending, heavy lifting and moving of patients, and assisting with ambulation.
Ability to occasionally push or pull equipment with up to 15 pounds of force; frequently lift and lower solutions weighing up to 30 pounds; and occasionally lift items weighing up to 40 pounds as high as five feet. Assistance and material-aid devices are available for heavier items.

Nice To Haves

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

Responsibilities

Welcome assigned patients and ask about their wellbeing since their previous treatment.
Assist with patient-specific education regarding adequacy measures, the disease process, and vascular access, as appropriate and permitted by law.
Evaluate vascular access for patency, perform cannulation, and administer heparin as delegated or permitted by state law.
Obtain and document pre- and post-treatment vital signs and weights, including pre-treatment vascular access evaluation and initial patient identification.
Initiate dialysis according to prescribed orders, including blood-flow and dialysate-flow settings, and calculate and enter prescribed machine programming for ultrafiltration goals, treatment time, and UF modeling.
Check that appropriate safety alarms are enabled, including Narrow Venous Limits, and conduct machine safety checks according to facility policy.
Monitor patients’ responses to dialysis, evaluate intradialytic problems, and provide interventions as prescribed or directed; document interventions and patient responses.
Obtain vital signs before reinfusion, discontinue treatments according to established procedures, evaluate patients before termination of venous access, obtain hemostasis, apply dressings, and evaluate patients before discharge.
Record accurate and timely vital signs, treatment parameters, patient treatment information, and required documentation on treatment sheets and in clinical applications.
Report significant information, changes in patient condition, unusual findings, and vascular-access monitoring concerns to the registered nurse or supervisor.
Obtain prescribed laboratory tests; collect, label, prepare, store, and arrange appropriate courier collection of specimens.
Clean blood spills promptly with the appropriate disinfectant and follow facility infection-control procedures.
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.
Maintain safe, clean, and orderly areas; clean and disinfect dialysis machine surfaces, chairs, equipment, and surrounding areas between treatments.
Prepare for dialysis treatments, complete required machine alarm testing including Pressure Holding Test (PHT), and initiate the Solution Delivery System (SDS).
Complete and document ongoing participation in CQI activities; review treatment sheets for completeness and ensure missing or incorrect entries are addressed by appropriate staff.
Prepare initial patient charts and paperwork, and prepare or print laboratory requisitions for prescribed or stat specimens.
Assist with infection-control audits, support staff and patient adherence to infection-control practices, and reinforce infection-control education under direction as allowed by state law.
In the Transitional Care Unit, follow newly admitted patients through their first four weeks of dialysis and coordinate transitional dialysis care.
Reinforce education and care information for new patients, coordinate with appropriate staff to support the patient experience, and help ensure disciplines are scheduled according to the care plan.
Help patients understand home dialysis products and benefits, treatment options, and peritoneal dialysis setup; assist with coordination of transition to the patient’s chosen modality.
Set up and perform treatments on machines used in the Transitional Care Unit and assist with its supply ordering and inventory.
Travel between assigned facilities and community locations; travel to regional, Business Unit, and Corporate meetings may be required.