Patient Care Technician - PCT

Fresenius Medical Care•Cortland, NY

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, providing direct patient care, maintaining a safe and clean environment, and following organizational policies and applicable regulations. The PCT supports quality enhancement and continuous quality improvement activities focused on patient satisfaction and treatment outcomes. Dialysis experience is not required; paid training is provided. The position advertises growth and advancement opportunities and no on-call, overnight, or Sunday work. The PCT welcomes patients, assesses their condition and vascular access, performs prescribed dialysis treatment procedures, monitors patients during treatment, responds to issues as directed, and documents treatment and patient information. The role also includes collecting and preparing laboratory specimens, maintaining equipment and infection-control practices, assisting with staff and patient education, and supporting newly admitted patients in a Transitional Care Unit as they learn about dialysis and treatment options. The work includes desk and computer tasks as well as regular interaction with patients, facility staff, and physicians. Travel between assigned facilities and community locations is required, and travel to regional, business-unit, and corporate meetings may be required. The work environment is a health care facility with controlled air temperature and moderate noise; exposure to infectious and contagious diseases or materials may occur. Direct patient care regularly involves heavy lifting and moving patients, assisting with ambulation, frequent and prolonged standing, and bending. The employee may 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 up to 40 pounds as high as five feet. Assistance and material-assist devices are available for heavier items. Employees must take the Ishihara Color Blindness test as a condition of employment; failure does not preclude employment, and reasonable accommodations will 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 to continue employment.
Successfully complete CPR certification to continue employment.
Be able to perform the physical demands of the position, including frequent prolonged standing, bending, patient lifting and movement, and lifting or lowering solutions as described.
Take the Ishihara Color Blindness test as a condition of employment; failing the test does not preclude employment, and reasonable accommodations will be considered.

Nice To Haves

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

Responsibilities

Welcome assigned patients and ask about their wellbeing since their previous treatment.
Assess vascular access, perform cannulation, administer heparin when delegated or permitted by state law, and monitor access during treatment.
Obtain and document pre- and post-treatment vital signs and weights, and perform pre-treatment vascular access evaluations.
Initiate, monitor, and discontinue dialysis treatments according to prescribed orders and established procedures; evaluate patients before discharge.
Calculate and enter prescribed dialysis machine programming, including ultrafiltration goals, treatment time, and ultrafiltration modeling, and ensure required safety alarms are enabled.
Monitor patient responses to dialysis, evaluate intradialytic problems, provide interventions as prescribed or directed, and report significant changes or unusual findings to a registered nurse or supervisor.
Perform and document treatment evaluations, vital signs, weights, interventions, patient responses, and other required treatment information accurately and promptly.
Conduct patient and machine safety checks and obtain prescribed laboratory tests; prepare, label, 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.
Monitor patients performing self-care under RN supervision.
Assist in training applicable direct patient care staff on appropriate programs under a nurse’s supervision.
Follow organizational business policies, procedures, systems, and ethical business practices; maintain a safe, clean, and orderly environment.
Clean and disinfect dialysis machine surfaces, chairs, equipment, and surrounding areas between treatments according to facility policy.
Prepare for dialysis treatments, perform required machine alarm testing including Pressure Holding (PHT), initiate the Solution Delivery System (SDS), and document as appropriate.
Participate in and document Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) activities; enter treatment data into the designated clinical application and review treatment sheets for completeness and appropriate corrections.
Prepare initial patient charts and paperwork, prepare laboratory requisitions, and ensure specimens are collected by the appropriate laboratory courier.
Assist with infection-control audits, reinforce infection-control practices, and participate in patient and family infection-control education as directed and permitted 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, liaise with appropriate staff to support the patient experience, and help ensure disciplines see patients according to the care plan.
Help patients understand home dialysis products and benefits, treatment options, and peritoneal dialysis setup; assist with transition to the patient’s chosen modality.
Set up and perform treatments on machines used in the Transitional Care Unit and assist with supply ordering and inventory.