Patient Care Technician - PCT

Fresenius Medical Care•Grove City, OH

13d•Onsite

About The Position

The Patient Care Technician 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, assisting with patient care and treatment, maintaining a safe and clean work environment, and supporting quality improvement activities. The position also involves documenting treatment information, reporting changes in patient condition, and assisting with infection control and patient education. The employer provides 12 full weeks of paid comprehensive training. These are regular, full-time outpatient clinic positions with early morning start times as early as 5 a.m. Technicians work four 10-hour shifts per week, including every other Saturday, and must be available for scheduling Monday through Saturday. Schedules are communicated in advance, but specific recurring days cannot be guaranteed. Clinics are closed Sundays, and there are no overnight shifts. Temporary summer positions are not available. The work includes direct patient care in a health care facility, interaction with patients, staff, and physicians, and travel between assigned facilities and community locations. The role involves frequent standing, bending, lifting and moving patients, and handling supplies and solutions. Employees may be exposed to infectious or contagious diseases and materials. Employees must take an Ishihara color blindness test as a condition of employment; failing the test does not automatically 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.
Successfully complete the organization's dialysis training program; continued employment depends on successful completion.
Successfully complete CPR certification; continued employment depends on successful completion.
Demonstrated commitment to the organization's culture, values, and customer service standards.
Available to be scheduled Monday through Saturday for full-time shifts; specific recurring days cannot be accommodated.
Ability to perform the physical demands of the role, including frequent prolonged standing, bending, patient lifting and movement, and lifting solutions up to 30 pounds frequently and up to 40 pounds occasionally.

Nice To Haves

Previous patient care experience in a hospital or related facility is preferred.
Patient care experience in other fields, such as STNA, phlebotomist, or EMT, is a plus.

Responsibilities

Welcome assigned patients and ask about their wellbeing since their last treatment.
Assess vascular access, perform cannulation, and administer heparin when delegated or permitted by state law.
Obtain and record pre- and post-treatment vital signs and weights; evaluate vascular access before treatment.
Initiate, monitor, and discontinue dialysis treatments according to prescribed orders and established procedures.
Monitor patient responses and intradialytic problems, provide interventions as prescribed or directed, and report significant changes or unusual findings to the registered nurse or supervisor.
Calculate and enter prescribed dialysis machine programming, including ultrafiltration goals, treatment time, and UF modeling; ensure required safety alarms are enabled.
Document treatment parameters, patient evaluations, interventions, and other required information accurately and promptly.
Perform machine safety checks and evaluate vascular access during treatment, including arterial and venous monitoring pressures.
Obtain prescribed laboratory tests; collect, label, prepare, store, and arrange courier pickup of specimens.
Clean blood spills and disinfect dialysis machines, chairs, equipment, and surrounding areas according to facility policy.
Prepare and organize supplies and equipment and perform required pretreatment machine alarm tests, including Pressure Holding (PHT); initiate the Solution Delivery System (SDS).
Monitor patients performing self-care under RN supervision.
Assist with training applicable direct patient care staff under nurse supervision.
Participate in Continuous Quality Improvement activities and enter treatment data in the designated clinical application.
Review treatment sheets for completeness and ensure signatures and omitted or corrected entries are addressed by appropriate staff.
Prepare initial patient charts and paperwork and print laboratory requisitions as needed.
Assist with infection control audits, follow infection control policies, and reinforce infection control practices and education for patients and families as permitted by state law.
In the Transitional Care Unit, follow newly admitted patients through their first four weeks of dialysis and coordinate transitional care.
Reinforce education for new patients and liaise with appropriate staff to support the patient experience and scheduled care.
Help patients understand home dialysis products, benefits, and treatment options, including demonstrating peritoneal dialysis setup; assist with coordination of the patient's modality transition.
Set up and perform treatments on machines used in the Transitional Care Unit and assist with supply ordering and inventory.
Follow organizational policies, procedures, systems, ethical business practices, and customer service standards.