Patient Care Technician- PCT

Fresenius Medical Care

2d•$18 - $29

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 follows organizational policies and procedures, applicable training, and relevant corporate, state, and federal regulations. The technician sets up and operates hemodialysis machines, helps maintain a safe and clean work environment, and supports the organization’s Quality Enhancement Program and continuous quality improvement activities, including patient satisfaction and process improvement efforts. The position provides direct patient care throughout dialysis treatment, including patient education support, vascular access assessment and cannulation, vital signs and weight measurement, treatment setup and monitoring, response to intradialytic problems, documentation, laboratory specimen handling, and reporting changes in patient condition. The technician also assists with staff training, infection control, quality improvement recordkeeping, and, when assigned to a Transitional Care Unit, supports new patients during their first four weeks of dialysis and helps coordinate education and transition to a selected treatment modality. The work includes desk and computer tasks and interaction with patients, facility staff, and physicians. Travel between assigned facilities and community locations is required; travel to regional, Business Unit, and Corporate meetings may also be required. The setting is a healthcare facility with controlled air temperature and moderate noise levels, and may involve exposure to infectious or contagious diseases and materials. 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 or lower solutions weighing up to 30 pounds, and occasionally lift up to 40 pounds to a height of five feet. A two-person assist program and material-assist devices are available for heavier items. Employees must take the Ishihara Color Blindness test as a condition of employment; failing the test 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 required state or CMS timeline.
Meet all applicable state licensure, education, and training requirements.
Demonstrated commitment to the organization’s culture, values, and customer service standards.
Successful completion of the organization’s dialysis training program is required for continued employment.
Successful completion of CPR certification is required for continued employment.
Ability to perform the physical demands of the role, including patient lifting and moving, assisting with ambulation, prolonged standing, bending, and lifting or lowering solutions as described.
Take the Ishihara Color Blindness test as a condition of employment; failure does not preclude employment.

Nice To Haves

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

Responsibilities

Assist healthcare 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, cannulate access, and administer heparin as delegated or permitted by state law.
Measure and document pre- and post-treatment weight and vital signs, including relevant pre-treatment and post-treatment evaluations.
Initiate dialysis according to prescribed orders, including blood and dialysate flow settings.
Calculate and enter prescribed patient-specific dialysis machine programming, including ultrafiltration goal, treatment time, and UF modeling.
Ensure required machine safety alarms, including Narrow Venous Limits, are enabled.
Monitor patients and machine safety during treatment; evaluate and intervene in intradialytic problems as prescribed or directed.
Monitor and document vascular access pressures and findings during treatment, intervene as appropriate, and report unusual findings.
Discontinue treatment according to established procedures, assess the patient before termination of venous access, obtain hemostasis, and apply appropriate dressings.
Evaluate patients before discharge and report significant information or changes in condition to the registered nurse or supervisor.
Document treatment parameters, vital signs, interventions, patient responses, and other required information accurately and promptly on treatment records and in clinical applications.
Obtain prescribed laboratory tests; prepare, collect, label, store, and arrange courier collection of specimens according to requirements.
Clean blood spills promptly using appropriate disinfectant and follow facility infection control procedures.
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, training systems, and ethical business practices.
Maintain a safe and clean environment; clean and disinfect dialysis machines, chairs, equipment, and surrounding areas between treatments.
Prepare for dialysis treatments, perform required machine alarm testing including Pressure Holding Testing, and initiate the Solution Delivery System.
Complete and document participation in Continuous Quality Improvement activities.
Review treatment sheets for completeness, confirm nursing signatures, and ensure omissions are completed or corrected by appropriate staff.
Prepare initial patient admission charts and compile paperwork for chart placement.
Prepare and print laboratory requisitions for prescribed or stat specimens according to laboratory destination.
Assist with infection control audits, support staff and patient adherence to infection control practices, and reinforce infection control education for patients and families under the direction of the CM or designee, 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 as allowed by state law, and liaise with appropriate staff to support the patient experience and scheduled multidisciplinary care.
Help patients understand home dialysis products and benefits, treatment options, and how home dialysis may work for them, including demonstrating peritoneal dialysis setup.
Set up and perform treatment on machines used in the Transitional Care Unit and assist with coordination of transition to the patient’s selected modality.
Assist with Transitional Care Unit supply ordering and inventory.