Patient Care Technician - PCT

Fresenius Medical Care•Jackson, MI

26d•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 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 environment, and supports quality improvement and patient satisfaction activities. The position provides direct patient care throughout dialysis treatment, including patient assessment, vascular access care, treatment initiation and discontinuation, monitoring, documentation, specimen collection, and responding to changes in patient condition. The technician also assists with staff training, infection control, and care coordination and education for newly admitted patients in the Transitional Care Unit. No previous dialysis experience is required; on-the-job training is provided. The role is based at the Jackson Oaks Clinic, which operates Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 5:00 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. and Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday from 5:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.; the clinic is closed Sunday. Days and shifts rotate, and shifts are typically 8 to 14 hours.

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.
Demonstrate commitment to the organization's culture, values, and customer service standards.
Successfully complete the organization's dialysis training program and CPR certification; continued employment depends on successful completion.
Ability to meet the physical demands of direct patient care, including frequent prolonged standing, bending, assisting with patient lifting and movement, and lifting solutions and equipment as described.
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.

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 last treatment.
Assess 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, and perform vascular access evaluations.
Initiate, monitor, and discontinue dialysis treatments according to prescribed orders and established procedures.
Calculate and enter prescribed dialysis machine programming, including ultrafiltration goals, treatment time, and UF modeling.
Check that appropriate machine safety alarms are enabled and conduct machine safety checks.
Monitor patients' response to dialysis, evaluate intradialytic problems, provide prescribed or directed interventions, and report significant changes to a registered nurse or supervisor.
Document treatment parameters, evaluations, interventions, and patient responses accurately and promptly.
Obtain prescribed laboratory tests and collect, label, prepare, store, and arrange courier collection of specimens.
Clean blood spills and disinfect dialysis machines, chairs, equipment, and surrounding areas according to facility policy.
Prepare and efficiently use supplies and equipment to prevent waste.
Monitor patients performing self-care under RN supervision.
Assist with training applicable direct patient care staff under nurse supervision.
Maintain a safe, clean, and orderly environment and follow organization policies, procedures, and ethical business practices.
Prepare dialysis equipment and conduct required pretreatment machine alarm testing, including Pressure Holding testing, and initiate the Solution Delivery System.
Participate in Continuous Quality Improvement activities and enter treatment data into the designated clinical application.
Review treatment sheets for completeness, ensure required nursing signatures are documented, and have omitted entries completed or corrected by appropriate staff.
Prepare initial patient charts and paperwork, and prepare or print laboratory requisitions.
Assist with infection control audits, support adherence to infection control practices, and reinforce patient and family infection control education as directed and allowed 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 and care information for new patients, coordinate visits with appropriate staff, and help patients understand home dialysis products and options.
Set up and perform treatments on machines used in the Transitional Care Unit and demonstrate peritoneal dialysis setup as appropriate.
Assist with coordinating transitions to patients' selected modalities and with Transitional Care Unit supply ordering and inventory.