Patient Care Technician - PCT

Fresenius Medical Care•Phenix City, AL

12d

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 position follows organizational policies, procedures, and training, as well as applicable corporate, state, and federal regulations. It is responsible for setting up and operating hemodialysis machines, helping maintain a safe and clean work environment, and participating in quality improvement activities focused on patient outcomes and satisfaction. The technician welcomes and monitors patients, evaluates vascular access, performs cannulation and delegated tasks as permitted, initiates and discontinues dialysis treatments, monitors patient response, and documents treatment information. The role also includes preparing and handling laboratory specimens, maintaining equipment and supplies, supporting infection control, and assisting with staff training under nursing supervision. In the Transitional Care Unit, the technician follows newly admitted patients through their first four weeks of dialysis, reinforces patient education, helps coordinate care and modality transitions, supports understanding of home dialysis options, and assists with equipment, supplies, and inventory. The role includes direct patient care, travel between assigned facilities and community locations, and work in a health care facility where exposure to infectious materials may occur.

Requirements

High school diploma or GED.
Meet Center for Medicaid/Medicare Services-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 to continue employment.
Successfully complete CPR certification to continue employment.
Pass 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 heavy lifting and moving patients, assisting with ambulation, frequent and prolonged standing, bending, and occasional pushing or pulling of equipment with up to 15 pounds of force.
Ability to 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.
Ability to travel between assigned facilities and locations within the community; travel to regional, Business Unit, and Corporate meetings may be required.

Nice To Haves

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

Responsibilities

Assist health care team members with patient-specific education about adequacy measures, the disease process, and vascular access as appropriate.
Welcome assigned patients and ask about their wellbeing since their previous treatment.
Evaluate vascular access for patency, perform cannulation, and administer heparin when delegated or permitted by state law.
Obtain and document pre- and post-treatment weights and vital signs, including required pre-treatment vascular access evaluations.
Initiate dialysis according to prescribed orders, including blood flow and dialysate flow settings.
Calculate and enter prescribed dialysis machine programming, including ultrafiltration goal, treatment time, and ultrafiltration modeling.
Ensure required safety alarms are enabled, including Narrow Venous Limits.
Evaluate intradialytic problems, provide prescribed or directed interventions, monitor patient response, and document interventions and outcomes.
Monitor patients and conduct machine safety checks according to facility policy, reporting changes or unusual findings to a registered nurse or supervisor.
Obtain vital signs before reinfusion, discontinue treatment according to established procedures, evaluate patients before termination of venous access, obtain hemostasis, and apply dressings.
Evaluate patients before discharge and document treatment evaluations, vital signs, weights, treatment parameters, and other required information accurately and promptly.
Evaluate vascular access during treatment, monitor arterial and venous pressures, provide appropriate interventions, and report unusual findings.
Obtain prescribed laboratory tests; collect, label, prepare, store, and arrange courier collection of specimens according to laboratory requirements.
Clean blood spills promptly using appropriate disinfectant and prepare, organize, and use supplies and equipment efficiently to prevent waste.
Monitor patients performing self-care under registered nurse supervision.
Assist with training applicable direct patient care staff on appropriate programs under nurse supervision.
Follow organizational policies, procedures, 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 and document required machine alarm testing including Pressure Holding Test, and initiate the Solution Delivery System.
Participate in and document Continuous Quality Improvement activities.
Enter treatment data into the designated clinical application and review treatment sheets for completeness, signatures, and correction of omitted entries by appropriate staff.
Prepare initial patient charts and paperwork, and prepare and print laboratory requisitions for prescribed or stat specimens.
Assist with infection control audits, support adherence to infection control practices, follow infection control policies, and reinforce patient and family education under direction as allowed by state law.
Follow newly admitted patients through their first four weeks of dialysis and coordinate transitional dialysis care.
Reinforce education and care matters for new patients as allowed by state law, and liaise with appropriate staff to coordinate planned visits from care disciplines.
Help patients understand home dialysis products, benefits, and options, including demonstrating peritoneal dialysis setup.
Set up and perform treatments on machines used in the Transitional Care Unit.
Assist with coordinating transition to the patient's chosen modality and with Transitional Care Unit supply ordering and inventory.