Patient Care Technician - PCT

Fresenius Medical Care•Ottawa, IL

3d•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 sets up and operates hemodialysis machines, helps maintain a safe and clean work environment, and supports quality improvement and patient satisfaction initiatives. The technician monitors patients before, during, and after treatment; documents treatment information; reports changes in patient condition; and assists with education, laboratory work, infection control, and continuous quality improvement activities. The position also supports the Transitional Care Unit by following newly admitted patients through their first four weeks of dialysis, reinforcing education, coordinating care with facility staff, helping patients understand treatment and home-dialysis options, and assisting with transition to the patient’s chosen modality. Work takes place in a health care facility and includes interaction with patients, staff, and physicians, as well as travel between assigned facilities and community locations. The role involves direct patient care, frequent standing and bending, and lifting or moving patients and supplies. Employees must take the 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 applicable CMS-approved state and/or national certification requirements within the required state or CMS timeline.
Hold any state licensure and complete education and training required for the role.
Demonstrate commitment to the organization’s culture, values, and customer service standards.
Successfully complete the organization’s dialysis training program for continued employment.
Successfully complete CPR certification for continued employment.
Take the Ishihara color blindness test as a condition of employment; reasonable accommodations may be considered.
Ability to perform the physical demands of direct patient care, including frequent prolonged standing, bending, lifting and moving patients, lifting solutions up to 30 pounds frequently and up to 40 pounds occasionally, and occasionally pushing or pulling equipment with up to 15 pounds of force.
Ability to travel between assigned facilities and various community locations; 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

Provide patient-specific education with other health care team members about adequacy measures, disease processes, and vascular access, as appropriate.
Welcome assigned patients and ask about their wellbeing since their last treatment.
Assess vascular access for patency, perform cannulation, and administer heparin when delegated or permitted by state law.
Obtain and document pre- and post-treatment vital signs and weights, and evaluate vascular access before treatment.
Initiate dialysis according to prescribed orders, including blood and dialysate flow settings, and calculate and enter prescribed machine programming for ultrafiltration goals, treatment time, and ultrafiltration modeling.
Monitor patients’ responses to dialysis, evaluate intradialytic problems, and provide interventions as prescribed or directed.
Perform treatment discontinuation procedures, obtain vital signs before reinfusion, assess patients before termination and discharge, achieve hemostasis, and apply appropriate dressings.
Document treatment parameters, evaluations, interventions, and patient responses accurately and promptly, including on the Hemodialysis Treatment Sheet and in progress notes when applicable.
Ensure required safety alarms are enabled and conduct patient observation and machine safety checks according to facility policy.
Report significant information, changes in patient condition, and unusual findings to the registered nurse or supervisor.
Monitor vascular access pressures during treatment, intervene as needed, and document and report unusual findings.
Obtain prescribed laboratory tests and collect, label, prepare, store, and arrange for courier pickup of specimens according to laboratory requirements.
Clean blood spills promptly with appropriate disinfectant and 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 organization 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 Testing, 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 and required signatures.
Prepare initial patient charts and admission paperwork, prepare or print laboratory requisitions, and ensure specimen collection by the appropriate laboratory courier.
Assist with infection control audits, support adherence to infection control practices, follow infection control procedures, and reinforce patient and family education under the direction of the CM or designee 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 information for new patients and liaise with facility staff to support the patient experience and ensure disciplines are scheduled according to the plan.
Help patients understand home dialysis products, benefits, and feasibility; explain treatment options, including demonstrating peritoneal dialysis setup; and assist with transition to the patient’s modality choice.
Set up and perform treatments on all machines used in the Transitional Care Unit and assist with supply ordering and inventory.