Patient Care Technician - PCT

Fresenius Medical Care•Pineville, NC

13d•Onsite

About The Position

The Patient Care Technician (PCT) 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, procedures, and training, and applicable state and federal regulations. The PCT sets up and operates hemodialysis machines, helps maintain a safe and clean work environment, and participates in quality improvement activities focused on patient outcomes and satisfaction. The position provides direct patient care throughout dialysis treatment, including preparing patients and equipment, assessing vascular access, initiating and discontinuing treatment according to prescribed orders, monitoring patients and machines, responding to problems as directed, and documenting treatment and patient information. The PCT also supports patient education, laboratory specimen collection, infection-control activities, staff training, and transitional care for newly admitted patients. Duties are performed in coordination with nurses and other facility staff, with work and patient care carried out according to applicable laws and facility procedures.

Requirements

High school diploma or GED.
Meet applicable 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 organizational culture, values, and customer service standards.
Successfully complete the organization’s dialysis training program; continued employment is dependent on successful completion.
Successfully complete CPR certification; continued employment is dependent on successful completion.
Take 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 frequent and prolonged standing, bending, and assisting with patient lifting, moving, and ambulation.
Ability to occasionally push or pull equipment with up to 15 pounds of force; frequently lift and lower solutions weighing up to 30 pounds; and occasionally lift up to 40 pounds to a height of five feet. Assistance or material-assist devices are available for heavier items.
Ability to travel between assigned facilities and 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 is preferred.

Responsibilities

Assist health care team members in providing 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 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 perform 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 goals, treatment time, and ultrafiltration modeling; ensure required safety alarms are enabled.
Monitor patients’ responses to dialysis, evaluate intradialytic problems, and provide interventions as prescribed or directed.
Obtain vital signs before reinfusion; discontinue treatment according to procedures; assess patients before termination of venous access and before discharge; obtain hemostasis and apply dressings.
Perform and document pre- and post-dialysis evaluations, weights, vital signs, treatment parameters, interventions, and patient responses.
Conduct machine safety checks and report significant changes, unusual findings, and patient-condition changes to the registered nurse or supervisor.
Monitor vascular access during treatment, including arterial and venous pressures, intervene as appropriate, and document and report unusual findings.
Obtain prescribed laboratory tests; collect, label, prepare, store, and arrange collection 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 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 according to facility policy.
Prepare for dialysis treatments, document preparation as required, perform required machine alarm testing including Pressure Holding Testing, and initiate the Solution Delivery System.
Participate in and document ongoing Continuous Quality Improvement activities.
Enter treatment data accurately and promptly into the designated clinical application; review treatment sheets for completeness and ensure missing or incorrect entries are addressed by appropriate staff.
Prepare initial patient charts and paperwork, print laboratory requisitions, and coordinate laboratory specimen collection by the appropriate courier.
Assist with infection-control audits, support adherence to infection-control practices, follow infection-control procedures, and reinforce infection-control education for patients and families as directed and as permitted 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, liaise with facility staff to coordinate services, and help patients understand home dialysis products and options.
Set up and perform treatments on machines used in the transitional care unit and assist with demonstrations of peritoneal dialysis setup and treatment options.
Assist with coordination of transitions to patients’ chosen dialysis modalities and with transitional care unit supply ordering and inventory.