Patient Care Technician - PCT

Fresenius Medical Care•North Port, FL

About The Position

The Patient Care Technician functions as part of the dialysis health care team, providing 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 and helps maintain a safe, clean working environment. The position supports the organization’s Quality Enhancement Program (QEP), continuous quality improvement (CQI), patient satisfaction, and process-improvement activities. The technician welcomes and monitors patients during dialysis, performs treatment-related assessments and procedures, operates and checks dialysis equipment, documents care, reports changes in patient condition, and obtains and prepares laboratory specimens. The role also supports infection-control practices, staff training, and transitional care for newly admitted patients, including education and coordination around treatment options and home dialysis. Work includes direct patient care, desk and computer tasks, and travel between assigned facilities and other locations as required. The work environment is that of a health care facility with controlled air temperature and moderate noise. Employees may encounter infectious or contagious diseases and materials. The work requires frequent, prolonged standing and bending, and regularly involves heavy lifting and moving patients and assisting them with ambulation. 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. Assistance and material-handling devices are available for heavier items. Employees must take the Ishihara Color Blindness test; failing it does not preclude employment, and reasonable accommodations may be considered.

Requirements

High school diploma or GED.
Meet CMS-approved state and/or national certification requirements within the applicable 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; continued employment depends on successful completion.
Successfully complete CPR certification; continued employment depends 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 the physical demands described, including frequent and prolonged standing, bending, patient lifting and movement, and lifting or lowering solutions.

Nice To Haves

Previous patient care experience in a hospital or related facility.

Responsibilities

Welcome assigned patients and ask about their wellbeing since their previous treatment.
Assess vascular access, 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 machine programming for ultrafiltration goals, treatment time, and ultrafiltration modeling.
Monitor patients’ responses to dialysis, assess and respond to intradialytic problems as prescribed or directed, and report significant information or changes in condition to the registered nurse or supervisor.
Perform treatment reinfusion and discontinuation procedures, assess patients before treatment termination and discharge, obtain hemostasis, and apply appropriate dressings.
Document treatment parameters, vital signs, patient assessments, interventions and responses, and other required information accurately and promptly in the treatment sheet and clinical application.
Ensure appropriate machine safety alarms are enabled, conduct machine safety checks, and evaluate vascular access and arterial and venous pressures during treatment; document 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 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 business 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 tests including Pressure Holding (PHT), and initiate the Solution Delivery System (SDS).
Participate in and document ongoing CQI activities; review treatment sheets for completeness and ensure required signatures and corrections are completed by appropriate staff.
Prepare initial patient charts and admission paperwork, and prepare and print laboratory requisitions for prescribed or stat specimens.
Assist with infection-control audits, support staff and patient adherence to infection-control practices, follow infection-control policies and 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 matters for new patients as allowed by state law, and liaise with appropriate staff to support the patient experience and scheduling according to the care plan.
Help patients understand home dialysis products and benefits, treatment options, and peritoneal dialysis setup; assist with coordinating the transition to the patient’s chosen modality.
Set up and perform treatments on machines used in the transitional care unit, and assist with supply ordering and inventory for the unit.