Patient Care Technician - PCT

Fresenius Medical Care•Lithonia, GA

11d

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, as well as applicable corporate, state, and federal regulations. The PCT sets up and operates hemodialysis machines, helps maintain a safe and clean environment, and participates in quality enhancement and continuous quality improvement activities focused on patient satisfaction and treatment outcomes. The position provides direct patient care throughout dialysis treatment, including patient assessment, vascular access evaluation and cannulation, treatment setup and monitoring, vital-sign and weight collection, documentation, interventions as directed, and discharge evaluation. It also includes laboratory specimen preparation, infection-control activities, equipment cleaning, supply management, and support for staff training. In the Transitional Care Unit, the PCT follows newly admitted patients through their first four weeks of dialysis, reinforces education, helps coordinate care and modality transitions, supports understanding of home dialysis and treatment options, and assists with supplies and inventory. Work includes computer and desk tasks, interaction with patients and clinical staff, and travel between assigned facilities and community locations. The healthcare-facility environment has controlled air temperature and moderate noise, with possible exposure to infectious or contagious diseases and materials. Direct patient care involves frequent standing and bending, heavy lifting and moving of patients, and occasional pushing or pulling of equipment.

Requirements

High school diploma or GED.
Meet CMS-approved state and/or national certification requirements within the required state or CMS timeline.
Hold any state licensure and complete education or training required for the role.
Demonstrate commitment to the organization’s culture, values, and customer service standards.
Successfully complete the organization dialysis training program and CPR certification; continued employment depends on successful completion.
Be able to perform the physical demands of the role, including frequent and prolonged standing, bending, assisting with patient ambulation, and lifting and moving patients and supplies.
Lift and lower solutions frequently up to 30 pounds and occasionally up to 40 pounds as high as five feet; occasionally push or pull equipment with up to 15 pounds of force. Assistance and material-assist devices are available for heavier items.
Take the Ishihara Color Blindness test as a condition of employment; failing the test does not preclude employment, and reasonable accommodations may be considered.

Nice To Haves

Previous patient-care experience in a hospital or related facility is preferred.

Responsibilities

Assist with patient-specific education about dialysis adequacy measures, disease processes, and vascular access, as appropriate.
Welcome assigned patients and ask about their wellbeing since their previous treatment.
Evaluate vascular access patency, cannulate access, and administer heparin when delegated or permitted by state law.
Obtain and document pre- and post-treatment weights and vital signs, perform pre-treatment access evaluations, and identify patients as required.
Initiate dialysis according to prescribed orders, including blood-flow and dialysate-flow settings.
Calculate and enter prescribed dialysis-machine programming for ultrafiltration goals, treatment time, and ultrafiltration modeling.
Ensure required machine safety alarms are enabled, including Narrow Venous Limits, and conduct machine safety checks.
Monitor patients’ responses to dialysis, evaluate intradialytic problems, and intervene as prescribed or directed.
Obtain vital signs before reinfusion, discontinue treatment according to established procedures, evaluate patients before termination of venous access, obtain hemostasis, apply dressings, and assess patients before discharge.
Record timely and accurate vital signs, treatment parameters, treatment data, interventions, and patient responses in required records and clinical applications.
Report significant information, changes in condition, and unusual findings to the registered nurse or supervisor.
Evaluate vascular access during treatment, including arterial and venous monitoring pressures, and document and report unusual findings.
Obtain prescribed laboratory tests; collect, label, prepare, store, and arrange courier collection of specimens according to required specifications.
Clean blood spills immediately using the appropriate disinfectant and follow facility infection-control policies and procedures.
Prepare, organize, 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 on appropriate programs under nurse supervision.
Follow organizational business policies, procedures, systems, and ethical business practices.
Maintain safe and clean surroundings; clean and disinfect dialysis machines, chairs, equipment, and surrounding areas between treatments.
Prepare for dialysis treatments, document as appropriate, complete required machine alarm testing including Pressure Holding Test, and initiate the Solution Delivery System.
Participate in and document Continuous Quality Improvement activities.
Review treatment sheets for completeness, confirm nursing signatures, and ensure omitted entries are completed or corrected by appropriate staff.
Prepare initial patient charts and admission paperwork, and prepare or print laboratory requisitions for prescribed or stat specimens.
Assist with infection-control audits, reinforce infection-control practices, and support infection-control education for patients and families as permitted by state law and under direction of the CM or designee.
Follow newly admitted Transitional Care Unit patients through their first four weeks of dialysis and coordinate transitional dialysis care.
Reinforce education and care information for new patients as permitted by state law, and liaise with appropriate staff to support the patient experience and scheduled multidisciplinary care.
Assist patients in understanding home dialysis products and benefits, treatment options, and peritoneal dialysis setup demonstrations.
Set up and perform treatments on machines used in the Transitional Care Unit and assist with coordination of transitions to patients’ chosen modalities.
Assist with Transitional Care Unit supply ordering and inventory.
Meet applicable CMS-approved state or national certification requirements within the required timeline and complete the organization dialysis training program and CPR certification for continued employment.