Patient Care Technician - PCT

Fresenius Medical Care•CT001 Central Connecticut Dialysis - Clinic, CT

9d•$17 - $27•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 follows organizational 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 work environment. The position also supports Quality Enhancement Program (QEP) and Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) activities, including patient-satisfaction and process-improvement efforts. The technician supports patients before, during, and after dialysis treatments by monitoring their condition and vascular access, recording vital signs and treatment information, initiating and discontinuing treatment according to prescribed orders and established procedures, responding to treatment issues as directed, and reporting significant changes to a registered nurse or supervisor. The role also involves patient education and support, laboratory specimen handling, infection-control activities, treatment documentation, equipment preparation and cleaning, and assistance with staff training. In the Transitional Care Unit, the technician helps coordinate care for newly admitted patients during their first four weeks of dialysis, reinforces education, supports understanding of treatment and home-dialysis options, assists with modality transitions, and helps manage supplies and inventory. The work includes desk and computer tasks, interaction with patients and clinical personnel, and travel between assigned facilities and locations in the community. The environment is a health care facility with controlled air temperature and moderate noise; exposure to infectious or contagious diseases or materials may occur. Direct patient care regularly involves lifting and moving patients and assisting with ambulation. The role requires frequent, prolonged standing and bending, and may involve pushing or pulling equipment and lifting solutions.

Requirements

High school diploma or GED.
Meet CMS-approved state and/or national certification requirements within the applicable state or CMS timeline.
Meet any 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 will be considered.
Be able to perform the stated physical functions, including frequent prolonged standing and bending, patient lifting and movement, and lifting solutions as described.

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, disease processes, and vascular access, as appropriate.
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 weights and vital signs, including patient identification and 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 and conduct machine safety checks according to facility policy.
Monitor patients' responses to dialysis, evaluate intradialytic problems, provide prescribed or directed interventions, and document patient responses.
Monitor vascular-access pressures during treatment, intervene as appropriate, document findings, and report unusual findings to the registered nurse or supervisor.
Discontinue treatment according to established procedures, obtain hemostasis, apply dressings, evaluate patients before discharge, and document treatment completion.
Report significant information and changes in patient condition to the registered nurse or supervisor.
Obtain prescribed laboratory tests; collect, label, prepare, store, and arrange collection of specimens according to laboratory requirements.
Clean blood spills promptly with the appropriate disinfectant and prepare, organize, and use supplies and equipment efficiently.
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, document as appropriate, perform required pretreatment machine alarm tests including Pressure Holding Testing, and initiate the Solution Delivery System.
Participate in and document Continuous Quality Improvement activities.
Enter treatment data accurately and promptly in the designated clinical application; review treatment sheets for completeness and follow up on omitted entries or corrections by appropriate staff.
Prepare initial patient charts and paperwork for admission and placement in the chart.
Prepare and print laboratory requisitions and ensure specimens are collected by the appropriate laboratory courier.
Assist with infection-control audits, support adherence to infection-control practices, follow infection-control policies and procedures, and reinforce patient and family infection-control education under direction as permitted by state law.
In the Transitional Care Unit, 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 appropriate staff to support the patient experience, and help ensure disciplines are scheduled according to the care plan.
Help patients understand home-dialysis products, benefits, and treatment options, including demonstrating peritoneal dialysis setup.
Assist with coordinating transitions to the patient's chosen modality, performing treatments on TCU machines, and managing TCU supply ordering and inventory.