Patient Care Technician- PCT

Fresenius Medical Care•Valley, AL

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 includes setting up and operating hemodialysis machines, assisting with a safe and clean work environment, and supporting quality improvement and patient satisfaction activities. The technician provides direct patient care before, during, and after dialysis, including obtaining vital signs and weights, evaluating and cannulating vascular access, initiating and discontinuing prescribed treatments, monitoring patient and machine response, documenting treatment information, and reporting changes or unusual findings to a registered nurse or supervisor. The role also includes collecting and preparing laboratory specimens, maintaining infection control, and supporting patient education and transitional dialysis care.

Requirements

High school diploma or GED.
Meet Center for Medicaid/Medicare Services-approved state and/or national certification requirements within the required 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.
Successful completion of the organization's dialysis training program is required for continued employment.
Successful completion of CPR certification is required for continued employment.
Ability to 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 travel between assigned facilities and locations within the community; travel to regional, Business Unit, and Corporate meetings may be required.
Ability to perform direct patient care involving regular heavy lifting and moving of patients and assistance with ambulation, with equipment or coworker assistance as needed.
Ability to stand for frequent, prolonged periods and bend over.
Ability to occasionally push or pull equipment using up to 15 pounds of force.
Ability to frequently lift and lower solutions weighing up to 30 pounds and occasionally lift up to 40 pounds to a height of five feet.

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.
Evaluate vascular access for patency, perform cannulation, and administer heparin as 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.
Monitor patient response to dialysis, assess intradialytic problems, and provide interventions as prescribed or directed.
Obtain vital signs before reinfusion, discontinue treatment according to procedures, evaluate patients before termination and discharge, and obtain hemostasis and apply dressings.
Calculate and enter prescribed dialysis machine programming, including ultrafiltration goals, treatment time, and ultrafiltration modeling.
Ensure appropriate machine safety alarms are enabled and perform machine safety checks according to facility policy.
Document treatment parameters, vital signs, evaluations, interventions, and patient responses accurately and promptly.
Report significant information, changes in condition, and unusual findings to the registered nurse or supervisor.
Monitor vascular access during treatment, including arterial and venous pressures, intervene as needed, and document and report unusual findings.
Obtain prescribed laboratory tests and collect, label, prepare, store, and arrange courier collection of specimens according to laboratory requirements.
Clean blood spills promptly with appropriate disinfectant and prepare and organize supplies and equipment to prevent waste.
Monitor patients performing self-care under registered nurse 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.
Prepare for dialysis treatments, perform and document required pretreatment machine alarm tests, including Pressure Holding Test, and initiate the Solution Delivery System.
Participate in and document Continuous Quality Improvement activities; enter treatment data, review treatment sheets for completeness, and ensure appropriate corrections or completion of omitted entries.
Prepare initial patient charts and paperwork, and prepare laboratory requisitions for prescribed or stat specimens.
Assist with infection control audits, support adherence to infection control practices, follow infection control policies, and reinforce patient and family education as directed and 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 care and appointments, and help patients understand home dialysis products and benefits.
Set up and perform treatments on machines used in the Transitional Care Unit, demonstrate peritoneal dialysis setup, and support understanding of treatment options.
Assist with coordinating transitions to the patient's chosen modality and with Transitional Care Unit supply ordering and inventory.