Patient Care Technician - PCT

Fresenius Medical Care•Oshkosh, WI

13d•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 technician sets up and operates hemodialysis machines, helps maintain a safe and clean environment, and supports the organization’s Quality Enhancement Program and continuous quality improvement activities. The role includes welcoming and monitoring patients; assessing vascular access; performing cannulation and delegated tasks as permitted; obtaining and recording vital signs, weights, and treatment parameters; initiating, monitoring, and discontinuing dialysis treatments; responding to patient or machine concerns; documenting treatment and interventions; and reporting significant changes to a registered nurse or supervisor. It also involves collecting and preparing laboratory specimens, maintaining equipment and supplies, following infection-control procedures, and supporting staff training under nurse supervision. In the Transitional Care Unit, the technician follows newly admitted patients through their first four weeks of dialysis, reinforces education, helps coordinate care and modality transitions, supports patients’ understanding of home dialysis options, performs treatments on unit machines, and assists with supply ordering and inventory. Extensive on-the-job training is provided; prior dialysis experience is not required.

Requirements

High school diploma or GED.
Meet CMS-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.
Successfully complete the organization’s dialysis training program and CPR certification to continue employment.
Ability to perform direct patient care duties involving frequent, prolonged standing, bending, patient lifting and movement, and assisting patients with ambulation.
Ability to lift and lower solutions frequently up to 30 pounds and occasionally up to 40 pounds, as high as five feet; may occasionally push or pull equipment with up to 15 pounds of force.
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 setting or related facility is preferred.

Responsibilities

Welcome assigned patients and ask about their wellbeing since their last treatment.
Assess vascular access for patency, cannulate access, and administer heparin as delegated or permitted by state law.
Obtain and document pre- and post-treatment vital signs and weights, and evaluate vascular access before treatment.
Initiate dialysis according to prescribed orders, including blood-flow and dialysate-flow settings.
Monitor patients’ responses to dialysis, evaluate intradialytic problems, and provide interventions as prescribed or directed.
Obtain vital signs before reinfusion and perform and document the procedures needed to discontinue treatment.
Evaluate patients before treatment termination and discharge, including standing and sitting blood pressure measurements.
Obtain hemostasis and apply appropriate dressings.
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.
Record accurate and timely vital signs, treatment parameters, evaluations, and other treatment information in required records and clinical applications.
Report significant information, condition changes, unusual findings, and vascular-access concerns to the registered nurse or supervisor.
Perform and document interventions for unusual patient status and record patient responses.
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 maintain supplies and equipment efficiently to prevent waste.
Monitor patients performing self-care under RN supervision.
Assist in training applicable direct patient care staff on appropriate programs under nurse supervision.
Follow organization 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, perform required machine alarm testing including Pressure Holding Testing, and initiate the Solution Delivery System.
Participate in and document Continuous Quality Improvement activities; review treatment sheets for completeness and follow up on missing or corrected entries by appropriate staff.
Prepare initial patient charts and paperwork, print laboratory requisitions, and coordinate collection of specimens by the appropriate laboratory courier.
Assist with infection-control audits and reinforce infection-control practices and education for patients and families as directed and permitted by law.
In the Transitional Care Unit, follow newly admitted patients through their first four weeks of dialysis and coordinate transitional care.
Reinforce education and care information for new patients and liaise with facility staff to support the patient experience and scheduled care.
Help patients understand home dialysis products and benefits, treatment options, and peritoneal dialysis setup; assist with transitions 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.