Patient Care Technician - PCT

Fresenius Medical Care • Canton, IL

11d • $17 - $23 • Onsite

About The Position

The Patient Care Technician (PCT) is part of the dialysis health care team and provides safe, 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, helps maintain a safe and clean environment, and participates in quality improvement activities supporting patient satisfaction and organizational Quality Enhancement Program goals.

The position provides direct patient care before, during, and after dialysis treatments. Duties include assessing patients and vascular access, initiating and discontinuing prescribed treatments, monitoring patients and equipment, documenting treatment information, responding to changes in patient condition, and collecting laboratory specimens. The technician also helps educate patients, supports infection control, and assists with 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, demonstrates treatment options, and assists with supplies and inventory. The work involves interaction with patients, facility staff, and physicians; travel between assigned facilities and community locations may be required. The healthcare setting has controlled air temperature and moderate noise, with possible exposure to infectious or contagious materials. The role includes frequent standing and bending, moving and assisting patients, and lifting solutions and equipment within the stated limits.

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 and 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 meet the physical demands of direct patient care, including frequent prolonged standing and bending, assisting with patient movement and ambulation, and lifting solutions up to 30 pounds frequently and up to 40 pounds occasionally, as high as five feet; equipment or coworker assistance is available for heavier items.

Nice To Haves

• Previous patient-care experience in a hospital setting or related facility.

Responsibilities

• Provide patient-specific education with other health care team members about adequacy measures, disease processes, and vascular access, as appropriate.
• Welcome assigned patients and ask about their wellbeing since their last 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, and evaluate vascular access before treatment.
• Initiate dialysis according to prescribed orders, including blood-flow and dialysate-flow settings.
• Evaluate and respond to intradialytic problems as prescribed or directed, monitor patient response, and report significant changes or unusual findings to a registered nurse or supervisor.
• Perform treatment discontinuation procedures, obtain required vital signs, evaluate patients before and after treatment, achieve hemostasis, and apply dressings.
• Calculate and enter prescribed dialysis machine programming, including ultrafiltration goals, treatment time, and ultrafiltration modeling; ensure required safety alarms are enabled.
• Accurately and promptly document treatment parameters, evaluations, interventions, and patient responses in the Hemodialysis Treatment Sheet and applicable clinical records.
• Perform machine safety checks and monitor vascular-access pressures during treatment; intervene, document, and report unusual findings as needed.
• 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, organize, and use supplies and equipment efficiently to prevent waste.
• Monitor patients performing self-care under registered nurse supervision.
• Assist with training applicable direct patient-care staff on designated programs under nurse supervision.
• Maintain safe, clean, and orderly areas; clean and disinfect dialysis machines, chairs, equipment, and surrounding areas between treatments.
• Prepare dialysis treatments, perform required pretreatment machine alarm testing including Pressure Holding Test, initiate the Solution Delivery System, and document where appropriate.
• Participate in Continuous Quality Improvement activities and enter treatment data accurately and promptly into the designated clinical application.
• Review treatment sheets for completeness, verify nursing signatures, and ensure omitted entries are completed or corrected by appropriate staff.
• Prepare initial patient charts and paperwork, and prepare and print laboratory requisitions for prescribed or stat specimens.
• Assist with infection-control audits, support adherence to infection-control practices, follow applicable policies and procedures, and reinforce patient and family infection-control 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 matters for new patients, coordinate 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 and benefits, treatment options, and the peritoneal dialysis setup; assist with 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.
• Follow organizational business policies, procedures, systems, ethical business practices, and customer service standards.

Benefits

• Medical insurance
• Dental insurance
• Vision insurance
• 401(k) with company match
• Paid time off
• Parental leave
• Potential performance-based bonuses for bonus-eligible positions, depending on company and individual performance

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: High school or GED