Patient Care Technician - PCT

Fresenius Medical Care•Round Rock, TX

13d

About The Position

The Patient Care Technician is part of a dialysis health care team and provides safe, effective dialysis therapy under the direct supervision of a licensed nurse. The role follows organization policies, procedures, training, and applicable corporate, state, and federal regulations. The technician sets up and operates hemodialysis machines, helps maintain a safe and clean environment, and participates in the Quality Enhancement Program (QEP), Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI), patient-satisfaction initiatives, and process improvements. The position provides patient education and direct treatment support, including monitoring patients before, during, and after dialysis; assessing vascular access; operating and checking dialysis equipment; documenting treatment information; collecting laboratory specimens; and reporting changes in patient condition to a registered nurse or supervisor. It also includes infection-control activities, staff training support, and, in a Transitional Care Unit, helping newly admitted patients through their first four weeks of dialysis and supporting education and transitions between treatment modalities.

Requirements

High school diploma or GED.
Meet Center for Medicaid/Medicare Services (CMS)-approved state and/or national certification requirements within the required 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 is dependent on successful completion.
Pass 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 perform direct patient care involving regular heavy lifting and moving patients, assisting with ambulation, frequent and prolonged standing, and bending.
Ability to occasionally push or pull equipment with up to 15 pounds of force, frequently lift and lower solutions up to 30 pounds, and occasionally lift up to 40 pounds as high as five feet; assistance devices and a two-person assist program are available for heavier items.

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, the disease process, and vascular access, as appropriate.
Welcome assigned patients and ask about their wellbeing since their previous treatment.
Evaluate vascular access for patency, cannulate access, and administer heparin when delegated or permitted by state law.
Obtain and document pre- and post-treatment vital signs and weight, and evaluate vascular access before treatment.
Initiate dialysis according to prescribed orders, including blood flow and dialysate flow.
Evaluate intradialytic problems, provide interventions as prescribed or directed, and monitor patient response to dialysis.
Obtain vital signs before reinfusion and perform and document the functions needed to discontinue treatment.
Discontinue dialysis according to established procedures, evaluate patients before termination of venous access, obtain hemostasis, and apply appropriate dressings.
Evaluate patients before discharge and complete pre- and post-dialysis evaluations, weights, and vital signs with initial identification.
Calculate and enter prescribed dialysis machine settings, including ultrafiltration goals, treatment time, and ultrafiltration modeling.
Ensure appropriate safety alarms are enabled, including Narrow Venous Limits (NVL) 160, and conduct machine safety checks.
Record accurate and timely vital signs, treatment parameters, interventions, and other patient treatment information on required records and clinical applications.
Report significant information, changes in patient condition, unusual findings, and vascular access concerns to the registered nurse or supervisor.
Obtain prescribed laboratory tests; prepare, collect, label, store, and arrange courier collection of specimens according to laboratory specifications.
Clean blood spills promptly with 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 organization policies, procedures, systems, and ethical business practices; maintain safe, clean, and aesthetically appropriate work areas.
Clean and disinfect dialysis machine surfaces, chairs, equipment, and surrounding areas between treatments according to facility policy.
Prepare for dialysis treatments, perform and document required pretreatment machine alarm testing, including Pressure Holding (PHT), and initiate the Solution Delivery System (SDS).
Complete and document ongoing participation in CQI activities; review treatment sheets for completeness and ensure missing entries are completed or corrected by appropriate staff.
Prepare initial patient charts and paperwork for admission and placement in the chart; prepare or print laboratory requisitions for prescribed or stat specimens.
Assist with infection-control audits, support staff and patient adherence to infection-control practices, follow infection-control policies and procedures, and reinforce patient and family education under the direction of the CM or designee as allowed 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 as allowed by state law, and liaise with appropriate staff to support patient experience and scheduling of disciplines according to the care plan.
Help patients understand home dialysis products, the benefits of home dialysis, and how it may work for them.
Set up and perform treatments on all machines used in the Transitional Care Unit and demonstrate peritoneal dialysis setup as part of treatment-options education.
Assist with coordinating transitions to the patient's chosen modality and with Transitional Care Unit supply ordering and inventory.