Patient Care Technician - PCT

Fresenius Medical Care•Cortland, NY

21d•$14 - $23

About The Position

The Patient Care Technician functions as part of a dialysis health care team, providing safe and effective dialysis therapy under the direct supervision of a licensed nurse and in accordance with organizational policies, procedures, training, and applicable regulations. The role sets up and operates hemodialysis machines, helps maintain a safe and clean working environment, and supports quality enhancement and continuous quality improvement activities, including patient satisfaction and process improvement. The technician welcomes patients, assesses their wellbeing and vascular access, performs delegated or legally permitted care, initiates and monitors dialysis treatments, records treatment information, responds to patient or machine concerns, and reports significant changes to a registered nurse or supervisor. The position also includes obtaining and preparing laboratory specimens, maintaining treatment and patient records, cleaning and disinfecting equipment, supporting infection-control practices, and assisting with staff and patient education. In the Transitional Care Unit, the technician follows newly admitted patients through their first four weeks of dialysis, reinforces education, coordinates care with facility staff, helps patients understand treatment and home-dialysis options, assists with transitions to a chosen modality, and supports supply ordering and inventory. Dialysis experience is not required; paid training is provided. Continued employment depends on successful completion of the organization’s dialysis training program and CPR certification. The role has no on-call duties, overnight shifts, or Sunday work. It involves travel between assigned facilities and community locations, direct patient care, and regular physical activity including standing, bending, lifting, and moving patients and equipment.

Requirements

High school diploma or GED required.
Must meet applicable CMS-approved state and/or national certification requirements within the required state or CMS timeline.
Must meet all applicable state licensure, education, and training requirements.
Demonstrated 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.
Must 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 perform direct patient care involving heavy lifting and moving patients and assisting with ambulation; frequent, prolonged standing and bending; occasional pushing or pulling up to 15 pounds; frequent lifting and lowering of solutions up to 30 pounds; and occasional lifting up to 40 pounds to a height of five feet. Assistance and material-assist devices are available for heavier items.
Ability to travel between assigned facilities and locations within the community; travel to regional, Business Unit, and Corporate meetings may be required.

Nice To Haves

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

Responsibilities

Welcome assigned patients and ask about their wellbeing since their last treatment.
Provide patient-specific education, as appropriate, about adequacy measures, disease processes, and vascular access.
Evaluate vascular access for patency; perform cannulation and administer heparin when 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.
Calculate and enter prescribed dialysis machine programming, including ultrafiltration goals, treatment time, and ultrafiltration modeling.
Ensure appropriate machine safety alarms are enabled, including Narrow Venous Limits, and conduct machine safety checks.
Monitor patient response to dialysis, evaluate intradialytic problems, provide prescribed interventions, and report significant changes or unusual findings to a registered nurse or supervisor.
Obtain vital signs before reinfusion, discontinue treatment according to procedures, evaluate patients before termination and discharge, obtain hemostasis, and apply appropriate dressings.
Document treatment parameters, vital signs, evaluations, interventions, and other required information accurately and promptly, including treatment sheets and progress notes where applicable.
Evaluate vascular access during treatment, monitor arterial and venous pressures, provide appropriate interventions, and document and report unusual findings.
Obtain prescribed laboratory tests; collect, label, prepare, store, and arrange courier collection of specimens according to laboratory requirements.
Clean blood spills immediately using the 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 appropriate programs under nurse supervision.
Follow organizational policies, procedures, systems, and ethical business practices.
Maintain safe, clean, and orderly work areas; clean and disinfect dialysis machines, chairs, equipment, and surrounding areas between treatments.
Prepare for dialysis, conduct and document required machine alarm testing, including Pressure Holding Testing, and initiate the Solution Delivery System.
Participate in and document Continuous Quality Improvement activities; enter treatment data into the designated clinical application; review treatment sheets for completeness and follow up on omitted entries or corrections.
Prepare initial patient charts and paperwork, print laboratory requisitions, and ensure laboratory specimens are collected by the appropriate courier.
Assist with infection-control audits, support staff and patient adherence to infection-control practices, follow infection-control procedures, and reinforce patient and family education under the appropriate direction.
Follow newly admitted Transitional Care Unit patients through their first four weeks of dialysis and coordinate their transitional care.
Reinforce education and care information for new patients, coordinate with facility staff to support the patient experience, and help ensure disciplines see patients according to plan.
Help patients understand home-dialysis products and benefits, treatment options, and peritoneal dialysis setup; assist with transition to the patient’s selected modality.
Set up and perform treatments on machines used in the Transitional Care Unit and assist with supply ordering and inventory.