Patient Care Technician - PCT

Fresenius Medical Care•Kalamazoo, MI

3d•Onsite

About The Position

The Patient Care Technician (PCT) 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 following organizational policies, procedures, training, and applicable regulations. The PCT supports the organization’s Quality Enhancement Program (QEP) and continuous quality improvement activities, including efforts to improve patient satisfaction and outcomes. The position provides direct patient care throughout dialysis treatment. Duties include welcoming patients, assessing wellbeing and vascular access, obtaining and recording weights and vital signs, initiating and discontinuing treatment according to orders and procedures, monitoring patient response, responding to problems as directed, and reporting significant changes to a registered nurse or supervisor. The PCT also performs treatment documentation, laboratory collection and preparation, machine safety checks, cleaning and disinfection, and infection-control activities. The role may support transitional care for newly admitted dialysis patients during their first four weeks, reinforce education under the direction of a nurse or designee, coordinate care with facility staff, assist patients in understanding home dialysis and treatment options, and help coordinate modality transitions and TCU supplies. The position involves work at assigned facilities and potentially other community locations, with possible travel to regional, Business Unit, and Corporate meetings. The health care work environment has controlled air temperature and moderate noise, and may involve exposure to infectious or contagious diseases and materials. Direct patient care regularly involves lifting and moving patients and assisting with ambulation. Employees must take the Ishihara Color Blindness test as a condition of employment; failing the test does not automatically preclude employment, and reasonable accommodations may be considered.

Requirements

High school diploma or GED.
Meet 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; continued employment is dependent on successful completion.
Successfully complete CPR certification; continued employment is dependent on successful completion.
Take the Ishihara Color Blindness test as a condition of employment; failing the test does not automatically preclude employment, and reasonable accommodations may be considered.
Ability to perform the described physical functions, including frequent prolonged standing, bending, patient lifting and moving, and assisting with ambulation.

Nice To Haves

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

Responsibilities

Assist health care team members with patient-specific education about adequacy measures, disease processes, and vascular access where appropriate.
Welcome assigned patients and ask about their wellbeing since their last treatment.
Evaluate vascular access 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 perform pre-treatment vascular access evaluation.
Initiate dialysis according to prescribed orders, including blood flow and dialysate flow settings.
Calculate and enter patient-specific machine programming for ultrafiltration goal, treatment time, and ultrafiltration modeling as prescribed.
Ensure appropriate machine safety alarms are enabled, including Narrow Venous Limits.
Monitor patients’ response to dialysis, evaluate intradialytic problems, and provide interventions as prescribed or directed.
Obtain vital signs before reinfusion, discontinue treatment according to established procedures, evaluate patients before termination of venous access and discharge, obtain hemostasis, and apply appropriate dressings.
Record accurate and timely vital signs, treatment parameters, evaluations, interventions, and patient responses on required treatment records and in designated clinical applications.
Report significant information, changes in condition, unusual findings, and vascular access concerns to the registered nurse or supervisor.
Observe patients and conduct machine safety checks according to facility policy.
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 prepare, organize, and use 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 organizational business policies, procedures, systems, and ethical business practices.
Maintain a safe, clean environment and clean and disinfect dialysis machines, chairs, equipment, and surrounding areas between treatments.
Prepare for dialysis treatment, document required tasks, perform pretreatment machine alarm testing including Pressure Holding testing, and initiate the Solution Delivery System.
Participate in and document ongoing Continuous Quality Improvement activities.
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, print laboratory requisitions, and ensure specimens are collected by the appropriate laboratory courier.
Assist with infection-control audits, support adherence to infection-control practices, follow infection-control policies and procedures, and reinforce infection-control education under the direction of the CM or designee as allowed 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 as allowed by state law, and liaise with appropriate staff to coordinate the patient experience and appointments according to the plan.
Help patients understand home dialysis products and benefits, treatment options, and peritoneal dialysis setup; assist with transition to the patient’s chosen modality.
Set up and perform treatments on all machines used in the transitional care unit and assist with supply ordering and inventory.