Patient Care Technician - PCT

Fresenius Medical Care•Bay Minette, AL

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, maintaining a safe and clean work environment, and supporting quality enhancement and continuous quality improvement activities focused on patient outcomes and satisfaction. The PCT welcomes and monitors patients, evaluates vascular access, performs cannulation and delegated treatment-related tasks, initiates and discontinues dialysis according to prescribed orders and facility procedures, and records treatment data. The position includes monitoring patient response, identifying and reporting changes in condition, collecting laboratory specimens, maintaining equipment and supplies, and supporting infection-control practices. In a Transitional Care Unit, the PCT follows newly admitted patients during their first four weeks of dialysis, reinforces education, coordinates care with facility staff, supports patients in understanding treatment options and home dialysis, and assists with transition to the patient’s chosen modality. Work includes interaction with patients and clinical staff, travel between assigned facilities and community locations, and physically demanding direct patient care. The work environment is a health care facility and may involve exposure to infectious or contagious materials.

Requirements

High school diploma or GED.
Meet CMS-approved state and/or national certification requirements within the applicable state or CMS timeline.
Meet any applicable state licensure, education, and training requirements.
Demonstrated commitment to the organization’s culture, values, and customer service standards.
Successfully complete the organization’s dialysis training program; continued employment depends on successful completion.
Successfully complete 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 perform direct patient care involving heavy lifting and moving patients and assisting with ambulation, with equipment or coworker assistance as needed.
Ability to stand for frequent, prolonged periods and bend over.
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.

Nice To Haves

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

Responsibilities

Assist health care team members in providing patient-specific education on adequacy measures, disease processes, and vascular access, as appropriate.
Welcome assigned patients and ask about their well-being since their last treatment.
Evaluate 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, perform pre-treatment vascular access evaluations, and complete patient identification.
Initiate, monitor, and discontinue dialysis treatments according to prescribed orders and established procedures.
Calculate and enter prescribed dialysis machine programming, including ultrafiltration goals, treatment time, and ultrafiltration modeling.
Ensure appropriate machine safety alarms are enabled and perform patient and machine safety checks according to facility policy.
Monitor patient response and intradialytic problems, provide interventions as prescribed or directed, document responses, and report significant changes or unusual findings to the registered nurse or supervisor.
Evaluate vascular access during treatment, including arterial and venous monitoring pressures, and document and report unusual findings.
Obtain vital signs before reinfusion, evaluate patients before treatment termination and discharge, obtain hemostasis, and apply appropriate dressings.
Complete accurate and timely treatment documentation, including treatment sheets, progress notes when applicable, and clinical application entries.
Obtain prescribed laboratory tests; collect, label, prepare, store, and arrange courier collection of specimens according to laboratory requirements.
Clean blood spills and disinfect dialysis machines, chairs, equipment, and surrounding areas according to facility policy.
Prepare and use supplies and equipment efficiently, conduct required machine alarm testing including Pressure Holding Testing, and initiate the Solution Delivery System.
Monitor patients performing self-care under registered nurse supervision.
Assist with training applicable direct patient care staff on appropriate programs under a nurse’s supervision.
Maintain safe and clean environmental conditions and follow organization policies, procedures, systems, and ethical business practices.
Participate in and document Continuous Quality Improvement activities; review treatment sheets for completeness and ensure missing entries are appropriately completed or corrected.
Prepare initial patient charts and paperwork for admission and prepare or print laboratory requisitions for prescribed or stat specimens.
Assist with infection-control audits, support adherence to infection-control practices, follow infection-control policies, and reinforce patient and family education under direction as permitted by state 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, liaise with facility staff to support the patient experience, and help ensure disciplines are scheduled according to the care plan.
Help patients understand home dialysis products, benefits, and treatment options, including demonstrating peritoneal dialysis setup.
Assist with coordination of transition to the patient’s chosen modality and with Transitional Care Unit supply ordering and inventory.
Set up and perform treatment on all machines used in the Transitional Care Unit.