Patient Care Technician - PCT

Fresenius Medical Care•Suwanee, GA

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, following organizational policies, procedures, training, and applicable regulations. The role includes setting up and operating hemodialysis machines, maintaining a safe and clean work environment, and supporting Quality Enhancement Program (QEP) and Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) activities. The PCT assists with patient education and care throughout dialysis treatment, including pre- and post-treatment assessments, vascular access evaluation and cannulation, treatment initiation and discontinuation, monitoring patient response, responding to treatment issues, and recording treatment information. The role also includes collecting and preparing laboratory specimens, maintaining treatment and patient records, following infection-control practices, and helping prepare and clean equipment and treatment areas. In the Transitional Care Unit, the PCT helps coordinate newly admitted patients’ first four weeks of dialysis, reinforces education, supports understanding of treatment options and home dialysis, and assists with modality transitions and unit supplies. The position involves direct patient care, travel between assigned facilities and community locations, and work in a health care environment where exposure to infectious materials may occur.

Requirements

High school diploma or GED.
Meet applicable 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 to remain employed.
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 duties involving frequent, prolonged standing, bending, patient lifting and movement, and assistance with ambulation.
Ability to occasionally push or pull equipment with up to 15 pounds of force, frequently lift and lower solutions weighing up to 30 pounds, and occasionally lift up to 40 pounds as high as five feet; assistance devices and two-person assistance 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 or related facility.

Responsibilities

Assist health care team members with patient-specific education about adequacy measures, the disease process, and vascular access.
Welcome assigned patients and ask about their wellbeing since their previous treatment.
Evaluate vascular access, 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 vascular access evaluations.
Initiate dialysis according to prescribed orders, including blood-flow and dialysate-flow settings.
Evaluate intradialytic problems and provide interventions as prescribed or directed.
Monitor patients’ response to dialysis therapy and report significant information or changes in condition to the registered nurse or supervisor.
Perform and document treatment discontinuation tasks, including pre-reinfusion vital signs, standing and sitting blood pressure, hemostasis, dressings, and patient evaluation before discharge.
Calculate and enter prescribed dialysis machine programming, including ultrafiltration goal, treatment time, and ultrafiltration modeling.
Ensure appropriate safety alarms are enabled and perform machine safety checks according to facility policy.
Record accurate and timely vital signs, treatment parameters, interventions, patient responses, and other required treatment information.
Evaluate vascular access during treatment, monitor arterial and venous pressures, intervene as appropriate, and report unusual findings.
Obtain prescribed laboratory tests and collect, label, prepare, store, and arrange courier collection of specimens according to laboratory requirements.
Clean blood spills promptly with the appropriate disinfectant and prepare, organize, and use supplies and equipment efficiently.
Monitor patients performing self-care under registered nurse supervision.
Assist with training applicable direct patient-care staff on appropriate programs under nurse supervision.
Maintain safe and clean areas; clean and disinfect dialysis machines, chairs, equipment, and surrounding areas between treatments.
Prepare for dialysis treatments, perform required pretreatment machine alarm testing, including Pressure Holding Testing, and initiate the Solution Delivery System.
Participate in and document Continuous Quality Improvement activities; enter treatment data accurately and promptly.
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, reinforce infection-control practices, follow infection-control policies, and support patient and family education under the direction of the Center Manager or designee as allowed by state law.
Follow newly admitted Transitional Care Unit patients through their first four weeks of dialysis and coordinate transitional dialysis care.
Reinforce education and care information for new patients, liaise with appropriate staff to coordinate services, and help ensure disciplines are scheduled according to the care 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 machines used in the Transitional Care Unit and assist with supply ordering and inventory.