Patient Care Technician - PCT

Fresenius Medical Care•Ashland, OH

10d

About The Position

The Patient Care Technician 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, helping maintain a safe and clean environment, and supporting quality improvement and patient satisfaction initiatives. The technician follows organizational policies, procedures, and training, as well as applicable corporate, state, and federal requirements. The position provides direct patient care throughout dialysis treatment, including assessing vascular access, initiating and discontinuing treatment according to prescribed orders and established procedures, monitoring patient condition and treatment response, documenting vital signs and treatment parameters, and promptly reporting significant changes or unusual findings to a registered nurse or supervisor. Duties also include collecting laboratory specimens, maintaining treatment records, preparing equipment and supplies, and following infection-control practices. In the Transitional Care Unit, the technician follows newly admitted patients through their first four weeks of dialysis, reinforces education as permitted by state law, helps coordinate care and treatment-option education, assists with transitions to the patient’s chosen modality, and supports supply ordering and inventory. The work includes desk and computer tasks, interaction with patients and care teams, travel between assigned facilities and community locations, and frequent standing, bending, lifting, and moving patients or supplies. The work environment is that of a health care facility, with possible exposure to infectious and contagious diseases or materials.

Requirements

High school diploma or GED.
Meet CMS-approved state and/or national certification requirements within the applicable 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 as a condition of continued employment.
Successfully complete CPR certification as a condition of continued employment.
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 frequent, prolonged standing and bending, and regular heavy lifting or moving of patients and assistance with ambulation, with equipment or coworker assistance as available.
Ability to occasionally push or pull equipment using 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.
Ability to work in a health care environment and potentially be exposed to infectious and contagious diseases or materials.

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 about adequacy measures, disease processes, and vascular access, as appropriate.
Welcome assigned patients and inquire about their wellbeing since their previous treatment.
Evaluate vascular access for patency and before treatment; cannulate access and administer heparin when delegated or permitted by state law.
Obtain and document pre-, intra-, and post-treatment vital signs and weights, including blood pressure before reinfusion and before termination of venous access.
Initiate and discontinue dialysis treatments according to prescribed orders and established procedures, including prescribed blood-flow and dialysate-flow settings.
Calculate and enter prescribed patient-specific machine programming, including ultrafiltration goal, treatment time, and ultrafiltration modeling.
Ensure required machine safety alarms are enabled and perform machine safety checks according to facility policy.
Monitor patient response to therapy, evaluate intradialytic problems, perform prescribed or directed interventions, and document the patient’s response.
Evaluate vascular access and monitor arterial and venous pressures during treatment; intervene as appropriate and report unusual findings.
Document treatment information accurately and promptly, including treatment sheets, vital signs, parameters, and applicable progress notes.
Report significant information, changes in patient condition, and unusual findings directly to the registered nurse or supervisor.
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 with training applicable direct patient care staff on appropriate programs under nurse supervision.
Follow organizational policies, procedures, systems, and ethical business practices; maintain safe and clean areas and facility aesthetics.
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 Testing, and initiate the Solution Delivery System.
Participate in and document ongoing Continuous Quality Improvement activities; enter treatment data accurately and promptly in the designated clinical application.
Review treatment sheets for completeness, confirm nursing signatures, and ensure omitted entries are completed or corrected by appropriate staff.
Prepare initial patient charts and paperwork, print laboratory requisitions, and coordinate specimen collection by the appropriate laboratory courier.
Assist with infection-control audits, support staff and patient adherence to infection-control practices, follow infection-control procedures, and reinforce related education under the direction of the CM or designee as permitted 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 as permitted by state law, and liaise with appropriate staff to coordinate the patient experience and scheduled visits with disciplines.
Help patients understand home dialysis products and benefits, treatment options, and peritoneal dialysis setup demonstrations; assist with transition to the patient's chosen modality.
Set up and perform a treatment on all machines used in the Transitional Care Unit and assist with supply ordering and inventory.
Travel between assigned facilities and community locations, and attend regional, Business Unit, or Corporate meetings when required.