Patient Care Technician - PCT

Fresenius Medical Care•Wake Forest, NC

13d

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, supporting a safe and clean working environment, and participating in quality enhancement and continuous quality improvement activities aimed at improving patient satisfaction and outcomes. The PCT welcomes patients, monitors their condition and response to treatment, performs and documents pre- and post-treatment assessments, and carries out dialysis procedures according to prescribed orders and facility policies. Duties include vascular access assessment and cannulation, delegated heparin administration where permitted, dialysis machine programming and safety checks, responding to treatment issues, specimen collection, and accurate clinical documentation. The PCT reports significant changes or unusual findings to a registered nurse or supervisor and may monitor patients performing self-care under RN supervision. The role also supports staff training, infection control, equipment preparation and disinfection, and ongoing CQI activities. In a Transitional Care Unit, the PCT follows newly admitted patients through their first four weeks of dialysis, reinforces education, coordinates care with relevant staff, assists patients in understanding treatment and home-dialysis options, supports modality transitions, and helps manage supplies and inventory. Work includes computer and desk tasks and direct patient care in a health care facility. Travel between assigned facilities and community locations is required; travel to regional, Business Unit, and Corporate meetings may also be required. The work environment may involve exposure to infectious or contagious diseases and materials. The position involves frequent prolonged standing, bending, and regularly lifting or moving patients, with assistance or devices available for heavier items. Employees must take an Ishihara color blindness test as a condition of employment; failing the test does not 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 completion.
Successfully complete CPR certification; continued employment is dependent on completion.
Take the Ishihara Color Blindness test as a condition of employment.
Ability to perform frequent, prolonged standing and bend over.
Ability to participate in direct patient care that regularly involves heavy lifting and moving patients and assisting with ambulation.
Ability to occasionally push or pull equipment with up to 15 pounds of force.
Ability to frequently lift and lower solutions weighing up to 30 pounds and occasionally lift 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 various community locations; 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.

Responsibilities

Welcome assigned patients and ask about their wellbeing since their previous treatment.
Assess vascular access patency, perform cannulation, and administer heparin when delegated or permitted by state law.
Obtain and document pre- and post-treatment vital signs, weights, and vascular access assessments.
Initiate, monitor, and discontinue dialysis treatments according to prescribed orders and established procedures.
Calculate and enter patient-specific dialysis machine settings, including ultrafiltration goals, treatment time, and UF modeling, and ensure required safety alarms are enabled.
Monitor patients’ responses to dialysis, assess and intervene in intradialytic problems as prescribed or directed, and report significant changes or unusual findings to the registered nurse or supervisor.
Perform and document treatment evaluations and interventions, including vascular access pressure monitoring and hemostasis.
Complete accurate and timely treatment documentation, enter treatment data in the designated clinical application, and review treatment sheets for completeness and corrections.
Obtain prescribed laboratory tests; collect, label, prepare, store, and arrange courier collection of specimens according to laboratory requirements.
Observe patients and conduct machine safety checks according to facility policy.
Prepare and organize supplies and equipment efficiently to prevent wastage.
Monitor patients performing self-care under RN supervision.
Assist with training applicable direct patient care staff under a nurse’s supervision.
Maintain a safe, clean environment; clean and disinfect dialysis machines, chairs, equipment, and surrounding areas between treatments.
Prepare machines and the treatment area, complete required pretreatment machine alarm testing including Pressure Holding (PHT), and initiate the Solution Delivery System (SDS).
Participate in and document Continuous Quality Improvement activities and assist with infection-control audits and education.
Follow infection-control policies and reinforce staff and patient adherence to infection-control practices.
In the Transitional Care Unit, follow new patients through their first four weeks of dialysis and coordinate transitional care with appropriate staff.
Reinforce education for new patients, explain home dialysis products and benefits, and assist with treatment-option education and peritoneal dialysis setup demonstrations.
Assist with coordinating transitions to the patient’s chosen modality and with Transitional Care Unit supply ordering and inventory.
Prepare initial patient charts and admission paperwork, print laboratory requisitions, and ensure required documentation is placed appropriately.