Patient Care Technician - PCT

Fresenius Medical Care•Westlake, OH

About The Position

The Patient Care Technician works as part of the 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 working environment, and supporting the organization’s Quality Enhancement Program and continuous quality improvement activities, including patient satisfaction and process improvement. The technician welcomes patients, assesses their wellbeing and vascular access, assists with education, initiates and monitors dialysis treatments, responds to patient or treatment issues as directed, and documents treatment information accurately. Duties also include obtaining vital signs, weights and laboratory specimens; performing machine safety checks; cleaning and disinfecting equipment and treatment areas; and supporting infection-control practices. In the Transitional Care Unit, the technician follows newly admitted patients during their first four weeks of dialysis, reinforces education, coordinates care with appropriate staff, helps patients understand treatment and modality options, performs treatments on unit machines, and assists with supply ordering and inventory. The position involves direct patient care, travel between assigned facilities and community locations, and possible travel to regional, business-unit, or corporate meetings. The work environment is a health care facility with controlled air temperature and moderate noise, with possible exposure to infectious or contagious diseases and 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 for continued employment.
Successfully complete CPR certification for continued employment.
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 involving regular heavy lifting and moving of patients and assistance with ambulation; equipment or coworker assistance may be provided.
Ability to stand for frequent, prolonged periods and bend over.
Ability to occasionally push or pull equipment using 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

Welcome assigned patients and ask about their wellbeing since their last treatment.
Evaluate vascular access for patency, perform cannulation, and administer heparin when delegated or permitted by state law.
Obtain and record 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; calculate and enter prescribed machine programming for ultrafiltration goal, treatment time, and ultrafiltration modeling.
Ensure appropriate machine safety alarms are enabled and conduct machine safety checks according to facility policy.
Monitor patient response to dialysis, evaluate intradialytic problems, and provide interventions as prescribed or directed; report significant changes and unusual findings to the registered nurse or supervisor.
Obtain vital signs before reinfusion, discontinue treatment according to established procedures, assess patients before termination and discharge, obtain hemostasis, and apply appropriate dressings.
Accurately and promptly document treatment parameters, vital signs, evaluations, interventions, and patient responses in the required treatment records and clinical application.
Obtain prescribed laboratory tests; collect, label, prepare, store, and arrange courier collection of specimens according to laboratory requirements.
Prepare, organize, and efficiently use supplies and equipment to prevent wastage; clean blood spills promptly with appropriate disinfectant.
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, ethical business practices, and infection-control policies; support infection-control practices and audits and reinforce patient and family education under the direction of the CM or designee as permitted by state law.
Clean and disinfect dialysis machine surfaces, chairs, equipment, and surrounding areas between treatments; maintain safe and clean work areas and conduct required dialysis-machine preparation and alarm testing, including Pressure Holding testing, and initiate the Solution Delivery System.
Participate in and document Continuous Quality Improvement activities; review treatment sheets for completeness, signatures, and corrections; prepare initial patient charts and lab requisitions.
Follow newly admitted patients through their first four weeks of dialysis and coordinate transitional dialysis care with appropriate staff.
Reinforce education and care matters for new patients, help assure understanding of home dialysis products and treatment options, and assist with demonstrations, modality-choice transitions, and supply ordering and inventory for the Transitional Care Unit.
Travel between assigned facilities and locations in the community, and travel to regional, business-unit, or corporate meetings when required.