Patient Care Technician - PCT

Fresenius Medical Care•Mission, TX

12d

About The Position

The Patient Care Technician (PCT) 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, maintaining a safe and clean work environment, and supporting the organization’s Quality Enhancement Program and continuous quality improvement activities. The technician follows organizational policies and procedures and applicable corporate, state, and federal regulations. The PCT provides direct treatment support, including welcoming patients, checking their wellbeing, assessing vascular access, obtaining and recording vital signs and weights, initiating and discontinuing dialysis as prescribed, monitoring treatment and patient response, performing delegated interventions, and documenting care. The role also includes collecting and preparing laboratory specimens, supporting infection-control practices, preparing and disinfecting equipment and treatment areas, and entering and reviewing treatment records. In the Transitional Care Unit, the technician follows newly admitted patients through their first four weeks of dialysis, reinforces education within the scope allowed by state law, coordinates care with other staff, supports patients’ understanding of treatment options and home dialysis, and assists with supplies and inventory. The position involves work in a health care facility, travel between assigned facilities and community locations, and direct patient care that may involve lifting and moving patients.

Requirements

High school diploma or GED.
Must meet CMS-approved state and/or national certification requirements within the required state or CMS timeline.
Must meet all applicable state licensure, education, and training requirements.
Demonstrated commitment to the organization’s culture, values, and customer service standards.
Successful completion of the organization’s dialysis training program is required for continued employment.
Successful completion of CPR certification is required for continued employment.
Must 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 that regularly involves heavy lifting and moving patients and assisting with ambulation.
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 weighing up to 30 pounds; and occasionally lift up to 40 pounds to a height of five feet.
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

Assist health care team members with patient-specific education about adequacy measures, disease processes, and vascular access, as appropriate.
Welcome assigned patients and ask about their wellbeing since their previous treatment.
Evaluate vascular access for patency, 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 pre-treatment vascular access evaluation.
Initiate dialysis according to prescribed orders, including blood-flow and dialysate-flow settings; calculate and enter prescribed machine programming for ultrafiltration goals, treatment time, and ultrafiltration modeling.
Evaluate intradialytic problems, provide prescribed or directed interventions, monitor patient response, and report significant information or changes in condition to the registered nurse or supervisor.
Obtain vital signs before reinfusion, discontinue treatment according to established procedures, assess the patient before termination of venous access, obtain hemostasis, apply dressings, and evaluate the patient before discharge.
Perform and document pre- and post-dialysis evaluations, weights, vital signs, treatment parameters, interventions, and patient responses accurately and promptly.
Ensure appropriate machine safety alarms are enabled, observe patients, and conduct machine safety checks according to facility policy.
Monitor vascular access during treatment, including arterial and venous pressures; intervene as appropriate and document and report unusual findings.
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 in training applicable direct patient care staff on appropriate programs under nurse supervision.
Follow organizational business policies, procedures, systems, and ethical business practices; maintain a safe and clean environment.
Clean and disinfect dialysis machine surfaces, chairs, equipment, and surrounding areas between treatments according to facility policy.
Prepare for dialysis treatment, document as appropriate, perform required pre-treatment machine alarm testing including Pressure Holding Test, 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, verify nursing signatures, and ensure omitted entries are completed or corrected by appropriate staff.
Prepare initial patient charts and paperwork, print laboratory requisitions, and ensure laboratory specimens are collected by the appropriate courier.
Assist with infection-control audits, support staff and patient adherence to infection-control practices, follow infection-control policies, and reinforce patient and family education under direction and 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 matters for new patients as allowed by state law, liaise with appropriate staff, and help ensure disciplines see patients according to the care plan.
Help patients understand home dialysis products, the benefits of home dialysis, and how it may work for them; support understanding of treatment options, including demonstration of peritoneal dialysis setup.
Set up and perform treatments on all machines used in the Transitional Care Unit and assist with coordination of transitions to patients’ chosen modalities.
Assist with Transitional Care Unit supply ordering and inventory.