Patient Care Technician - PCT

Fresenius Medical Care•Greenville, NC

1d•Onsite

About The Position

The Patient Care Technician (PCT) works as part of a dialysis health care team, providing safe and effective dialysis therapy under the direct supervision of a licensed nurse and in accordance with organizational policies, procedures, training, and applicable regulations. The role involves setting up and operating hemodialysis machines, supporting a safe and clean work environment, and participating in Quality Enhancement Program (QEP) and Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) activities aimed at improving patient satisfaction and outcomes. The PCT welcomes and monitors patients, performs pre- and post-treatment assessments, evaluates and cannulates vascular access as permitted, initiates and discontinues dialysis treatments according to prescribed orders, responds to treatment issues as directed, and documents care accurately. The role also includes collecting and preparing laboratory specimens, maintaining equipment and treatment areas, following infection-control practices, and reporting patient changes or unusual findings to a registered nurse or supervisor. In the Transitional Care Unit, the PCT supports newly admitted patients during their first four weeks of dialysis, reinforces patient education, helps coordinate care and modality transitions, demonstrates treatment options as appropriate, and assists with supplies and inventory. The position includes desk and computer work, direct patient care, and travel between assigned facilities and locations in the community. The work environment is a health care facility with controlled air temperature and moderate noise, with possible exposure to infectious and contagious diseases or materials. Physical demands include frequent and prolonged standing, bending, lifting and moving patients, assisting with ambulation, and lifting solutions and equipment. A color blindness screening is 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 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 to remain employed.
Successfully complete CPR certification to remain employed.
Ability to perform direct patient care involving frequent, prolonged standing, bending, heavy lifting and moving of patients, and assistance with ambulation.
Ability to occasionally push or pull equipment with 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. Assistance devices or coworkers may be used for heavier items.
Take the Ishihara Color Blindness test as a condition of employment; failing the test does not preclude employment, and reasonable accommodations may be considered.
Travel between assigned facilities and various locations in the community; 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

Provide patient-specific education under the direction of appropriate health care team members, including education about adequacy measures, the disease process, and vascular access.
Welcome assigned patients and ask about their wellbeing since their last treatment.
Evaluate vascular access for patency; cannulate access and administer heparin as delegated or permitted by state law.
Obtain and document pre- and post-treatment vital signs and weights, including required vascular access evaluations and patient identification.
Initiate dialysis according to prescribed orders, including blood-flow and dialysate-flow settings, and calculate and enter prescribed machine programming for ultrafiltration goals, treatment time, and ultrafiltration modeling.
Evaluate intradialytic problems, provide interventions as prescribed or directed, monitor patient response, and report significant changes or unusual findings to a registered nurse or supervisor.
Perform required functions to discontinue treatment, obtain hemostasis, apply dressings, evaluate the patient before discharge, and document care.
Ensure required 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; prepare, label, 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 preserve environmental integrity and aesthetics.
Clean and disinfect dialysis machine surfaces, chairs, equipment, and surrounding areas between treatments according to facility policy.
Prepare for dialysis treatments, document as appropriate, perform required pretreatment machine alarm testing including Pressure Holding Tests, and initiate the Solution Delivery System.
Participate in and document CQI 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, prepare laboratory requisitions, and ensure specimens are collected by the appropriate laboratory 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 the direction of the CM or designee as permitted by state law.
Follow newly admitted patients through their first four weeks of dialysis and coordinate transitional dialysis care.
Reinforce education and care matters for new patients as permitted by state law; liaise with appropriate staff to support the patient experience and ensure disciplines are scheduled according to plan.
Help patients understand home dialysis products and benefits, treatment options, and peritoneal dialysis setup; assist with transitions 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.