Patient Care Technician - PCT

Fresenius Medical Care•Sweetwater, TX

About The Position

The Patient Care Technician (PCT) works as part of a dialysis health care team to provide safe, 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 work environment, and supporting quality enhancement and continuous quality improvement activities focused on patient satisfaction and outcomes. The PCT welcomes and monitors patients, assesses vascular access, performs cannulation and delegated heparin administration as permitted, obtains and records vital signs and weights, initiates and discontinues dialysis treatments according to prescribed orders, responds to treatment issues, and documents patient status and treatment parameters. The position also involves collecting and preparing laboratory specimens, monitoring patients performing self-care, and assisting with staff training under nurse supervision. The technician maintains dialysis equipment and treatment areas, conducts machine safety and alarm testing, follows infection-control procedures, and completes clinical documentation and quality-improvement records. In a Transitional Care Unit, the PCT supports newly admitted patients during their first four weeks of dialysis, reinforces education, helps coordinate care and modality transitions, demonstrates treatment equipment as appropriate, and assists with supplies and inventory. Work includes desk and computer tasks, interaction with patients and clinical staff, and travel between assigned facilities and community locations. The environment is a health care facility with controlled air temperature and moderate noise; exposure to infectious or contagious materials may occur. The role requires direct patient care, frequent prolonged standing and bending, and lifting or moving patients and supplies, with assistive equipment or coworkers available for heavier items. Employees must take an Ishihara color blindness test; 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.
Hold any state licensure and complete education and training required for the role.
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 successful completion.
Successfully complete CPR certification; continued employment is dependent on successful completion.
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 the physical demands of direct patient care, including frequent prolonged standing, bending, patient lifting and movement, and lifting or lowering solutions up to 30 pounds frequently and up to 40 pounds occasionally.

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 on adequacy measures, disease processes, and vascular access as appropriate.
Welcome assigned patients and inquire 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-, during-, and post-treatment vital signs and weights, including patient identification and pre- and post-dialysis evaluations.
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.
Ensure appropriate machine safety alarms are enabled and observe patients while conducting machine safety checks according to facility policy.
Evaluate and respond to intradialytic problems as prescribed or directed, monitor patient response, document interventions, and report significant changes or unusual findings to the registered nurse or supervisor.
Discontinue dialysis according to established procedures, assess the patient before termination and discharge, obtain hemostasis, and apply appropriate dressings.
Record accurate and timely treatment information, complete treatment sheets and applicable progress notes, and enter treatment data into the designated clinical application.
Monitor vascular access pressures during treatment, intervene as needed, and document and report unusual findings.
Obtain prescribed laboratory tests; collect, label, prepare, store, and arrange courier collection of specimens according to laboratory requirements.
Prepare, organize, and use supplies and equipment efficiently to prevent wastage; clean blood spills promptly with appropriate disinfectant.
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 and ethical practices, and maintain safe, clean, and orderly work areas.
Clean and disinfect dialysis machines, chairs, equipment, and surrounding areas between treatments according to facility policy.
Prepare for dialysis treatments, perform and document required machine 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 and ensure missing or incorrect entries are corrected by appropriate staff.
Prepare initial patient charts and paperwork, and prepare or print laboratory requisitions for prescribed or stat specimens.
Assist with infection-control audits, support adherence to infection-control practices, follow infection-control policies, and reinforce patient and family infection-control education under the direction of the CM or designee as allowed by law.
In the Transitional Care Unit, follow newly admitted patients through their first four weeks of dialysis and coordinate transitional care.
Reinforce education and care matters for new patients as allowed by state law, and liaise with facility staff to support the patient experience and scheduled multidisciplinary care.
Help patients understand home dialysis products and benefits, treatment options, and peritoneal dialysis setup; assist with transition 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.