Patient Care technician -PCT

Fresenius Medical Care•Lancaster, OH

10d

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 follows organizational policies, procedures, and training, as well as applicable regulations. The technician sets up and operates hemodialysis machines, helps maintain a safe and clean treatment environment, and participates in quality improvement activities focused on patient satisfaction and treatment outcomes. The position provides direct patient care throughout dialysis treatments, including assessing patients and vascular access, initiating and discontinuing treatments according to prescribed orders, monitoring patient responses, documenting treatment information, and reporting changes or unusual findings to a registered nurse or supervisor. It also includes preparing and handling laboratory specimens, maintaining equipment and supplies, following infection-control procedures, and supporting patient education and transitional dialysis care. Work involves interaction with patients and clinical staff, travel between assigned facilities and community locations, and physical tasks such as lifting, moving, and assisting patients.

Requirements

High school diploma or GED.
Meet CMS-approved state and/or national certification requirements within the applicable state or CMS timeline.
Meet any 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; failure 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.
Ability to stand for frequent, prolonged periods and bend over; 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 or related facility.

Responsibilities

Assist health care team members with patient-specific education about adequacy measures, disease processes, and vascular access.
Welcome assigned patients and ask about their wellbeing since their last treatment.
Evaluate vascular access, perform cannulation, and administer heparin when delegated or permitted by state law.
Obtain and document pre- and post-treatment vital signs and weight, 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 goals, treatment time, and UF modeling.
Monitor patients and machines during treatment, evaluate intradialytic problems, and provide interventions as prescribed or directed.
Discontinue treatments according to established procedures, assess patients before and after treatment, obtain hemostasis, apply dressings, and evaluate patients before discharge.
Document treatment parameters, vital signs, patient evaluations, interventions, and patient responses accurately and on time.
Report significant information, changes in patient condition, and unusual findings to the registered nurse or supervisor.
Perform machine safety checks and ensure required alarms are enabled.
Obtain prescribed laboratory tests and collect, label, prepare, store, and arrange collection of specimens according to laboratory requirements.
Clean blood spills promptly with appropriate disinfectant and clean and disinfect machines, chairs, equipment, and treatment areas between treatments.
Prepare and organize supplies and equipment to support treatments and prevent waste; monitor patients performing self-care under RN supervision.
Assist in training applicable direct patient care staff on programs under nurse supervision.
Follow organizational policies, procedures, ethical business practices, and infection-control requirements; support infection-control audits and patient and staff adherence.
Prepare dialysis equipment and conduct required pretreatment machine alarm testing, including Pressure Holding testing, and initiate the Solution Delivery System.
Participate in and document Continuous Quality Improvement activities and enter treatment data into 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 coordinate specimen collection by the appropriate laboratory courier.
Follow newly admitted patients through their first four weeks of dialysis and coordinate transitional dialysis care with relevant staff.
Reinforce education and care information for new patients, support understanding of home dialysis products and treatment options, and demonstrate peritoneal dialysis setup as appropriate.
Set up and perform treatments on machines used in the transitional care unit, assist with transitions to patients’ chosen modalities, and help coordinate TCU supply ordering and inventory.