Patient Care Technician - PCT

Fresenius Medical Care•Brighton, MI

11d•Onsite

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 corporate, state, and federal regulations. The technician sets up and operates hemodialysis machines, helps maintain a safe and clean work environment, and participates in quality improvement activities intended to support patient satisfaction and achievement of organizational quality goals. The position provides direct patient care throughout dialysis treatment, including preparing patients and equipment, monitoring patients and treatment, documenting care, and reporting changes or unusual findings to a registered nurse or supervisor. It also supports infection control, laboratory specimen handling, staff training, and transitional dialysis care for newly admitted patients. No previous dialysis experience is required; on-the-job training is provided. Continued employment depends on successfully completing the organization’s dialysis training program and CPR certification.

Requirements

High school diploma or GED.
Meet applicable CMS-approved state and/or national certification requirements within the required state or CMS timeline.
Hold any applicable state licensure and complete required education and training.
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.
Take the Ishihara Color Blindness test as a condition of employment; failing the test does not automatically preclude employment, and reasonable accommodations may be considered.
Ability to perform direct patient care involving frequent, prolonged standing, bending, heavy lifting and moving of patients, and assistance with ambulation.
Ability to 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.

Nice To Haves

Previous patient care experience in a hospital setting or related facility is preferred.

Responsibilities

Assist the health care team with patient-specific education about adequacy measures, disease processes, and vascular access, as appropriate.
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 allowed by state law.
Obtain and document pre-, intra-, and post-treatment vital signs and weights, and perform vascular access evaluations.
Initiate, monitor, and discontinue dialysis treatments according to prescribed orders and established procedures.
Calculate and enter patient-specific dialysis machine programming, including ultrafiltration goals, treatment time, and ultrafiltration modeling as prescribed.
Ensure appropriate machine safety alarms are enabled and conduct patient and machine safety checks according to facility policy.
Monitor patients’ response to dialysis, identify treatment problems, perform interventions as prescribed or directed, and report significant changes or unusual findings to a registered nurse or supervisor.
Document treatment parameters, patient assessments, interventions, and responses accurately and promptly in the required records and clinical applications.
Monitor vascular access pressures during treatment, intervene as needed, document findings, and report unusual results.
Obtain prescribed laboratory tests; prepare, collect, label, store, and arrange collection of specimens according to laboratory requirements.
Clean blood spills promptly with appropriate disinfectant and maintain a safe, clean, and orderly treatment environment.
Prepare 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.
Clean and disinfect dialysis machines, chairs, equipment, and surrounding areas between treatments according to facility policy.
Prepare dialysis equipment and perform required pretreatment alarm testing, including Pressure Holding Testing; initiate the Solution Delivery System.
Participate in and document Continuous Quality Improvement activities; review treatment sheets for completeness and help ensure missing or incorrect entries are addressed by appropriate staff.
Prepare initial patient charts and paperwork, and prepare lab requisitions for prescribed or stat specimens.
Assist with infection control audits, support adherence to infection control practices, and reinforce infection control education for patients and families under appropriate direction.
Follow newly admitted patients through their first four weeks of dialysis and coordinate transitional dialysis care.
Reinforce education and care matters for new patients, coordinate with appropriate staff to support the patient experience, and help ensure disciplines see patients according to the care plan.
Help patients understand home dialysis products, the benefits of home dialysis, and treatment options, including demonstrating peritoneal dialysis setup.
Assist with coordination of patients’ transitions to their chosen modality, and with transitional care unit supply ordering and inventory.
Set up and perform treatments on machines used in the transitional care unit.