Patient Care Technician - PCT

Fresenius Medical Care•Greeley, CO

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 organization policies, procedures, and training, as well as applicable corporate, state, and federal regulations. The PCT sets up and operates hemodialysis machines, helps maintain a safe and clean environment, and supports quality enhancement and continuous quality improvement activities focused on patient satisfaction and treatment outcomes. The PCT assists with patient education and care before, during, and after dialysis treatments. Duties include assessing vascular access, initiating and discontinuing treatments according to prescribed orders and established procedures, monitoring patients and treatment parameters, recording accurate clinical information, and reporting changes in patient condition to a registered nurse or supervisor. The role also involves collecting and preparing laboratory specimens, following infection control practices, maintaining equipment and treatment areas, and supporting patients who perform self-care under RN supervision. In the Transitional Care Unit, the PCT follows newly admitted patients through their first four weeks of dialysis, reinforces education, coordinates care with appropriate staff, and assists patients in understanding treatment options, including home dialysis. The position involves direct patient care and physical activity, travel between assigned facilities and community locations, and work in a health care facility where exposure to infectious materials may occur. Training is provided. Continued employment depends on successful completion of the organization's dialysis training program and CPR certification.

Requirements

High school diploma or GED.
Meet CMS-approved state and/or national certification requirements within the required 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 for continued employment.
Successfully complete CPR certification for continued employment.
Pass 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 involving regular heavy lifting and moving of patients and assistance with ambulation; frequent, prolonged standing; bending; occasional pushing or pulling of equipment with up to 15 pounds of force; frequent lifting and lowering of solutions up to 30 pounds; and occasional lifting up to 40 pounds as high as five feet. Assistance devices and coworkers may be available.

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 about adequacy measures, disease processes, and vascular access, as appropriate.
Welcome assigned patients and ask about their wellbeing since their last treatment.
Assess vascular access patency, cannulate access, and administer heparin when delegated or permitted by state law.
Obtain and record pre- and post-treatment vital signs and weight, and perform pre-treatment vascular access evaluations.
Initiate dialysis according to prescribed orders, including blood and dialysate flow rates; program ultrafiltration goals, treatment time, and modeling as prescribed.
Ensure appropriate machine safety alarms are enabled and observe patients while conducting machine safety checks according to facility policy.
Monitor patients' responses to dialysis, assess intradialytic problems, and provide prescribed or directed interventions; document interventions and patient responses.
Discontinue dialysis according to established procedures, obtain required pre-reinfusion vital signs, evaluate patients before termination and discharge, obtain hemostasis, and apply appropriate dressings.
Document treatment parameters, vital signs, evaluations, and other patient-treatment information accurately and promptly, including treatment sheets and progress notes when applicable.
Report significant information, changes in patient condition, and unusual findings to the registered nurse or supervisor.
Monitor vascular access pressures during treatment, intervene as appropriate, and document and report unusual findings.
Obtain prescribed laboratory tests; prepare, collect, label, store, and arrange appropriate courier collection of specimens according to laboratory requirements.
Clean blood spills promptly with the appropriate disinfectant and prepare and organize supplies and equipment to prevent waste.
Monitor patients performing self-care under RN supervision.
Assist with training applicable direct patient-care staff on programs under nurse supervision.
Follow organization business policies, procedures, systems, and ethical business practices.
Maintain a safe and clean environment; clean and disinfect dialysis machines, chairs, equipment, and surrounding areas between treatments.
Prepare for dialysis treatments, perform required machine alarm tests including Pressure Holding Test (PHT), and initiate the Solution Delivery System (SDS).
Participate in and document Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) activities.
Enter treatment data into the designated clinical application, review treatment sheets for completeness and signatures, and ensure omissions are completed or corrected by appropriate staff.
Prepare initial patient charts and paperwork for admission and placement in the chart; prepare and print laboratory requisitions for prescribed or stat specimens.
Assist with infection control audits, support staff and patient adherence to infection control practices, follow infection control policies, and reinforce infection control education under the direction of the CM or designee as allowed by state law.
Follow newly admitted patients through their first four weeks of dialysis and coordinate transitional dialysis care.
Reinforce education and care related to new patients, coordinate with appropriate staff to support the patient experience, and help ensure disciplines are scheduled according to the plan.
Help patients understand home dialysis products, the benefits of home dialysis, and treatment options, including demonstrating peritoneal dialysis setup.
Assist with coordination of the transition to the patient's chosen modality and with Transitional Care Unit supply ordering and inventory.
Set up and perform treatments on all machines used in the Transitional Care Unit.