Patient Care Technician - PCT

Fresenius Medical Care•Seminole, FL, FL

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 requirements. The PCT sets up and operates hemodialysis machines, helps maintain a safe and clean work environment, and participates in the organization’s Quality Enhancement Program (QEP), Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) activities, and process improvement efforts focused on patient satisfaction and quality goals. The PCT supports patients throughout dialysis treatment, including assessing vascular access, obtaining and documenting vital signs and weights, initiating and discontinuing treatment, monitoring patient response, responding to unusual findings, and reporting changes to a registered nurse or supervisor. The position also involves treatment documentation, specimen collection and preparation, equipment and environmental cleaning, infection-control practices, and assistance with patient education. In the Transitional Care Unit, the PCT helps coordinate care and education for newly admitted patients during their first four weeks of dialysis and supports their understanding of treatment options and transitions to a chosen modality. The role involves direct patient care in a health care facility and regular interaction with patients, facility staff, and physicians. It requires travel between assigned facilities and community locations, and may require travel to regional, Business Unit, or Corporate meetings. The work environment has controlled air temperature and moderate noise levels, with possible exposure to infectious and contagious diseases or materials. Physical duties include frequent prolonged standing, bending, heavy lifting and moving of patients, assisting with ambulation, and handling solutions and equipment. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions. Employees must take the Ishihara Color Blindness test as a condition of employment; failing it does not preclude employment, and reasonable accommodations may be considered.

Requirements

High school diploma or GED required.
Must meet CMS-approved state and/or national certification requirements within the applicable state or CMS timeline.
Must meet all applicable state licensure, education, and training requirements, if any.
Demonstrated commitment to the organization’s culture, values, and customer service standards.
Continued employment depends on successful completion of the organization’s dialysis training program and CPR certification.
Must 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 frequent prolonged standing, bending, patient lifting and movement, and assistance with ambulation.
Ability to occasionally push or pull equipment using up to 15 pounds of force.
Ability to frequently lift and lower solutions weighing up to 30 pounds and occasionally lift up to 40 pounds as high as five feet; assistance devices and a two-person assist program are available for heavier items.

Nice To Haves

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

Responsibilities

Assist health care team members with patient-specific education about dialysis 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 as delegated or permitted by state law.
Obtain and document pre- and post-treatment vital signs and weights, and evaluate vascular access before treatment.
Initiate dialysis according to prescribed orders, including blood flow and dialysate flow settings.
Evaluate intradialytic problems and intervene as prescribed by physician order or as directed.
Monitor patients’ response to dialysis therapy and report significant information or changes in condition to the registered nurse or supervisor.
Obtain vital signs before reinfusion and perform and document the steps required to discontinue treatment, including standing and sitting blood pressure checks and evaluation before termination of venous access.
Obtain hemostasis and apply appropriate dressings, then evaluate patients before discharge.
Calculate and enter prescribed individual dialysis machine programming, including ultrafiltration goal, treatment time, and ultrafiltration modeling.
Ensure appropriate safety alarms are enabled, including Narrow Venous Limits (NVL) 160.
Accurately and promptly document vital signs, treatment parameters, treatment information, and applicable progress notes, with required initial identification.
Observe patients and conduct machine safety checks according to facility policy; report changes or unusual findings to the registered nurse or supervisor.
Perform and document interventions for unusual patient status and document patient responses.
Evaluate vascular access during treatment, including arterial and venous monitoring pressures; intervene as needed, document, and report unusual findings.
Obtain prescribed laboratory tests and prepare specimens for collection.
Clean blood spills immediately with appropriate disinfectant according to facility policy.
Prepare, organize, and efficiently use supplies and equipment to prevent waste.
Monitor patients performing self-care under the supervision of an RN.
Assist with training applicable direct patient care staff on appropriate programs under nurse supervision.
Follow organization policies, procedures, training systems, and ethical business practices.
Maintain environmental integrity and aesthetics and ensure work areas are safe and clean.
Clean and disinfect dialysis machine surfaces, chairs, equipment, and surrounding areas between treatments according to facility policy.
Prepare for dialysis treatment, document as appropriate, complete required pretreatment machine alarm tests including Pressure Holding (PHT), and initiate the Solution Delivery System (SDS).
Complete and document ongoing participation in CQI activities.
Enter treatment data accurately and promptly into the designated clinical application.
Review treatment sheets for completeness, confirm nursing signatures, and ensure omissions are completed or corrected by appropriate staff.
Prepare initial patient charts for admission and compile paperwork for placement in the chart.
Prepare and print laboratory requisitions for prescribed or stat specimens according to laboratory destination.
Collect, label, prepare, and store laboratory samples according to laboratory specifications, and ensure collection by the appropriate laboratory courier.
Assist in collecting information for infection-control audits and support staff and patient adherence to infection-control practices.
Follow infection-control policies and procedures and participate in and reinforce infection-control education for patients and families under the direction of the CM or designee, as allowed by state law.
In the Transitional Care Unit, follow newly admitted patients through their first four weeks of dialysis and coordinate their transitional dialysis care.
Reinforce education and care matters for new patients, as allowed by state law.
Liaise with appropriate FKC staff to support the patient experience and ensure disciplines are scheduled to see patients according to the plan.
Help patients understand home dialysis products, the benefits of home dialysis, and how home dialysis may work for them.
Set up and perform treatment on all machines used in the Transitional Care Unit.
Help patients understand treatment options, including demonstrating peritoneal dialysis setup.
Assist with coordination of transitions to the patient’s chosen modality.
Assist with supply ordering and inventory for the Transitional Care Unit.