Patient Care Technician - PCT

Fresenius Medical Care•Alachua, 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 organizational 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 work environment, and participates in quality improvement activities aimed at improving patient satisfaction and helping patients achieve organizational quality goals. The position provides direct patient care throughout dialysis treatment, including welcoming patients, assessing their wellbeing and vascular access, obtaining and documenting vital signs and weights, initiating and discontinuing treatment, monitoring patient response, addressing problems as directed, and reporting significant changes to a registered nurse or supervisor. It also involves operating and checking dialysis equipment, documenting treatment data, collecting laboratory specimens, maintaining supplies, and following infection-control procedures. In the Transitional Care Unit, the PCT helps coordinate care for newly admitted patients during their first four weeks of dialysis, reinforces education, supports understanding of treatment and home dialysis options, and assists with transition to the patient's chosen modality. The role includes travel between assigned facilities and locations in the community, and may require travel to regional, Business Unit, or Corporate meetings. The work takes place in a health care facility and may involve exposure to infectious or contagious diseases and materials. Direct patient care regularly involves heavy lifting and moving patients, assisting with ambulation, frequent and prolonged standing, bending, and lifting solutions and equipment.

Requirements

High school diploma or GED.
Meet CMS-approved state and/or national certification requirements within the applicable state or CMS timeline.
Meet all 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 depends on successful completion.
Successfully complete CPR certification; continued employment depends 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 direct patient care involving heavy lifting and moving patients and assisting with ambulation.
Ability to stand for frequent, prolonged periods and bend over.
Ability to occasionally push or pull equipment with 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 to a height of five feet.
Ability to travel between assigned facilities and various community locations; travel to regional, Business Unit, and Corporate meetings may be required.

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 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 document pre- and post-treatment vital signs and weights, and assess vascular access before treatment.
Initiate and discontinue dialysis treatment according to prescribed orders and established procedures.
Monitor patients’ response to dialysis and evaluate intradialytic problems, providing interventions as prescribed or directed.
Obtain vital signs before reinfusion, assess patients before treatment termination and discharge, and obtain hemostasis and apply appropriate dressings.
Calculate and enter prescribed dialysis machine programming, including ultrafiltration goals, treatment time, and UF modeling.
Ensure appropriate safety alarms are enabled and conduct machine safety checks according to facility policy.
Document patient assessments, treatment parameters, vital signs, interventions, and patient responses accurately and promptly in required records and clinical applications.
Report significant information, changes in patient condition, or 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, label, store, and arrange collection of specimens according to laboratory requirements.
Clean blood spills promptly with appropriate disinfectant and prepare, organize, 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.
Follow organizational business policies, procedures, systems, and ethical business practices.
Maintain safe and clean areas; clean and disinfect dialysis machines, chairs, equipment, and surrounding areas between treatments.
Prepare for dialysis treatment, perform and document 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.
Review treatment sheets for completeness and nursing signatures, and ensure omitted entries are completed or corrected by appropriate staff.
Prepare initial patient charts and paperwork for admission, and prepare or print laboratory requisitions for prescribed or stat specimens.
Ensure laboratory specimens are collected by the appropriate courier.
Assist with infection-control audits, support adherence to infection-control practices, follow infection-control policies and procedures, and reinforce patient and family infection-control education as directed and allowed by state 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-related information for new patients as allowed by state law, and liaise with appropriate staff to support the patient experience and ensure disciplines are scheduled according to plan.
Help patients understand home dialysis products and benefits, treatment options, and how home dialysis may work for them; demonstrate peritoneal dialysis setup as appropriate.
Set up and perform treatment on all machines used in the Transitional Care Unit.
Assist with coordination of the transition to the patient's chosen modality and with Transitional Care Unit supply ordering and inventory.