Patient Care Technician - PCT
About The Position
The Patient Care Technician functions as part of the dialysis health care team, providing 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. Responsibilities include setting up and operating hemodialysis machines, maintaining a safe and clean environment, and supporting Quality Enhancement Program (QEP) and Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) activities aimed at improving patient satisfaction and outcomes. The technician welcomes and monitors patients, supports patient education, assesses vascular access, performs cannulation and delegated tasks as permitted, initiates and discontinues prescribed treatments, and monitors and documents patient status and treatment parameters. The role also includes specimen collection and preparation, infection-control activities, equipment cleaning and safety checks, recordkeeping, and coordination of transitional care for newly admitted dialysis patients. No previous dialysis experience is required; on-the-job training is provided. The position involves direct patient care in a health care facility, with travel between assigned facilities and community locations and possible travel to meetings. Work includes interaction with patients, staff, and physicians; exposure to infectious or contagious materials; frequent standing and bending; and lifting or moving patients and supplies. Hours vary by rotating days and shifts. Brighton Clinic hours are Monday, Wednesday, and Friday 4:40 a.m.–10 p.m.; Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday 4:40 a.m.–5 p.m.; closed Sunday.
Requirements
- High school diploma or GED required.
- Meet applicable CMS-approved state and/or national certification requirements within the required 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 for continued employment.
- Successfully complete CPR certification for continued employment.
- Ability to perform the physical functions described, including frequent prolonged standing, bending, assisting with patient movement and ambulation, and lifting or lowering supplies and solutions.
- Employees are required to take the Ishihara Color Blindness test as a condition of employment; failing the test does not preclude employment, and reasonable accommodations may be considered.
Nice To Haves
- Previous patient care experience in a hospital setting or related facility is preferred.
Responsibilities
- Welcome assigned patients and ask about their wellbeing since their last treatment.
- Provide or reinforce patient-specific education regarding dialysis adequacy, disease processes, vascular access, infection control, and treatment options as allowed by state law and under appropriate supervision.
- Evaluate vascular access for patency, perform cannulation, and administer heparin when delegated or permitted by state law.
- Obtain and document pre- and post-treatment vital signs and weights, including required patient identification and vascular-access evaluations.
- Initiate, monitor, and discontinue dialysis treatment 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.
- Check machine safety and alarms, observe patient responses, identify treatment problems, provide interventions as prescribed or directed, and report significant changes or unusual findings to the registered nurse or supervisor.
- Obtain vital signs before reinfusion, assess patients before treatment termination and discharge, obtain hemostasis, and apply appropriate dressings.
- Accurately complete treatment sheets, progress notes when applicable, clinical application entries, and other required patient-treatment documentation.
- Obtain prescribed laboratory tests; prepare, collect, label, store, and arrange courier collection of specimens according to laboratory specifications.
- Clean blood spills and disinfect dialysis machines, chairs, equipment, and surrounding areas according to facility policy.
- Prepare and organize supplies and equipment, conduct pre-treatment machine alarm testing including Pressure Holding Testing, and initiate the Solution Delivery System.
- Monitor patients performing self-care under registered nurse supervision.
- Assist with training applicable direct patient care staff on appropriate programs under nurse supervision.
- Participate in and document CQI activities; review treatment sheets for completeness and support accurate correction of omitted entries by appropriate staff.
- Assist with preparation of initial patient charts and laboratory requisitions.
- Support infection-control audits and adherence to infection-control policies and practices; reinforce patient and family infection-control education under the direction of the center manager or designee as allowed by state law.
- For transitional care patients, follow newly admitted patients through their first four weeks of dialysis and coordinate transitional care, education, scheduling, treatment-option support, modality transitions, supplies, and inventory.
- Set up and perform treatments on machines used in the transitional care unit, and assist with patient understanding of home dialysis and peritoneal dialysis setup.
- Follow organization business policies, procedures, systems, ethical business practices, and customer service standards.
- Maintain a safe, clean, and orderly work environment.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Entry Level
Education Level
High school or GED
