Patient Care Technician - PCT

Fresenius Medical Care•AZ095 Deer Valley JV - Clinic, AZ

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 the Quality Enhancement Program (QEP), Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) activities, patient satisfaction, and process improvements intended to help patients achieve quality goals. The position provides direct patient care throughout dialysis treatment, including evaluating vascular access, taking and recording measurements, initiating and discontinuing treatment, monitoring patient responses, documenting care, and reporting changes or concerns to a registered nurse or supervisor. It also involves preparing and maintaining equipment, handling laboratory specimens, supporting infection control, and maintaining accurate clinical records. In the Transitional Care Unit, the PCT follows newly admitted patients through their first four weeks of dialysis, reinforces education, coordinates care with facility staff, supports patients in understanding treatment and home-dialysis options, and assists with transitions to a chosen modality. The role requires travel between assigned facilities and community locations and may involve travel to regional, Business Unit, and Corporate meetings. The work takes place in a health care facility and includes direct patient interaction, prolonged standing, bending, and frequent lifting and moving of patients and supplies.

Requirements

High school diploma or GED.
Meet CMS-approved state and/or national certification requirements within the required state or CMS timeline.
Meet all applicable state licensure, education, and training requirements.
Demonstrated commitment to the organization’s culture, values, and customer service standards.
Successful completion of the organization’s dialysis training program is required for continued employment.
Successful completion of CPR certification is required for continued employment.
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 frequent and prolonged standing, bending, patient lifting and movement, and assisting with ambulation.
Ability to push or pull equipment using up to 15 pounds of force occasionally; lift or lower solutions up to 30 pounds frequently and up to 40 pounds occasionally, as high as five feet. Assistance devices and a two-person assist program are available for heavier items.
Previous patient care experience in a hospital or related facility is preferred.

Nice To Haves

Previous patient care experience in a hospital setting or a 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 previous treatment.
Evaluate vascular access for patency; perform cannulation and administer heparin when delegated or permitted by state law.
Obtain and document pre- and post-treatment weights and vital signs, including required identification and vascular access evaluations.
Initiate dialysis according to prescribed orders, including blood-flow and dialysate-flow settings.
Calculate and enter prescribed dialysis machine programming, including ultrafiltration goals, treatment time, and ultrafiltration modeling.
Ensure required safety alarms are enabled, including Narrow Venous Limits (NVL) 160, and conduct machine safety checks according to facility policy.
Monitor patients’ responses to dialysis and evaluate intradialytic problems, providing prescribed or directed interventions and documenting patient responses.
Obtain vital signs before reinfusion; complete procedures and documentation for treatment discontinuation; evaluate patients before termination and discharge; obtain hemostasis and apply dressings.
Record accurate and timely treatment parameters, vital signs, evaluations, interventions, and other required information on treatment sheets and in clinical applications.
Report significant information, changes in patient condition, unusual findings, and vascular access concerns to the registered nurse or supervisor.
Obtain prescribed laboratory tests; prepare, collect, label, store, and arrange courier collection of laboratory specimens according to requirements.
Clean blood spills promptly with 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 organizational policies, procedures, systems, and ethical business practices.
Maintain safe, clean, and orderly work areas; clean and disinfect dialysis machines, chairs, equipment, and surrounding areas between treatments.
Prepare for dialysis treatments, document where appropriate, complete required machine alarm testing including Pressure Holding Testing (PHT), and initiate the Solution Delivery System (SDS).
Participate in and document ongoing CQI activities.
Review treatment sheets for completeness, verify nursing signatures, and ensure omitted entries are completed or corrected by appropriate staff.
Prepare initial patient charts and admission paperwork; prepare and print lab requisitions for prescribed or stat specimens.
Assist with infection-control audits, support adherence to infection-control practices, follow infection-control policies and procedures, and reinforce patient and family education under the direction of the CM or designee as permitted by state law.
In the Transitional Care Unit, follow newly admitted patients through their first four weeks of dialysis and coordinate transitional dialysis care.
Reinforce education and care matters for new patients as permitted by state law, and liaise with appropriate staff to support the patient experience and scheduled multidisciplinary care.
Help patients understand home dialysis products, the benefits of home dialysis, and treatment options, including demonstration of peritoneal dialysis setup.
Set up and perform treatments on machines used in the Transitional Care Unit; assist with coordination of transitions to patients’ selected modalities and with TCU supply ordering and inventory.