Patient Care Technician - PCT

Fresenius Medical Care•Lubbock, TX

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 technician sets up and operates hemodialysis machines, helps maintain a safe and clean environment, and participates in quality enhancement and continuous improvement activities focused on patient satisfaction and quality goals. The position provides direct patient care throughout dialysis treatment. Duties include welcoming patients; assessing their condition and vascular access; obtaining and documenting weights and vital signs; initiating and monitoring prescribed treatment; responding to treatment issues as directed; and discontinuing treatment, assessing patients before discharge, and ensuring hemostasis. The technician also documents treatment information, monitors machine safety and patient response, reports changes or unusual findings to a nurse or supervisor, and collects and prepares laboratory specimens. Additional responsibilities include cleaning and disinfecting equipment and treatment areas, preparing dialysis machines and supplies, supporting infection-control practices, assisting with staff training under nurse supervision, and completing documentation and quality-improvement activities. In the Transitional Care Unit, the technician supports newly admitted patients during their first four weeks of dialysis, reinforces education, helps coordinate care and modality transitions, supports understanding of home dialysis and treatment options, and assists with equipment and supply needs. The role involves work in a health care facility and travel between assigned facilities and community locations; travel to regional, business unit, or corporate meetings may also be required. Work includes interaction with patients, facility staff, and physicians, exposure to infectious or contagious materials, frequent and prolonged standing, bending, and direct patient-care activities that may involve lifting or moving patients and equipment.

Requirements

High school diploma or GED.
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; 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 will be considered.
Ability to perform the physical demands of the role, including frequent and prolonged standing, bending, assisting with patient ambulation and movement, and lifting or lowering solutions and equipment as described in the posting.
Ability to travel between assigned facilities and locations within the community; travel to regional, business unit, or corporate meetings may be required.

Nice To Haves

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

Responsibilities

Assist with patient-specific education about dialysis adequacy measures, disease processes, and vascular access, as appropriate and permitted by state law.
Welcome assigned patients and ask about their wellbeing since their previous treatment.
Evaluate vascular access for patency, cannulate access, and administer heparin as delegated or permitted by state law.
Obtain and document pre- and post-treatment weights and vital signs, and perform vascular-access evaluations.
Initiate dialysis according to prescribed orders, including blood flow and dialysate flow settings.
Monitor patients’ responses to dialysis, evaluate intradialytic problems, and provide interventions as prescribed or directed.
Obtain vital signs before reinfusion, discontinue treatment according to established procedures, assess patients before termination and discharge, and obtain hemostasis and apply dressings.
Calculate and enter prescribed dialysis machine programming, including ultrafiltration goal, treatment time, and UF modeling; ensure required safety alarms are enabled.
Document treatment parameters, patient evaluations, interventions, and responses accurately and promptly in the appropriate records and clinical applications.
Report significant information, changes in patient condition, and unusual findings to the registered nurse or supervisor.
Conduct patient and machine safety checks and monitor vascular-access pressures during treatment; document and report findings and interventions.
Obtain prescribed laboratory tests; prepare, label, store, and arrange collection of specimens according to laboratory requirements.
Prepare and efficiently use supplies and equipment, and clean blood spills according to facility policy.
Monitor patients performing self-care under RN supervision.
Assist with training applicable direct patient-care staff on appropriate programs under nurse supervision.
Follow organization 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 dialysis machines and conduct required pretreatment machine alarm testing, including Pressure Holding Test (PHT); initiate the Solution Delivery System (SDS).
Participate in and document Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) activities; review treatment sheets for completeness and required signatures and corrections.
Prepare initial patient charts and paperwork, prepare or print laboratory requisitions, and ensure specimen collection by the appropriate courier.
Assist with infection-control audits, support adherence to infection-control practices, follow infection-control policies, 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 information for new patients and liaise with facility staff to support the patient experience and scheduled care.
Help patients understand home dialysis products, benefits, and options, including demonstrating peritoneal dialysis setup.
Set up and perform treatments on machines used in the Transitional Care Unit and assist with transitions to patients’ chosen modalities.
Assist with Transitional Care Unit supply ordering and inventory.