Patient Care Technician - PCT

Fresenius Medical Care•Chicago, IL

12d•$17 - $27•Onsite

About The Position

The Patient Care Technician works as part of a dialysis healthcare team to provide safe and effective dialysis therapy under the direct supervision of a licensed nurse. The role includes setting up and operating hemodialysis machines, assisting with patient care and education, maintaining a safe and clean clinical environment, and participating in quality improvement activities. No prior dialysis experience is required; on-the-job dialysis training is provided. Continued employment depends on successfully completing the organization’s dialysis training program and CPR certification. This is a full-time position at the clinic at 4800 N. Kilpatrick Ave, Chicago, Illinois. The clinic operates Monday through Saturday, 4:00 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.; shifts rotate and include weekends. The position is 40 hours per week. The hourly rate is $17–$27, depending on work location and qualifications. Employees are eligible for healthcare benefits 30 days after hire. The role involves direct patient care, including preparing patients and equipment for dialysis, monitoring patients during treatment, documenting treatment and clinical information, collecting laboratory specimens, and reporting changes in patient condition to a registered nurse or supervisor. The technician also supports infection control, facility cleanliness, staff training, and transitional care for newly admitted dialysis patients. The work takes place in a healthcare facility with controlled air temperature and moderate noise. The role may involve exposure to infectious or contagious diseases and materials, travel between assigned facilities and community locations, frequent prolonged standing and bending, and regular heavy lifting or moving of patients. Assistance and lifting devices are available for heavier items. Employees must take the Ishihara color blindness test as a condition of employment; failing the test does not preclude employment, and reasonable accommodations will be considered.

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 to remain employed.
Successfully complete CPR certification to remain employed.
Ability to perform direct patient care tasks involving frequent, prolonged standing and bending; frequent lifting and lowering of solutions up to 30 pounds; occasional lifting up to 40 pounds as high as five feet; and occasional pushing or pulling equipment with up to 15 pounds of force.
Ability to assist with heavy lifting and moving of patients and assist with ambulation; equipment or coworkers may provide assistance.
Take the Ishihara color blindness test as a condition of employment; failure 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.
Previous dialysis experience is not required; on-the-job training is provided.

Responsibilities

Welcome assigned patients and ask about their wellbeing since their last 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, and evaluate vascular access before treatment.
Initiate dialysis according to prescribed orders, including blood flow and dialysate flow settings.
Monitor patients’ response to dialysis, evaluate intradialytic problems, and provide interventions as prescribed or directed.
Obtain vital signs before reinfusion and perform and document the steps required to discontinue treatment.
Discontinue dialysis according to established procedures, evaluate patients before termination of venous access, obtain standing and sitting blood pressure readings, achieve hemostasis, and apply dressings.
Evaluate patients before discharge and complete pre- and post-dialysis evaluations.
Calculate and enter prescribed patient-specific machine programming, including ultrafiltration goal, treatment time, and ultrafiltration modeling.
Ensure appropriate machine safety alarms are enabled, including Narrow Venous Limits (NVL) 160, and conduct machine safety checks.
Accurately and promptly document vital signs, treatment parameters, treatment information, interventions, and patient responses in required records and clinical applications.
Report significant information, changes in patient condition, and unusual findings to the registered nurse or supervisor.
Evaluate vascular access during treatment, monitor arterial and venous pressures, intervene as needed, and document and report unusual findings.
Obtain prescribed laboratory tests; collect, label, prepare, store, and arrange courier 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 policies, procedures, systems, and ethical business practices.
Maintain a safe, clean environment; clean and disinfect dialysis machines, chairs, equipment, and surrounding areas between treatments.
Prepare for dialysis, perform and document required pretreatment machine alarm testing, including Pressure Holding Testing (PHT), and initiate the Solution Delivery System (SDS).
Participate in and document Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) activities.
Review treatment sheets for completeness, confirm required nursing signatures, and ensure omitted entries are completed or corrected by appropriate staff.
Prepare initial patient charts and compile paperwork for placement in the chart; prepare and print laboratory requisitions for prescribed or stat specimens.
Assist with infection-control audits, support staff and patient adherence to infection-control practices, follow infection-control policies, and reinforce patient and family education under the direction of the CM or designee as allowed by state law.
For 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 allowed by state law, and liaise with appropriate staff to support the patient experience and scheduled care.
Help patients understand home dialysis products and benefits, treatment options, and the peritoneal dialysis setup; assist with transition to the patient’s chosen modality.
Set up and perform treatments on all machines used in the Transitional Care Unit, and assist with supply ordering and inventory.