Patient Care Technician - PCT

Fresenius Medical Care•Oakland Park, FL

22d

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 technician sets up and operates hemodialysis machines, helps maintain a safe and clean work environment, and participates in Quality Enhancement Program (QEP) and Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) activities focused on patient satisfaction and quality goals. The position provides direct patient care throughout dialysis treatments. Duties include welcoming patients, checking their condition and vascular access, recording weights and vital signs, initiating and monitoring prescribed treatments, responding to treatment issues, discontinuing treatment, documenting care, and reporting significant changes to a registered nurse or supervisor. The technician also prepares laboratory specimens, maintains treatment records and patient charts, supports infection-control practices, and cleans and prepares machines and treatment areas between patients. In the Transitional Care Unit, the technician follows newly admitted patients through their first four weeks of dialysis, reinforces education, helps coordinate care and modality transitions, and supports patient understanding of home dialysis and treatment options. The role may involve travel between assigned facilities and community locations, direct interaction with patients and clinical staff, and physical tasks including prolonged standing, bending, and lifting or moving patients and supplies.

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.
Demonstrated commitment to organizational culture, values, and customer service standards.
Successfully complete the organization’s dialysis training program; continued employment is dependent on successful completion.
Successfully complete CPR certification; continued employment is dependent on successful completion.
Pass 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, assist with ambulation, stand for frequent and prolonged periods, and bend over.
Ability to occasionally push or pull equipment with up to 15 pounds of force, frequently lift and lower solutions up to 30 pounds, and occasionally lift up to 40 pounds as high as five feet; assistance and material-assist devices are available for heavier items.

Nice To Haves

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

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 previous treatment.
Evaluate vascular access patency, cannulate vascular access, and administer heparin when delegated or permitted by state law.
Obtain and record pre-, intra-, and post-treatment vital signs and weights, and perform vascular access evaluations.
Initiate dialysis treatments according to prescribed orders, including blood-flow and dialysate-flow settings.
Calculate and enter prescribed patient dialysis-machine programming, including ultrafiltration goals, treatment time, and ultrafiltration modeling.
Ensure appropriate machine safety alarms are enabled, including Narrow Venous Limits, and conduct machine safety checks according to facility policy.
Monitor patients’ responses to dialysis, evaluate intradialytic problems, and provide prescribed or directed interventions; document interventions and patient responses.
Discontinue treatments according to established procedures, assess patients before termination of venous access and discharge, obtain hemostasis, and apply appropriate dressings.
Record accurate and timely treatment parameters, vital signs, evaluations, and other required information in the Hemodialysis Treatment Sheet and clinical application.
Report significant information, changes in patient condition, and unusual findings to the registered nurse or supervisor.
Monitor and document vascular-access pressures during treatment and provide appropriate intervention for unusual findings.
Obtain prescribed laboratory tests; collect, label, prepare, store, and arrange courier collection of specimens according to laboratory requirements.
Prepare, organize, and use supplies and equipment efficiently to prevent wastage.
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 treatments, perform and document required machine alarm testing, including Pressure Holding Test, and initiate the Solution Delivery System.
Participate in and document CQI activities; enter treatment data accurately and promptly; review treatment sheets for completeness and follow up on missing or incorrect entries with appropriate staff.
Prepare initial patient charts and paperwork, and 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 appropriate direction.
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 as permitted by state law, and liaise with appropriate 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 help coordinate transition to the patient’s chosen modality.
Assist with Transitional Care Unit supply ordering and inventory.