Patient Care Technician - PCT

Fresenius Medical Care•Gulfport, MS

21d

About The Position

The Patient Care Technician (PCT) is part of the dialysis health care team and provides safe, effective dialysis therapy under the direct supervision of a licensed nurse. The role follows organization policies, procedures, and training requirements, as well as applicable corporate, state, and federal regulations. The PCT 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 intended to improve patient satisfaction and outcomes. The position provides direct patient care throughout dialysis treatment, including patient assessment, vascular access care, treatment setup and monitoring, documentation, specimen collection, and reporting changes in patient condition. The PCT also helps educate patients and families, supports infection-control practices, assists with training applicable care staff under nurse supervision, and performs associated recordkeeping and equipment-preparation duties. 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 understanding of treatment and home-dialysis options, and assists with transitions to the patient's chosen modality. The role involves work in a healthcare facility, travel between assigned facilities and community locations, and direct patient care that includes frequent 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.
Demonstrate commitment to the organization's culture, values, and customer-service standards.
Successfully complete the organization's dialysis training program as a condition of continued employment.
Successfully complete CPR certification as a condition of continued employment.
Take the Ishihara Color Blindness test as a condition of employment; failing the test does not preclude employment, and reasonable accommodations will be considered.
Be able to perform the position's physical functions, including frequent prolonged standing and bending, assisting with patient ambulation and movement, and lifting or lowering solutions and supplies as described.

Nice To Haves

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

Responsibilities

Welcome assigned patients and ask about their wellbeing since their previous treatment.
Provide patient-specific education about adequacy measures, disease processes, and vascular access as appropriate and within applicable state law.
Assess vascular access, 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, and calculate and enter prescribed machine programming for ultrafiltration goals, treatment time, and ultrafiltration modeling.
Ensure required 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, provide prescribed or directed interventions, and document interventions and patient responses.
Obtain vital signs before reinfusion; discontinue treatment according to established procedures; assess patients before termination of venous access and before discharge; obtain hemostasis and apply dressings.
Document treatment parameters, vital signs, assessments, and other patient-treatment information accurately and promptly on the appropriate records and clinical applications.
Report significant information, changes in condition, and unusual findings to the registered nurse or supervisor.
Monitor vascular-access pressures during treatment, intervene as appropriate, and document and report unusual findings.
Obtain prescribed laboratory tests, prepare and label specimens according to laboratory specifications, arrange their collection, and ensure samples are appropriately stored and collected by the laboratory courier.
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 in training applicable direct patient-care staff on appropriate programs under nurse supervision.
Follow organization business 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 for dialysis treatments, complete required pretreatment machine alarm testing including Pressure Holding Test (PHT), initiate the Solution Delivery System, and document tasks as required.
Participate in and document ongoing CQI activities; review treatment sheets for completeness and ensure required signatures and corrections are obtained from appropriate staff.
Prepare initial patient charts and admission paperwork, and prepare and print laboratory requisitions for prescribed or stat specimens.
Assist with infection-control audits, follow infection-control policies and procedures, support adherence to infection-control practices, and reinforce patient and family education under the direction of the Center Manager 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 as permitted by state law, and liaise with appropriate staff to support the patient experience and scheduled multidisciplinary visits.
Help patients understand home-dialysis products and benefits, treatment options, and peritoneal dialysis setup; assist with transitions to the patient's selected modality.
Set up and perform treatments on machines used in the Transitional Care Unit and assist with its supply ordering and inventory.