Patient Care Technician - PCT

Fresenius Medical Care•Garfield Heights, OH

3d•Onsite

About The Position

The Patient Care Technician works as part of an outpatient dialysis health care team to provide safe, effective dialysis therapy under the direct supervision of a licensed nurse. The role includes setting up and operating hemodialysis machines, providing direct patient care, maintaining a safe and clean environment, documenting treatment information, and supporting quality improvement and infection control activities. The position also supports transitional dialysis care for newly admitted patients, including education and coordination of care and modality transitions. The employer provides 12 full weeks of paid comprehensive training. The role is full-time, with four 10-hour shifts per week, early morning start times as early as 5 a.m., and every other Saturday. Candidates must be available for scheduling Monday through Saturday; clinics are closed Sundays, and there are no overnight shifts. Requests for specific set start times or specific days each week cannot be accommodated. Temporary summer positions are not available.

Requirements

High school diploma or GED.
Meet CMS-approved state and/or national certification requirements within the applicable state or CMS timeline.
Meet any applicable state licensure, education, and training requirements.
Successfully complete the organization’s dialysis training program; continued employment depends on successful completion.
Successfully complete CPR certification; continued employment depends on successful completion.
Demonstrate commitment to the organization’s culture, values, and customer service standards.
Be available for scheduling Monday through Saturday, with early morning start times as early as 5 a.m.; specific set start times and days cannot be accommodated.
Take the Ishihara Color Blindness test as a condition of employment; failing the test does not preclude employment, and reasonable accommodations may be considered.
Meet the physical demands of direct patient care, including frequent prolonged standing, bending, heavy lifting and moving of patients, and assisting with ambulation; occasional pushing or pulling equipment with up to 15 pounds of force; frequent lifting and lowering of solutions up to 30 pounds and occasional lifting up to 40 pounds as high as five feet. Assistance and material-aid devices 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 or related facility.
Patient care experience in another field, such as STNA, phlebotomy, or EMT work.

Responsibilities

Provide patient-specific education alongside other health care team members, including education about adequacy measures, disease processes, and vascular access, as appropriate.
Welcome assigned patients and ask about their wellbeing since their previous treatment.
Assess vascular access patency, cannulate access, and administer heparin when 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 and dialysate flow settings; calculate and enter prescribed ultrafiltration goals, treatment times, and modeling.
Monitor patients’ response to dialysis, evaluate intradialytic problems, and provide interventions as prescribed or directed.
Discontinue treatment according to procedures; obtain hemostasis, apply dressings, evaluate patients before discharge, and document treatment completion and relevant observations.
Ensure appropriate machine safety alarms are enabled and perform machine safety checks according to facility policy.
Document vital signs, treatment parameters, patient evaluations, interventions, and patient responses accurately and promptly; report significant information or changes to a registered nurse or supervisor.
Monitor vascular access during treatment, including arterial and venous pressures, and report unusual findings.
Obtain prescribed laboratory tests; collect, label, prepare, store, and arrange collection of specimens according to laboratory requirements.
Clean blood spills promptly with the appropriate disinfectant and prepare, organize, and use supplies and equipment efficiently.
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, clean, and orderly environment.
Clean and disinfect dialysis machines, chairs, equipment, and surrounding areas between treatments according to facility policy.
Prepare for dialysis, perform and document required pretreatment machine alarm testing, including Pressure Holding Test (PHT), and initiate the Solution Delivery System (SDS).
Participate in and document Continuous Quality Improvement activities; enter treatment data into the designated clinical application and review treatment sheets for completeness and required signatures.
Prepare initial patient charts and paperwork, print laboratory requisitions, and ensure specimens are collected 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 as directed and permitted by law.
Follow newly admitted patients through their first four weeks of dialysis and coordinate transitional dialysis care.
Reinforce education and care information for new patients, liaise with facility staff to support the patient experience, and help ensure disciplines are scheduled according to the care plan.
Help patients understand home dialysis products, benefits, and options, including demonstrating peritoneal dialysis setup; assist with transition to the patient’s chosen modality.
Set up and perform treatments on machines used in the transitional care unit and assist with TCU supply ordering and inventory.