Patient Care Technician - PCT

Fresenius Medical Care•West Point, MS

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, and 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 improvement activities focused on patient outcomes and satisfaction. The PCT supports patients before, during, and after treatment. Duties include welcoming patients, checking their wellbeing, assessing vascular access, taking and documenting vital signs and weights, setting up and monitoring dialysis treatments, responding to treatment issues as directed, and evaluating patients before discharge. The technician documents treatment information, reports changes in condition to a registered nurse or supervisor, collects and prepares laboratory specimens, and follows infection-control practices. The role may also support patients in a Transitional Care Unit during their first four weeks of dialysis. This includes reinforcing education, coordinating care and appointments, explaining home dialysis products and treatment options, assisting with modality transitions, and supporting unit supply and inventory needs. The work involves direct patient care, frequent standing and bending, and lifting or moving patients and equipment. The employee may need to travel between assigned facilities and community locations. The position is based in a health care facility and may involve exposure to infectious or contagious materials.

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 the physical demands of the role, including frequent and prolonged standing, bending, assisting with patient ambulation, and lifting or lowering solutions and equipment as described in the posting.
Take the Ishihara Color Blindness test as a condition of employment; failing the test 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.

Responsibilities

Welcome assigned patients and ask about their wellbeing since their last treatment.
Educate patients, as appropriate and within applicable rules, about adequacy measures, disease processes, vascular access, infection control, and dialysis care.
Assess vascular access, perform cannulation, and administer heparin when delegated or permitted by state law.
Obtain and document pre- and post-treatment vital signs and weights, including relevant pre-treatment and post-treatment 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 UF modeling.
Monitor patient response to dialysis, evaluate intradialytic problems, provide prescribed or directed interventions, and document patient responses.
Perform required machine and patient safety checks, ensure appropriate safety alarms are enabled, and report unusual findings or changes in patient condition to a registered nurse or supervisor.
Discontinue dialysis according to established procedures, obtain hemostasis, apply dressings, and evaluate the patient before discharge.
Complete accurate and timely treatment documentation, including treatment sheets, vital signs, treatment parameters, progress notes when applicable, and clinical application entries.
Obtain prescribed laboratory tests; prepare, label, store, and arrange collection of specimens according to laboratory requirements.
Clean blood spills promptly with 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 under nurse supervision.
Maintain safe and clean work areas and clean and disinfect dialysis machines, chairs, equipment, and surrounding areas between treatments.
Prepare dialysis equipment and conduct required pretreatment machine alarm testing, including Pressure Holding Testing; initiate the Solution Delivery System.
Participate in Continuous Quality Improvement activities and infection-control audits and reinforce infection-control practices and education under appropriate direction.
Review treatment sheets for completeness, confirm nursing signatures, and ensure omitted entries are completed or corrected by appropriate staff.
Prepare initial patient charts and paperwork and prepare and print laboratory requisitions for prescribed or stat specimens.
In the Transitional Care Unit, follow newly admitted patients through their first four weeks of dialysis and coordinate transitional care.
Coordinate with appropriate staff to support the patient experience and ensure disciplines are scheduled according to the care plan.
Help patients understand home dialysis products, the benefits of home dialysis, treatment options, and peritoneal dialysis setup demonstrations.
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.
Travel between assigned facilities and community locations as required; travel to regional, Business Unit, and Corporate meetings may be required.