Patient Care Technician - PCT

Fresenius Medical Care•Rayville, LA

10d

About The Position

Functions as part of a dialysis health care team to provide safe and effective dialysis therapy under the direct supervision of a licensed nurse, following organizational policies, procedures, training, and applicable regulations. The role is responsible for setting up and operating hemodialysis machines and maintaining a safe, clean work environment. It supports the Quality Enhancement Program (QEP), continuous quality improvement activities, patient satisfaction, and process improvements that help patients achieve quality goals. The Patient Care Technician welcomes and monitors patients, performs vascular access assessments and cannulation, obtains pre- and post-treatment measurements, initiates and discontinues dialysis according to prescribed orders and procedures, monitors patients and machine safety, responds to treatment concerns as directed, and documents treatment information. The position also collects and prepares laboratory specimens, maintains treatment areas and equipment, supports infection control, and contributes to staff training under a nurse’s supervision. In the Transitional Care Unit, the technician follows newly admitted patients through their first four weeks of dialysis, reinforces education, coordinates with facility staff, supports understanding of treatment options and home dialysis, performs treatments on TCU machines, and helps coordinate modality transitions and supplies. The position involves patient interaction and direct patient care, travel between assigned facilities and community locations, regular standing and bending, and frequent lifting and moving of patients and supplies. Employees must take the Ishihara Color Blindness test; failing it does not automatically preclude employment, and reasonable accommodations may be considered.

Requirements

High school diploma or GED.
Meet Center for Medicaid/Medicare Services (CMS)-approved state and/or national certification requirements within the applicable state or CMS timeline.
Meet all applicable state licensure, education, and training requirements.
Demonstrated commitment to the organization’s culture, values, and customer service standards.
Successful completion of the organization’s dialysis training program is required for continued employment.
Successful completion of CPR certification is required for continued employment.
Ability to take the Ishihara Color Blindness test as a condition of employment; failing the test does not automatically preclude employment, and reasonable accommodations may be considered.
Ability to perform direct patient care involving frequent, prolonged standing, bending, and regular heavy lifting and moving of patients and assistance with ambulation.
Ability to push and/or pull equipment with up to 15 pounds of force occasionally, frequently lift and lower solutions up to 30 pounds, and occasionally lift up to 40 pounds as high as 5 feet; assistance devices or coworkers may be available.

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 prior treatment.
Assess 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, including initial patient identification and relevant pre- and post-treatment evaluations.
Initiate, monitor, and discontinue dialysis treatments according to prescribed orders and established procedures.
Calculate and enter patient-specific dialysis machine programming for ultrafiltration goals, treatment time, and prescribed UF modeling.
Ensure appropriate machine safety alarms are enabled, including Narrow Venous Limits (NVL) 160, and perform machine safety checks according to facility policy.
Monitor patient responses to dialysis, evaluate intradialytic problems, perform interventions as prescribed or directed, and report significant changes or unusual findings to a registered nurse or supervisor.
Monitor vascular access during treatment, including arterial and venous pressures; intervene as appropriate and document and report unusual findings.
Obtain vital signs before reinfusion, achieve hemostasis, apply appropriate dressings, evaluate patients before discharge, and complete treatment documentation.
Complete accurate and timely treatment records, including the Hemodialysis Treatment Sheet, progress notes where applicable, and designated clinical application entries.
Obtain prescribed laboratory tests; prepare, label, store, and arrange collection of specimens according to laboratory requirements.
Prepare and efficiently use supplies and equipment to prevent waste.
Monitor patients performing self-care under RN supervision.
Assist with training applicable direct patient care staff on appropriate programs under a nurse’s supervision.
Follow organizational 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 according to facility policy.
Prepare for dialysis treatments, document required tasks, perform pretreatment machine alarm testing including Pressure Holding (PHT), and initiate the Solution Delivery System (SDS).
Participate in and document Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) activities.
Review treatment sheets for completeness, verify nursing signatures, and ensure omitted entries are completed or corrected by appropriate staff.
Prepare initial patient charts and compile paperwork for placement in charts; prepare and print laboratory requisitions for prescribed or stat specimens.
Assist with infection control audits, support adherence to infection control practices, follow infection control policies and procedures, and reinforce infection control education for patients and families under the Center Manager’s direction or designee as permitted by state law.
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 permitted by state law, and liaise with facility staff to support the patient experience and scheduled discipline visits.
Help patients understand home dialysis products, benefits, and how home dialysis may work for them; assist with explaining treatment options, including demonstrating peritoneal dialysis setup.
Set up and perform treatments on machines used in the Transitional Care Unit; assist with coordinating transition to the patient’s chosen modality and with TCU supply ordering and inventory.