Patient Care Technician - PCT

Fresenius Medical Care•Del Rio, TX

About The Position

The Patient Care Technician functions 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, as well as applicable corporate, state, and federal regulations. The technician sets up and operates hemodialysis machines, helps maintain a safe and clean environment, and participates in quality improvement activities focused on patient satisfaction and organizational quality goals. The position provides direct patient support before, during, and after dialysis treatments. Duties include assessing patients and vascular access, initiating and discontinuing prescribed treatments, monitoring patients and equipment, documenting treatment information, responding to issues, and collecting laboratory specimens. The technician also supports infection control, staff training, and care transitions for newly admitted patients in the Transitional Care Unit, including education and coordination related to treatment options and home dialysis. The work includes desk and computer tasks and interaction with patients, facility staff, and physicians. Travel between assigned facilities and community locations is required, and travel to regional, Business Unit, or Corporate meetings may be required. The work environment is typical of a health care facility, with controlled air temperature and moderate noise; exposure to infectious or contagious diseases or materials may occur. Physical work includes frequent, prolonged standing, bending, heavy lifting and moving of patients, and assisting with ambulation. Employees may occasionally push or pull equipment with up to 15 pounds of force, frequently lift or lower solutions weighing up to 30 pounds, and occasionally lift up to 40 pounds as high as five feet. Assistance and material-handling devices are available for heavier items. Employees must 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.

Requirements

High school diploma or GED.
Meet 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; continued employment depends on successful completion.
Successfully complete CPR certification; continued employment depends on successful completion.
Take the Ishihara Color Blindness test as a condition of employment; failing it does not automatically preclude employment, and reasonable accommodations may be considered.
Ability to perform the described physical duties, including frequent standing and bending, patient lifting and movement, and lifting or lowering solutions as specified.

Nice To Haves

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

Responsibilities

Provide patient-specific education support regarding adequacy measures, disease processes, and vascular access, as appropriate and under applicable supervision.
Welcome assigned patients and ask about their wellbeing since their previous treatment.
Evaluate vascular access for patency, perform cannulation, and administer heparin when delegated or permitted by state law.
Obtain and document pre-, intra-, and post-treatment vital signs and weights, and perform pre-treatment vascular access evaluations.
Initiate dialysis according to prescribed orders, including blood-flow and dialysate-flow settings; calculate and enter prescribed ultrafiltration goals, treatment times, and modeling.
Ensure required machine safety alarms are enabled and observe patients while conducting machine safety checks according to facility policy.
Monitor patients’ responses to dialysis, evaluate intradialytic problems, and provide interventions as prescribed or directed.
Obtain vital signs before reinfusion, discontinue treatment according to established procedures, assess patients before termination of venous access and discharge, obtain hemostasis, and apply dressings.
Document treatment parameters, evaluations, interventions, patient responses, and other required information accurately and promptly, including on treatment sheets and in the designated clinical application.
Report significant information, changes in condition, unusual findings, and vascular-access concerns to the registered nurse or supervisor.
Obtain prescribed laboratory tests; prepare, collect, label, store, and arrange for courier collection of specimens according to laboratory requirements.
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 with training applicable direct patient care staff on appropriate programs under nurse supervision.
Follow organization policies, procedures, systems, and ethical business practices; maintain safe and clean work areas and preserve environmental integrity and aesthetics.
Clean and disinfect dialysis machine surfaces, chairs, equipment, and surrounding areas between treatments according to facility policy.
Prepare for dialysis treatments, document preparation where required, complete required machine alarm testing including Pressure Holding (PHT), and initiate the Solution Delivery System (SDS).
Participate in and document ongoing Continuous Quality Improvement 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 admission paperwork, and prepare or print requisitions for prescribed or stat laboratory specimens.
Assist with infection-control audits, support staff and patient adherence to infection-control practices, follow infection-control procedures, and reinforce infection-control 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 matters for new patients as permitted by state law, and liaise with appropriate staff to support the patient experience and scheduling of disciplines according to the care plan.
Help patients understand home dialysis products and benefits, treatment options, and peritoneal dialysis setup; assist with coordination of transition to the patient’s chosen modality.
Set up and perform treatments on machines used in the Transitional Care Unit and assist with its supply ordering and inventory.