Patient Care Technician - PCT

Fresenius Medical Care•San Carlos, AZ

14d

About The Position

The Patient Care Technician 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 organizational policies, procedures, training, and applicable regulations. It includes setting up and operating hemodialysis machines, maintaining a safe and clean environment, and participating in Quality Enhancement Program (QEP) and Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) activities to support patient satisfaction and quality goals. The technician supports patients throughout dialysis treatment by preparing equipment, assessing patients and vascular access, initiating and monitoring treatments, responding to problems as directed, recording treatment information, and completing post-treatment care. The role also involves collecting and preparing laboratory specimens, maintaining accurate clinical records, supporting infection-control practices, and helping train applicable direct patient care staff under nurse supervision. In the Transitional Care Unit, the technician follows newly admitted patients through their first four weeks of dialysis, reinforces education, coordinates care with appropriate staff, supports patients' understanding of treatment and home-dialysis options, performs treatments on unit machines, and assists with transition planning, supplies, and inventory. The position involves work at a health care facility and travel between assigned facilities and community locations; travel to regional, Business Unit, and Corporate meetings may be required. Work includes interaction with patients, staff, and physicians; possible exposure to infectious or contagious diseases or materials; frequent prolonged standing and bending; and regular heavy lifting and patient movement. The job may require lifting solutions up to 30 pounds frequently and up to 40 pounds occasionally, as high as five feet, as well as occasional pushing or pulling with up to 15 pounds of force. Assistance and material-handling devices are available for heavier items. Employees must take the Ishihara Color Blindness test as a condition of employment; failing it does not preclude employment, and reasonable accommodations will be considered.

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.
Demonstrated commitment to the organization's culture, values, and customer service standards.
Successfully complete the organization's dialysis training program to continue employment.
Successfully complete CPR certification to continue employment.
Ability to perform the stated physical duties, including frequent prolonged standing, bending, moving and assisting patients, and lifting solutions up to 30 pounds frequently and up to 40 pounds occasionally, with assistance or material-handling devices available for heavier items.
Must 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.

Responsibilities

Assist with patient-specific education about adequacy measures, disease processes, and vascular access, as appropriate and within applicable scope.
Welcome assigned patients and ask about their wellbeing since their last treatment.
Assess vascular access, perform cannulation, and administer heparin when delegated or permitted by state law.
Obtain and record pre-, intra-, and post-treatment vital signs and weights, and conduct relevant patient 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 modeling.
Ensure required machine safety alarms are enabled, including Narrow Venous Limits, and perform machine safety checks according to facility policy.
Monitor patients' responses to dialysis, evaluate intradialytic problems, and provide interventions as prescribed or directed; report significant changes and unusual findings to a registered nurse or supervisor.
Discontinue treatment according to established procedures, assess the patient before termination of venous access and discharge, obtain hemostasis, apply dressings, and document the treatment.
Record accurate and timely vital signs, treatment parameters, evaluations, interventions, and other patient-treatment information in the designated records and applications.
Evaluate vascular access during treatment, including arterial and venous monitoring pressures, and document, intervene, and report unusual findings as appropriate.
Obtain prescribed laboratory tests; prepare, collect, label, store, and arrange 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 organizational 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 treatment, perform and document required pretreatment machine alarm testing, including Pressure Holding Test, and initiate the Solution Delivery System.
Participate in and document CQI activities; review treatment sheets for completeness and ensure missing or corrected entries and nursing signatures are addressed by appropriate staff.
Prepare initial patient charts and paperwork and prepare or print laboratory requisitions for prescribed or stat specimens.
Assist with infection-control audits, reinforce adherence to infection-control practices, follow infection-control policies, and support patient and family education under the direction of the CM or designee as allowed 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 allowed by state law, and liaise with appropriate staff to support the patient experience and ensure visits are scheduled according to 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 supply ordering and inventory.