Patient Care Technician - PCT

Fresenius Medical Care•Birmingham, AL

About The Position

The Patient Care Technician (PCT) works as part of a dialysis health care team, providing safe and effective dialysis therapy under the direct supervision of a licensed nurse. The role involves setting up and operating hemodialysis machines, helping maintain a safe and clean environment, and supporting the organization’s Quality Enhancement Program and continuous quality improvement activities. The technician provides direct patient care, monitors patients during treatment, documents care, and reports significant changes or unusual findings to a registered nurse or supervisor. The position also supports patient education, infection control, laboratory specimen collection, staff training, and preparation of equipment and treatment areas. In the Transitional Care Unit, the technician follows newly admitted patients through their first four weeks of dialysis, reinforces education, helps coordinate care and modality transitions, and supports supply ordering and inventory. The work includes desk and computer work and interaction with patients, facility staff, and physicians. Travel between assigned facilities and community locations is required; travel to regional, Business Unit, or Corporate meetings may also be required. The work environment is characteristic of a health care facility, with controlled air temperature and moderate noise, and may involve exposure to infectious and contagious diseases or materials. Direct patient care regularly involves heavy lifting and moving patients and assisting with ambulation. Frequent, prolonged standing and bending are required; occasional pushing or pulling of equipment may require up to 15 pounds of force. The position also requires frequent lifting and lowering of solutions weighing up to 30 pounds and occasional lifting of up to 40 pounds to a height of 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 preclude employment, and reasonable accommodations may be considered.

Requirements

High school diploma or GED.
Must meet CMS-approved state and/or national certification requirements within the applicable state or CMS timeline.
Must have any applicable state licensure, education, and training required for the role.
Demonstrated commitment to organizational 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 perform the described physical duties, including frequent prolonged standing and bending, patient lifting and moving, and lifting or lowering solutions as specified.
Must take the Ishihara Color Blindness test as a condition of employment; failure does not automatically preclude employment.

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 previous treatment.
Evaluate vascular access, perform cannulation, and administer heparin as delegated or permitted by state law.
Obtain and record pre- and post-treatment vital signs and weights, and perform pre-treatment vascular access evaluations.
Initiate, monitor, and discontinue dialysis treatments according to prescriptions and established procedures.
Program dialysis machines for prescribed ultrafiltration goals, treatment times, and ultrafiltration modeling, and ensure required safety alarms are enabled.
Monitor patients’ responses to therapy, assess intradialytic problems, and provide interventions as prescribed or directed.
Obtain vital signs before reinfusion, achieve hemostasis, apply appropriate dressings, and evaluate patients before discharge and termination of venous access.
Document treatment parameters, vital signs, patient evaluations, interventions, and patient responses accurately and promptly in required records and clinical applications.
Report significant information, changes in patient condition, and unusual findings to the registered nurse or supervisor.
Conduct patient and machine safety checks according to facility policy and monitor vascular access pressures during treatment.
Obtain prescribed laboratory tests; collect, label, prepare, store, and arrange appropriate collection of specimens according to laboratory requirements.
Clean blood spills promptly with the appropriate disinfectant and prepare, organize, and use supplies and equipment efficiently to prevent waste.
Monitor patients performing self-care under RN supervision.
Assist in training applicable direct patient care staff on appropriate programs under nurse supervision.
Follow organizational policies, procedures, systems, ethical business practices, and infection-control requirements.
Maintain environmental integrity and aesthetics by keeping areas safe and clean; clean and disinfect dialysis machines, chairs, equipment, and surrounding areas between treatments.
Prepare for dialysis treatments, perform and document required machine alarm testing, including Pressure Holding testing, and initiate the Solution Delivery System.
Participate in and document ongoing Continuous Quality Improvement activities; review treatment sheets for completeness and ensure corrections or omitted entries are handled by appropriate staff.
Prepare initial patient charts and paperwork, print laboratory requisitions, and ensure specimens are collected by the appropriate laboratory courier.
Assist with infection-control audits and reinforce infection-control practices and education for patients and families under the direction of the CM 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 information for new patients, liaise with appropriate staff to support the patient experience, and help ensure disciplines are scheduled according to the care plan.
Help patients understand home dialysis products and benefits, treatment options, and 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.
Assist other health care team members in providing patient-specific education about adequacy measures, disease processes, and access where appropriate.