Patient Care Technician - PCT

Fresenius Medical Care•Fircrest, WA

5d•$22 - $27

About The Position

The Patient Care Technician (PCT) is part of the dialysis health care team and provides safe, effective dialysis therapy under the direct supervision of a licensed nurse. The role follows organizational 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 supports the Quality Enhancement Program (QEP) and Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) activities, including patient satisfaction and process improvement. The position involves direct patient care throughout dialysis treatment, including preparing and monitoring treatments, assessing vascular access, recording vital signs and treatment data, responding to patient needs, and reporting changes in condition. The technician also assists with patient education, laboratory specimen handling, infection control, equipment preparation and disinfection, and staff training under nursing supervision. In the Transitional Care Unit, the technician supports newly admitted patients through their first four weeks of dialysis, reinforces education, coordinates care with appropriate staff, supports understanding of home dialysis and treatment options, and assists with modality transitions and supply inventory. The role requires travel between assigned facilities and community locations, and may involve travel to regional, Business Unit, and Corporate meetings. The work takes place in a health care facility and may involve exposure to infectious or contagious materials, frequent standing and bending, and lifting or moving patients and supplies.

Requirements

High school diploma or GED.
Must meet CMS-approved state and/or national certification requirements within the applicable state or CMS timeline.
Must 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.
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.
Ability to perform direct patient care involving heavy lifting and moving patients and assisting with ambulation, with equipment or coworker assistance as needed.
Ability to stand for frequent, prolonged periods and bend over.
Ability to occasionally push or pull equipment using up to 15 pounds of force.
Ability to frequently lift and lower solutions weighing up to 30 pounds and occasionally lift up to 40 pounds as high as five feet; two-person assistance and material-assist devices are available for heavier items.

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.
Assist health care team members with patient-specific education about adequacy measures, disease processes, and vascular access, as appropriate.
Assess vascular access patency, perform cannulation, and administer heparin as delegated or permitted by state law.
Obtain and document pre- and post-treatment weights and vital signs, including required evaluations before, during, and after treatment.
Initiate dialysis according to prescribed orders, including blood flow and dialysate flow settings.
Calculate and enter prescribed dialysis machine programming for ultrafiltration goals, treatment time, and ultrafiltration modeling.
Ensure required safety alarms are enabled and perform machine safety checks according to facility policy.
Monitor patients' responses to dialysis, assess intradialytic problems, and provide interventions as prescribed or directed.
Discontinue dialysis according to established procedures, evaluate patients before termination and discharge, obtain hemostasis, and apply appropriate dressings.
Document treatment parameters, vital signs, evaluations, interventions, and other required patient information accurately and promptly.
Report significant information, changes in patient condition, and unusual findings to the registered nurse or supervisor.
Monitor vascular access pressures during treatment, intervene as appropriate, and document and report unusual findings.
Obtain prescribed laboratory tests; collect, label, prepare, store, and arrange for pickup of laboratory specimens according to requirements.
Clean blood spills promptly using 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 business policies, procedures, systems, and ethical business practices.
Maintain a safe, clean environment and disinfect dialysis machines, chairs, equipment, and surrounding areas between treatments.
Prepare for dialysis treatments, complete required machine alarm testing including Pressure Holding (PHT), and initiate the Solution Delivery System (SDS).
Participate in and document Continuous Quality Improvement activities; enter treatment data into the designated clinical application.
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 laboratory requisitions for prescribed or stat specimens.
Assist with infection-control audits, reinforce adherence to infection-control practices, follow infection-control policies and procedures, and support patient and family education under 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, coordinate 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, the benefits of home dialysis, and available treatment options, including demonstrating peritoneal dialysis setup.
Assist with coordination of transitions 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.
Travel between assigned facilities and locations in the community; travel to regional, Business Unit, and Corporate meetings may be required.