Patient Care Technician - PCT

Fresenius Medical Care•Salem, OR

3d•Onsite

About The Position

The Patient Care Technician (PCT) 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 organization policies, procedures, and training, as well as applicable corporate, state, and federal regulations. The PCT sets up and operates hemodialysis machines, helps maintain a safe and clean working environment, and supports quality enhancement and continuous quality improvement activities, including efforts to improve patient satisfaction and outcomes. The position provides patient education and care throughout dialysis treatment, including assessing vascular access, cannulation, monitoring patient condition and treatment response, documenting treatment information, collecting laboratory specimens, and reporting changes or unusual findings to a registered nurse or supervisor. The PCT also prepares, tests, cleans, and disinfects dialysis equipment and the treatment area, maintains records, supports infection-control practices, and assists with staff training under nursing supervision. In the Transitional Care Unit, the PCT follows newly admitted patients through their first four weeks of dialysis and helps coordinate transitional care. This includes reinforcing patient education, helping patients understand treatment and home-dialysis options, coordinating appointments and transitions to a chosen modality, operating treatment machines, and assisting with supplies and inventory. The role involves direct patient care in a health care facility and travel between assigned facilities and community locations. Work may include exposure to infectious materials, frequent standing and bending, assisting with patient movement and ambulation, and lifting or moving supplies and equipment. 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 applicable 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 for continued employment.
Successfully complete CPR certification for continued employment.
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 the described physical demands, including frequent prolonged standing and bending, assisting with patient movement and ambulation, and lifting or lowering solutions and equipment.

Nice To Haves

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

Responsibilities

Provide patient-specific education about adequacy measures, disease processes, and vascular access, as appropriate and under applicable supervision.
Welcome assigned patients and ask about their wellbeing since their last treatment.
Evaluate vascular access, perform cannulation, and administer heparin when delegated or permitted by state law.
Obtain and document pre- and post-treatment vital signs and weights, including required patient identification and vascular access evaluations.
Initiate dialysis according to prescribed orders, including blood and dialysate flow settings.
Calculate and enter prescribed machine programming, including ultrafiltration goals, treatment time, and ultrafiltration modeling.
Ensure required safety alarms are enabled, including Narrow Venous Limits (NVL) 160, and perform machine safety checks.
Monitor patient response to dialysis, evaluate intradialytic problems, and provide and document interventions as prescribed or directed.
Obtain vital signs before reinfusion, discontinue treatment according to established procedures, assess the patient before termination of venous access, achieve hemostasis, and apply dressings.
Evaluate patients before discharge and complete treatment evaluations and documentation, including treatment sheets and applicable progress notes.
Report significant information, changes in patient condition, and unusual findings to the registered nurse or supervisor.
Monitor vascular access during treatment, including arterial and venous pressures, and document and report unusual findings.
Obtain prescribed laboratory tests; collect, label, prepare, store, and arrange courier collection of specimens according to laboratory requirements.
Clean blood spills promptly with appropriate disinfectant and prepare 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 nursing supervision.
Follow organization 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.
Prepare for dialysis treatments, document tasks as appropriate, perform required machine alarm testing including Pressure Holding Testing (PHT), and initiate the Solution Delivery System (SDS).
Participate in and document Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) activities; enter treatment data accurately and promptly into the designated clinical application.
Review treatment sheets for completeness, confirm 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 infection-control practices, follow infection-control policies and procedures, and support patient and family infection-control education as directed and as allowed by state law.
In the Transitional Care Unit, follow newly admitted patients through their first four weeks of dialysis and coordinate transitional care.
Reinforce education and care information for new patients and liaise with appropriate staff to support the patient experience and scheduled care plan.
Help patients understand home-dialysis products, benefits, and options, including demonstrating peritoneal dialysis setup.
Set up and perform treatments on machines used in the Transitional Care Unit and assist with transitions to the patient's chosen modality.
Assist with Transitional Care Unit supply ordering and inventory.