Patient Care Technician - PCT

Fresenius Medical Care•Rio Rancho, NM

13d

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 includes setting up and operating hemodialysis machines, assisting with patient care and monitoring, maintaining a safe and clean work environment, and supporting the organization’s Quality Enhancement Program (QEP) and continuous quality improvement activities. The technician follows organization policies and procedures and applicable state and federal regulations. The PCT assists with patient education, prepares and monitors dialysis treatments, evaluates vascular access, records treatment information, obtains and prepares laboratory specimens, and reports changes in patient condition to a registered nurse or supervisor. In the Transitional Care Unit, the technician supports newly admitted patients during their first four weeks of dialysis, reinforces education, helps patients understand treatment and home-dialysis options, and assists with care coordination and supplies. The work includes desk and computer tasks as well as direct patient care in a health care facility. The position requires travel between assigned facilities and community locations; travel to regional, Business Unit, and Corporate meetings may also be required. The work environment has controlled air temperature and moderate noise and may involve exposure to infectious or contagious diseases and materials. Direct care regularly involves heavy lifting and moving patients and assisting with ambulation. 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.
Meet CMS-approved state and/or national certification requirements within the applicable state or CMS timeline.
Meet any 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 the test does not preclude employment, and reasonable accommodations may be considered.
Ability to perform direct patient care involving regular heavy lifting and moving of patients, assistance with ambulation, frequent and prolonged standing, bending, occasional pushing or pulling of equipment with up to 15 pounds of force, frequent lifting and lowering of solutions up to 30 pounds, and occasional lifting up to 40 pounds as high as 5 feet; assistance devices and a two-person assist program are available for heavier items.

Nice To Haves

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

Responsibilities

Assist health care team members with patient-specific education about adequacy measures, disease processes, and vascular access, as appropriate.
Welcome assigned patients and ask about their wellbeing since their last treatment.
Evaluate vascular access for patency, perform cannulation, and administer heparin as delegated or permitted by state law.
Obtain and document pre-, during-, and post-treatment vital signs and weights, and evaluate vascular access before treatment.
Initiate dialysis according to prescribed orders, including blood-flow and dialysate-flow settings; calculate and enter prescribed machine programming for ultrafiltration goals, treatment time, and ultrafiltration modeling.
Monitor patients’ responses to dialysis, evaluate intradialytic problems, and provide interventions as prescribed or directed.
Perform treatment discontinuation procedures, obtain hemostasis, apply dressings, evaluate patients before discharge, and document treatment completion.
Ensure appropriate machine safety alarms are enabled and conduct patient observation and machine safety checks according to facility policy.
Record accurate, timely treatment information and complete treatment sheets, progress notes, and other required documentation; report significant information or changes in patient condition to the registered nurse or supervisor.
Monitor vascular access pressures during treatment, intervene as needed, and document and report unusual findings.
Obtain prescribed laboratory tests and collect, label, prepare, store, and arrange for collection of specimens according to laboratory requirements.
Clean blood spills promptly using the 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 programs under nurse supervision.
Follow organization policies, procedures, systems, and ethical business practices; maintain a safe, clean environment.
Clean and disinfect dialysis machine surfaces, chairs, equipment, and surrounding areas between treatments.
Prepare for dialysis treatments, perform required machine alarm testing including Pressure Holding Testing, and initiate the Solution Delivery System.
Participate in and document Continuous Quality Improvement activities; enter treatment data accurately and promptly in 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 paperwork; prepare and print laboratory requisitions and ensure specimens are collected by the appropriate courier.
Assist with infection-control audits, support adherence to infection-control practices, follow infection-control policies and procedures, and reinforce patient and family education 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 and liaise with appropriate staff to support the patient experience and ensure disciplines are scheduled according to the care plan.
Help patients understand home dialysis products, benefits, and options, including demonstrating peritoneal dialysis setup; support 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.