patient care technician

Fresenius Medical Care•Youngstown, OH

22d

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 organization policies, procedures, training, and applicable corporate, state, and federal regulations. It is responsible for setting up and operating hemodialysis machines, maintaining a safe and clean environment, and supporting quality improvement and patient-satisfaction activities. The technician welcomes and monitors patients, evaluates vascular access, performs cannulation and other delegated treatment tasks, initiates and discontinues dialysis, monitors patient response, and documents treatment information. The role also performs machine safety checks, collects and prepares laboratory specimens, maintains infection-control practices, and prepares equipment and supplies. In transitional care, the technician supports newly admitted patients during their first four weeks of dialysis, reinforces education, helps coordinate care and modality transitions, and supports patient understanding of home dialysis options.

Requirements

High school diploma or GED.
Meet applicable CMS-approved state and/or national certification requirements within the required state or CMS timeline.
Obtain any required state licensure, education, and training.
Demonstrate commitment to the organization's culture, values, and customer-service standards.
Successfully complete the organization's dialysis training program to remain employed.
Successfully complete CPR certification to remain employed.
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 travel between assigned facilities and locations within the community; travel to regional, Business Unit, and Corporate meetings may be required.
Ability to perform direct patient care involving regular heavy lifting and moving of patients, assistance with ambulation, frequent prolonged standing, and bending.
Ability to occasionally push or pull equipment with up to 15 pounds of force and frequently lift and lower solutions up to 30 pounds, with occasional lifting up to 40 pounds as high as 5 feet.

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 previous treatment.
Evaluate vascular access for patency, perform cannulation, and administer heparin when delegated or permitted by state law.
Obtain and document pre- and post-treatment weights and vital signs, and perform pre-treatment vascular access evaluations.
Initiate dialysis according to prescribed orders, including blood-flow and dialysate-flow settings.
Evaluate intradialytic problems, provide interventions as prescribed or directed, and monitor and document patient responses.
Discontinue dialysis according to established procedures, assess patients before termination of venous access and discharge, obtain hemostasis, and apply appropriate dressings.
Calculate and enter prescribed dialysis machine programming, including ultrafiltration goals, treatment time, and ultrafiltration modeling.
Ensure required machine safety alarms are enabled and observe patients while conducting machine safety checks.
Accurately and promptly document treatment parameters, vital signs, interventions, and patient information in treatment sheets and clinical applications.
Report significant information, changes in patient condition, unusual findings, and vascular-access concerns to the registered nurse or supervisor.
Obtain prescribed laboratory tests and collect, label, prepare, store, and arrange collection of specimens according to laboratory requirements.
Clean blood spills promptly with appropriate disinfectant and prepare, organize, and use supplies and equipment efficiently.
Monitor patients performing self-care under RN supervision.
Assist with training applicable direct patient care staff on appropriate programs under nurse supervision.
Follow organization policies and procedures, ethical business practices, and infection-control requirements.
Maintain a safe and clean environment; clean and disinfect dialysis machines, chairs, equipment, and surrounding areas between treatments.
Prepare dialysis machines and conduct required pre-treatment alarm testing, including Pressure Holding Tests, and initiate the Solution Delivery System.
Participate in and document Continuous Quality Improvement activities; review treatment sheets for completeness and ensure missing or incorrect entries are addressed by appropriate staff.
Prepare initial patient charts and paperwork, print laboratory requisitions, and coordinate specimen collection by the appropriate courier.
Assist with infection-control audits and reinforce infection-control practices and education for patients and families under appropriate supervision.
Follow newly admitted patients through their first four weeks of dialysis and coordinate transitional dialysis care.
Reinforce education for new patients, coordinate with facility staff to support the care plan and patient experience, and help patients understand home dialysis products and options.
Set up and perform treatments on machines used in the transitional care unit, demonstrate peritoneal dialysis setup, and assist with transition to the patient's chosen modality.
Assist with transitional care unit supply ordering and inventory.