Patient Care Technician -PCT

Fresenius Medical Care•Akron, OH

About The Position

The Patient Care Technician (PCT) works as part of the dialysis health care team to provide safe and effective dialysis therapy under the direct supervision of a licensed nurse. The role follows organizational policies, procedures, and training requirements, as well as applicable state and federal regulations. The PCT sets up and operates hemodialysis machines, helps maintain a safe and clean environment, and participates in quality improvement activities focused on patient satisfaction and organizational quality goals. The position provides hands-on patient care before, during, and after dialysis treatments. Duties include assessing vascular access, initiating and discontinuing treatments according to prescribed orders, monitoring patients and machine safety, documenting treatment information, responding to changes in patient condition, and communicating concerns to a registered nurse or supervisor. The PCT also assists with laboratory specimen collection, infection control, patient education, staff training, and the coordination of care for newly admitted patients in the Transitional Care Unit. Work includes desk and computer tasks and regular interaction with patients, facility staff, and physicians. Travel between assigned facilities and community locations is required, and travel to regional, Business Unit, or Corporate meetings may be required. The work environment is a health care facility with controlled air temperature and moderate noise; exposure to infectious and contagious diseases or materials may occur. The role regularly involves heavy lifting and moving of patients, assisting with ambulation, and prolonged standing and bending. Employees may occasionally push or pull equipment with up to 15 pounds of force, frequently lift and lower solutions weighing up to 30 pounds, and occasionally lift up to 40 pounds as high as five feet. Assistance and material-handling devices are available for heavier items. An Ishihara color blindness test is required as a condition of employment; failing the test does not automatically preclude employment, and reasonable accommodations may be considered. A high school diploma or GED is required. The employee must meet applicable CMS-approved state and/or national certification requirements within the required timeline and have any required state licensure, education, and training. Continued employment depends on successfully completing the organization’s dialysis training program and CPR certification. Previous patient care experience in a hospital or related facility is preferred.

Requirements

High school diploma or GED.
Meet applicable CMS-approved state and/or national certification requirements within the required state or CMS timeline.
Hold any state licensure and complete education and training required for the role.
Demonstrate commitment to the organization’s culture, values, and customer service standards.
Successfully complete the organization’s dialysis training program; continued employment is dependent on successful completion.
Successfully complete CPR certification; continued employment is dependent on successful completion.
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.
Ability to perform the physical demands described, including patient lifting and movement, prolonged standing, bending, and lifting or lowering solutions and equipment.

Nice To Haves

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

Responsibilities

Assist health care team members with patient-specific education about adequacy measures, disease processes, and 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 vital signs and weights, and perform pre-treatment vascular access evaluations.
Initiate, monitor, and discontinue dialysis treatments according to prescribed orders and established procedures.
Calculate and enter patient-specific dialysis machine programming, including ultrafiltration goals, treatment time, and ultrafiltration modeling as prescribed.
Ensure appropriate machine safety alarms are enabled and conduct machine safety checks according to facility policy.
Monitor patients’ responses to dialysis, assess intradialytic problems, provide prescribed or directed interventions, and document patient responses.
Evaluate vascular access during treatment, monitor arterial and venous pressures, intervene as needed, and report unusual findings.
Obtain prescribed laboratory tests and collect, label, prepare, store, and arrange collection of specimens according to laboratory requirements.
Document treatment parameters, vital signs, evaluations, interventions, and other patient-care information accurately and promptly in required records and clinical applications.
Report significant information and changes in patient condition to the registered nurse or supervisor.
Monitor patients performing self-care under RN supervision.
Assist with training applicable direct patient-care staff on appropriate programs under nurse supervision.
Follow organizational policies, procedures, systems, and ethical business practices.
Maintain safe and clean work areas; clean and disinfect dialysis machines, chairs, equipment, and surrounding areas between treatments.
Prepare for dialysis treatments, perform required machine alarm testing including Pressure Holding Test (PHT), and initiate the Solution Delivery System (SDS).
Participate in and document Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) activities.
Review treatment sheets for completeness, confirm nursing signatures, and ensure omissions are completed or corrected by appropriate staff.
Prepare initial patient charts and paperwork for admission and placement in the chart.
Prepare and print laboratory requisitions for prescribed or stat specimens and ensure specimens are collected by the appropriate courier.
Assist with infection-control audits, reinforce infection-control practices, follow infection-control policies and procedures, and support patient and family education as directed.
Follow newly admitted Transitional Care Unit patients through their first four weeks of dialysis and coordinate their transitional dialysis care.
Reinforce education and care information for new patients as allowed by state law, and liaise with appropriate staff to coordinate a positive patient experience and scheduled services.
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.