Patient Care Technician - PCT

Fresenius Medical Care•Pineville, NC

14d

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, maintaining a safe and clean work environment, and supporting the organization’s Quality Enhancement Program and continuous quality improvement activities. The PCT welcomes and monitors patients throughout dialysis treatment, obtains and records vital signs and weights, evaluates vascular access, performs cannulation and delegated heparin administration as permitted, initiates and discontinues treatment according to prescribed orders and established procedures, monitors patient responses, intervenes as directed, and documents treatment accurately. The role also includes laboratory specimen collection and preparation, equipment and area cleaning, infection-control practices, patient education support, and assistance with staff training under nurse supervision. In the Transitional Care Unit, the PCT supports newly admitted patients during their first four weeks of dialysis, reinforces education, coordinates care with appropriate staff, helps patients understand treatment and home-dialysis options, performs treatments on unit machines, and assists with supply ordering and inventory.

Requirements

High school diploma or GED.
Meet CMS-approved state and/or national certification requirements within the required state or CMS timeline.
Meet all applicable state licensure, education, and training requirements.
Demonstrate commitment to organizational 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.
Able to perform the role’s physical demands, including frequent prolonged standing, bending, patient lifting and moving, assisting with ambulation, and lifting or lowering solutions and equipment as described.

Nice To Haves

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

Responsibilities

Welcome assigned patients and ask about their wellbeing since their last treatment.
Assist with patient-specific education about dialysis adequacy measures, disease processes, and vascular access, as appropriate.
Evaluate vascular access for patency, perform cannulation, and administer heparin as delegated or permitted by state law.
Obtain and record pre-, intra-, and post-treatment vital signs and weights, including required standing and sitting blood pressures; perform pre- and post-dialysis evaluations with initial identification.
Initiate dialysis according to prescribed orders, including blood-flow and dialysate-flow settings, and calculate and enter prescribed machine programming for ultrafiltration goals, treatment time, and UF modeling.
Ensure required safety alarms are enabled, including Narrow Venous Limits, and conduct machine safety checks according to facility policy.
Monitor patients’ responses to dialysis, evaluate intradialytic problems, perform interventions as prescribed or directed, document responses, and report significant changes or unusual findings to the registered nurse or supervisor.
Discontinue treatment according to established procedures, assess the patient and venous access, obtain hemostasis, apply dressings, and evaluate the patient before discharge.
Document vital signs, treatment parameters, interventions, patient evaluations, and other treatment information accurately and promptly on the Hemodialysis Treatment Sheet and in applicable records or clinical applications.
Evaluate vascular access during treatment, including arterial and venous monitoring pressures; intervene as appropriate, document, and report unusual findings.
Obtain prescribed laboratory tests; prepare, collect, label, and store specimens according to laboratory requirements; prepare requisitions and ensure collection by the appropriate courier.
Clean blood spills promptly with 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 safe and clean work areas; clean and disinfect dialysis machine surfaces, chairs, equipment, and surrounding areas between treatments according to facility policy.
Prepare for dialysis treatments, perform and document required machine alarm testing, including Pressure Holding Test (PHT), and initiate the Solution Delivery System (SDS).
Complete and document ongoing participation in Continuous Quality Improvement activities; review treatment sheets for completeness and ensure missing entries are addressed by appropriate staff.
Prepare initial patient charts for admission and compile paperwork for chart placement.
Assist with infection-control audits, reinforce infection-control practices, follow infection-control policies and procedures, and support patient and family infection-control 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; liaise with appropriate staff to support the patient experience and ensure disciplines are scheduled according to the plan.
Help patients understand home dialysis products, benefits, and treatment options, including demonstrating peritoneal dialysis setup, and assist with transition to the patient’s chosen modality.
Set up and perform treatments on all machines used in the Transitional Care Unit and assist with its supply ordering and inventory.