Patient Care Tehcnician - PCT

Fresenius Medical Care•Ironton, 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 organization policies, procedures, and training, along with applicable corporate, state, and federal regulations. The technician sets up and operates hemodialysis machines, helps maintain a safe and clean work environment, and participates in quality improvement activities focused on patient satisfaction and organizational quality goals. The PCT assists with patient education and dialysis treatments, including assessing vascular access, obtaining vital signs and weights, initiating and discontinuing treatment, monitoring patients and machines, responding to treatment issues as directed, and documenting care. The role also handles laboratory specimen collection and preparation, infection-control tasks, equipment cleaning, supply management, clinical recordkeeping, and support for staff training under a nurse’s supervision. In the Transitional Care Unit, the PCT supports newly admitted patients during their first four weeks of dialysis, reinforces education, coordinates care with facility staff, helps patients understand treatment and modality options, performs treatments on unit machines, and assists with supply ordering and inventory. The work includes desk and computer tasks and regular interaction with patients, staff, and physicians. Travel between assigned facilities and community locations is required; travel to regional, Business Unit, and Corporate meetings may also be required. The environment is characteristic of a health care facility, with controlled air temperature and moderate noise, and may involve exposure to infectious or contagious diseases and materials. The role involves direct patient care, frequent prolonged standing, bending, and regularly lifting and moving patients; lifting solutions up to 30 pounds frequently and up to 40 pounds occasionally; and occasionally pushing or pulling equipment with up to 15 pounds of force. Assistance and material-handling devices are available for heavier items. Employees must take the Ishihara Color Blindness test; failing the test does not preclude employment, and reasonable accommodations may be considered.

Requirements

High school diploma or GED.
Meet applicable 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 the organization’s culture, values, and customer service standards.
Successfully complete the organization’s dialysis training program; continued employment depends on completion.
Successfully complete CPR certification; continued employment depends on completion.
Ability to perform the described physical functions, including frequent prolonged standing, bending, and patient lifting and moving, with assistance or material-handling devices available for heavier items.
Take the Ishihara Color Blindness test as a condition of employment; failing the test does not preclude employment, and reasonable accommodations may be considered.

Nice To Haves

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

Responsibilities

Assist health care team members with patient-specific education on adequacy measures, disease processes, and vascular access, as appropriate.
Welcome assigned patients and ask about their well-being since their previous treatment.
Assess 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, and perform required vascular access evaluations.
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.
Ensure required safety alarms are enabled and observe patients while conducting machine safety checks according to facility policy.
Monitor patients’ responses to dialysis, evaluate intradialytic problems, and provide interventions as prescribed or directed; report significant changes or unusual findings to a registered nurse or supervisor.
Obtain vital signs before reinfusion, discontinue treatment according to established procedures, assess the patient before termination of venous access, obtain hemostasis, apply dressings, and evaluate the patient before discharge.
Document treatment parameters, vital signs, evaluations, interventions, patient responses, and other required information accurately and promptly, including the Hemodialysis Treatment Sheet and applicable progress notes.
Evaluate vascular access during treatment, monitor arterial and venous pressures, intervene as needed, and document and report unusual findings.
Obtain prescribed laboratory tests; 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 to prevent waste.
Monitor patients performing self-care under the supervision of an RN.
Assist with training applicable direct patient care staff on programs under nurse supervision.
Follow organization policies, procedures, systems, and ethical business practices; maintain safe, clean, and orderly work areas.
Clean and disinfect dialysis machine surfaces, chairs, equipment, and surrounding areas between treatments according to facility policy.
Prepare for dialysis treatments, document as appropriate, perform required pretreatment machine alarm testing including Pressure Holding Test, and initiate the Solution Delivery System.
Participate in Continuous Quality Improvement activities and 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 and print laboratory requisitions for prescribed or stat specimens.
Assist with infection-control audits, support staff and patient 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 allowed 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 as allowed by state law, and liaise with appropriate staff to support the patient experience and scheduled care.
Help patients understand home dialysis products, the benefits of home dialysis, and how it may work for them.
Set up and perform treatments on machines used in the Transitional Care Unit and demonstrate peritoneal dialysis setup as part of treatment-options education.
Help coordinate transition to the patient’s chosen modality and assist with Transitional Care Unit supply ordering and inventory.