Patient Care Technician - PCT

Fresenius Medical Care • Canton, IL

8d

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 involves setting up and operating hemodialysis machines, assisting with a safe and clean work environment, and supporting quality improvement and patient satisfaction activities. The PCT provides direct patient care, monitors patients during treatment, documents care, and reports changes or unusual findings to a registered nurse or supervisor.

The position also supports patient education, infection control, continuous quality improvement, laboratory specimen handling, and training of applicable direct patient care staff under nurse supervision. In the Transitional Care Unit, the PCT follows newly admitted patients during their first four weeks of dialysis, reinforces education, helps coordinate care and modality transitions, and assists with treatment equipment, supplies, and inventory.

The work includes desk and computer tasks and interaction with patients, facility 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 work environment is that of a health care facility with controlled air temperature and moderate noise. The employee may be exposed to infectious and contagious diseases or materials. Direct patient care regularly involves heavy lifting and moving patients and assisting with ambulation. Frequent, prolonged standing and bending are required; occasional pushing or pulling of equipment up to 15 pounds and lifting or lowering solutions frequently up to 30 pounds and occasionally up to 40 pounds, as high as five feet, may be required. A two-person assist program and material-assist devices are available for heavier items. Employees must take the Ishihara Color Blindness test as a condition of employment; failing the test does not preclude employment, and reasonable accommodations will be considered.

Requirements

• High school diploma or GED required.
• Meet Center for Medicaid/Medicare Services (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 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 preclude employment, and reasonable accommodations will be considered.
• Able to perform the stated physical demands, including frequent prolonged standing and bending, patient lifting and movement, and lifting or lowering solutions.

Nice To Haves

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

Responsibilities

• Provide patient-specific education with other health care team members on adequacy measures, disease processes, and vascular access, as appropriate.
• Welcome assigned patients and ask about their wellbeing since their previous treatment.
• Evaluate vascular access 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 dialysis according to prescribed orders, including blood and dialysate flow rates; calculate and enter prescribed machine programming for ultrafiltration goals, treatment time, and ultrafiltration modeling.
• Ensure required machine safety alarms are enabled, including Narrow Venous Limits (NVL) 160.
• Monitor patient responses to dialysis, identify intradialytic problems, and provide interventions as prescribed or directed.
• Obtain vital signs before reinfusion, perform functions required to discontinue treatment, discontinue dialysis according to established procedures, and evaluate patients before and after termination of venous access, including standing and sitting blood pressure.
• Obtain hemostasis and apply appropriate dressings; evaluate patients before discharge.
• Record accurate and timely treatment information, vital signs, treatment parameters, pre- and post-dialysis evaluations, weights, and interventions in the required treatment records and clinical applications.
• Report significant information, changes in patient condition, and unusual findings to the registered nurse or supervisor; document interventions and patient responses.
• Observe patients and conduct machine safety checks according to facility policy, including evaluation and monitoring of vascular access pressures during treatment.
• 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 RN supervision.
• Assist in training applicable direct patient care staff on appropriate programs under nurse supervision.
• Follow organizational policies, procedures, systems, and ethical business practices; maintain a safe, clean, and aesthetically appropriate environment.
• Clean and disinfect dialysis machine surfaces, chairs, equipment, and surrounding areas between treatments according to facility policy.
• Prepare for dialysis treatment, conduct and document required pretreatment 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 and ensure missing or incorrect entries are addressed by appropriate staff.
• Prepare initial patient charts for admission, compile paperwork, and prepare or 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 infection control education under direction as allowed by state law.
• In the Transitional Care Unit, follow newly admitted patients through their first four weeks of dialysis and coordinate transitional dialysis care.
• Reinforce education and care matters for new patients as allowed by state law, 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 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.

Benefits

• Medical insurance
• Dental insurance
• Vision insurance
• 401(k) with company match
• Paid time off
• Parental leave
• Potential performance-based bonuses, depending on company and individual performance, for bonus-eligible positions

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: High school or GED