Patient Care Technician - PCT

Fresenius Medical Care•Kingsville, TX

8d•Onsite

About The Position

Functions as part of a dialysis health care team to provide safe and effective dialysis therapy under the direct supervision of a licensed nurse, following organization policies, procedures, training, and applicable regulations. Sets up and operates hemodialysis machines and helps maintain a safe, clean working environment. Supports the organization’s Quality Enhancement Program and continuous quality improvement activities, including initiatives related to patient satisfaction and improved patient outcomes. Provides direct patient care before, during, and after dialysis. This includes welcoming patients; assessing their wellbeing and vascular access; obtaining weights and vital signs; initiating, monitoring, and discontinuing treatment according to prescribed orders and established procedures; responding to treatment-related problems; and documenting care and patient responses. The technician reports significant changes or unusual findings to a registered nurse or supervisor, obtains and prepares prescribed laboratory specimens, and maintains treatment supplies and equipment. The role also includes maintaining accurate treatment and patient records, assisting with staff training under nurse supervision, following infection-control procedures, and cleaning and disinfecting equipment and treatment areas. In the Transitional Care Unit, the technician supports newly admitted patients during their first four weeks of dialysis, reinforces education, helps coordinate care and modality transitions, demonstrates treatment options as appropriate, and assists with supplies and inventory. The position involves work in a health care facility and travel between assigned facilities and community locations; travel to regional, Business Unit, or Corporate meetings may also be required. Work includes desk and computer tasks and frequent interaction with patients, facility staff, and physicians. Employees may be exposed to infectious and contagious diseases or materials. Direct patient care regularly involves heavy lifting and moving patients, assisting with ambulation, prolonged standing, bending, and frequent lifting of solutions up to 30 pounds; occasional lifting may be up to 40 pounds. Equipment or coworkers may assist with heavier items, and material-assist devices and a two-person assist program are available. 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.
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.
Demonstrated commitment to the organization’s culture, values, and customer service standards.
Successful completion of the organization’s dialysis training program is required for continued employment.
Successful completion of CPR certification is required for continued employment.
Ability to perform direct patient care duties involving frequent prolonged standing, bending, patient lifting and moving, and assisting patients with ambulation.
Ability to 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-assist devices are available for heavier items.
Take the Ishihara color blindness test as a condition of employment; failure does not preclude employment, and reasonable accommodations will be considered.

Nice To Haves

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

Responsibilities

Assist with patient-specific education about adequacy measures, disease processes, and vascular access as appropriate and as allowed by state law.
Welcome assigned patients and ask about their wellbeing since their last treatment.
Assess vascular access patency, cannulate access, and administer heparin as delegated or permitted by state law.
Obtain and document pre- and post-treatment weights and vital signs, including required pre-treatment and pre-reinfusion assessments.
Initiate dialysis according to prescribed orders, including blood-flow and dialysate-flow settings.
Calculate and enter prescribed patient-specific machine programming, including ultrafiltration goals, treatment time, and ultrafiltration modeling.
Ensure required safety alarms are enabled, including Narrow Venous Limits, and conduct machine safety checks.
Monitor patients’ responses to dialysis, evaluate intradialytic problems, provide interventions as prescribed or directed, and document interventions and responses.
Discontinue treatment according to established procedures, assess patients before termination of venous access and discharge, obtain hemostasis, and apply appropriate dressings.
Document vital signs, treatment parameters, treatment details, evaluations, and progress notes accurately and promptly; ensure treatment sheets are complete and required signatures and corrections are obtained.
Report significant information, changes in patient condition, and unusual findings to the registered nurse or supervisor.
Monitor vascular access during treatment, including arterial and venous pressures, 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 using 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 organization business policies and systems, including ethical business practices.
Maintain a safe, clean environment; clean and disinfect machines, chairs, equipment, and surrounding areas between treatments.
Prepare for dialysis treatments, perform and document required machine alarm testing, including Pressure Holding Testing, and initiate the Solution Delivery System.
Complete and document ongoing participation in Continuous Quality Improvement activities and enter treatment data into the designated clinical application accurately and promptly.
Prepare initial patient charts and admission paperwork, print laboratory requisitions, and ensure specimens are collected by the appropriate laboratory courier.
Assist with infection-control audits, support staff and patient adherence to infection-control practices, follow infection-control policies, and reinforce patient and family infection-control education under the direction of the CM or designee 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 information for new patients as allowed by state law, and liaise with appropriate staff to support the patient experience and scheduled multidisciplinary care.
Help patients understand home dialysis products and benefits, treatment options, and peritoneal dialysis setup; assist with transitions to the patient’s chosen modality.
Set up and perform treatments on all machines used in the Transitional Care Unit and assist with supply ordering and inventory.