Patient Care Technician - PCT

Fresenius Medical Care•Chehalis, WA

6d•$21 - $25

About The Position

The Patient Care Technician 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, assisting with patient education and care, maintaining a safe and clean work environment, and supporting quality improvement activities. The technician monitors patients throughout treatment, documents treatment information, reports changes in condition, and follows organizational policies and applicable regulations. The position also supports the Transitional Care Unit by helping newly admitted patients through their first four weeks of dialysis, reinforcing education, coordinating care with appropriate staff, assisting patients in understanding treatment options, and supporting transition to their chosen modality. Duties include preparing and processing laboratory specimens, maintaining infection-control practices, and assisting with supply and inventory management.

Requirements

High school diploma or GED.
Meet 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 and CPR certification; continued employment depends on successful completion.
Ability to travel between assigned facilities and locations within the community; travel to regional, Business Unit, and Corporate meetings may be required.
Ability to perform the position’s physical demands, including frequent and prolonged standing, bending, assisting with patient movement and ambulation, and lifting and lowering solutions and equipment as described.
Take the Ishihara Color Blindness test as a condition of employment; failing the test 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 health care team members with patient-specific education about dialysis adequacy, disease processes, and vascular access.
Welcome assigned patients and ask about their wellbeing since their last treatment.
Evaluate vascular access, perform cannulation, and administer heparin as delegated or permitted by state law.
Obtain and document pre- and post-treatment vital signs and weights, and evaluate vascular access before treatment.
Initiate dialysis according to prescribed orders, including blood-flow and dialysate-flow settings.
Monitor patients’ responses to dialysis, identify intradialytic problems, and provide interventions as prescribed or directed.
Perform treatment discontinuation procedures, obtain hemostasis, apply dressings, and evaluate patients before discharge.
Calculate and enter prescribed dialysis machine programming, including ultrafiltration goals, treatment time, and ultrafiltration modeling.
Ensure required machine safety alarms are enabled and conduct machine safety checks according to facility policy.
Accurately document treatment parameters, vital signs, patient evaluations, interventions, and other required clinical information.
Report significant information, changes in condition, and unusual findings to the registered nurse or supervisor.
Evaluate vascular access during treatment, monitor arterial and venous pressures, intervene as appropriate, and document and report findings.
Obtain prescribed laboratory tests and collect, label, prepare, store, and arrange collection of specimens according to requirements.
Clean blood spills promptly with the appropriate disinfectant and prepare and use supplies and equipment efficiently.
Monitor patients performing self-care under RN supervision.
Assist in training applicable direct patient care staff on appropriate programs under nurse supervision.
Maintain a safe, clean, and orderly environment; clean and disinfect dialysis machines, chairs, equipment, and surrounding areas between treatments.
Prepare for dialysis treatments, perform required pretreatment machine alarm testing, and initiate the Solution Delivery System.
Follow organizational policies, procedures, systems, and ethical business practices.
Participate in and document Continuous Quality Improvement activities, and enter treatment data accurately and promptly in the designated clinical application.
Review treatment sheets for completeness, verify nursing signatures, and ensure omitted entries are completed or corrected by appropriate staff.
Prepare initial patient charts and paperwork, and prepare or print laboratory requisitions for prescribed or stat specimens.
Assist with infection-control audits, reinforce adherence to infection-control practices, and participate in patient and family infection-control education under the direction of the care manager or designee as allowed by state law.
Follow newly admitted patients through their first four weeks of dialysis and coordinate transitional dialysis care.
Coordinate 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 its supply ordering and inventory.