Patient Care Technician - PCT

Fresenius Medical Care•Cape Girardeau, MO

12d•Onsite

About The Position

The Patient Care Technician functions as part of a dialysis health care team, providing safe and effective dialysis therapy under the direct supervision of a licensed nurse and in accordance with organizational policies, procedures, training, and applicable regulations. The role is responsible for setting up and operating hemodialysis machines and helping maintain a safe, clean treatment environment. The technician supports the Quality Enhancement Program (QEP), Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) activities, patient satisfaction, and process improvements intended to help patients meet quality goals. The position provides patient-specific support before, during, and after dialysis treatments. Duties include welcoming patients, assessing their wellbeing and vascular access, obtaining weights and vital signs, initiating and discontinuing prescribed treatments, monitoring patient and machine responses, responding to problems as directed, documenting care, collecting laboratory specimens, and reporting significant changes to a registered nurse or supervisor. The technician also helps educate patients and families, supports infection-control practices, and may assist with training applicable direct patient care staff under nursing supervision. In the Transitional Care Unit, the technician follows newly admitted patients through their first four weeks of dialysis, reinforces care and treatment education within the scope allowed by state law, coordinates with facility staff to support the patient experience, helps patients understand home dialysis and treatment options, assists with modality transitions, and helps manage supplies and inventory. The work takes place in a health care facility and includes desk and computer work, interaction with patients and clinical staff, and travel between assigned facilities and community locations. Regional, Business Unit, and Corporate meeting travel may be required. The position involves direct patient care, frequent and prolonged standing, bending, and lifting or moving patients and supplies; equipment or coworkers may assist. Employees may be exposed to infectious or contagious diseases and materials. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals to perform essential functions.

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.
Demonstrated commitment to organizational 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 the physical functions described, including frequent and prolonged standing, bending, lifting, and moving patients or supplies, with assistance or devices where applicable.
Employees are required to 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.

Responsibilities

Assist the health care team with patient-specific education about adequacy measures, disease processes, and vascular access, as appropriate.
Welcome assigned patients and ask about their wellbeing since their last treatment.
Evaluate vascular access for patency, perform cannulation, and administer heparin as delegated or permitted by state law.
Obtain and document pre- and post-treatment weights and vital signs, including initial patient identification, and evaluate vascular access before treatment.
Initiate dialysis according to prescribed orders, including blood-flow and dialysate-flow settings.
Calculate and enter prescribed dialysis machine programming, including ultrafiltration goal, treatment time, and ultrafiltration modeling.
Ensure appropriate machine 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, and provide interventions as prescribed or directed.
Obtain vital signs before reinfusion, discontinue treatment according to established procedures, assess patients before termination of venous access, obtain hemostasis, apply dressings, and evaluate patients before discharge.
Document treatment parameters, vital signs, patient assessments, interventions, responses, and other required information accurately and promptly in treatment sheets and clinical applications.
Report significant information, changes in condition, unusual findings, and vascular-access concerns to the registered nurse or supervisor.
Obtain prescribed laboratory tests; prepare, collect, label, store, and arrange courier 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 with training applicable direct patient care staff on appropriate programs under the supervision of a nurse.
Follow organizational business policies, procedures, systems, and ethical business practices.
Maintain a safe and clean environment; clean and disinfect dialysis machines, chairs, equipment, and surrounding areas between treatments.
Prepare for dialysis treatments, document preparation where appropriate, conduct required pretreatment machine alarm tests including Pressure Holding Test (PHT), and initiate the Solution Delivery System (SDS).
Complete and document ongoing participation in CQI activities; review treatment sheets for completeness and ensure required signatures and corrections are addressed by appropriate staff.
Prepare initial patient charts and admission 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 reinforce patient and family education under the direction of the Center Manager or designee as permitted 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 permitted by state law, and liaise with appropriate staff to coordinate visits according to the patient’s plan.
Help patients understand home dialysis products, the benefits of home dialysis, and treatment options, including demonstrating peritoneal dialysis setup.
Set up and perform treatments on machines used in the Transitional Care Unit, assist with coordination of transitions to patients’ chosen modalities, and help with supply ordering and inventory.