Patient Care Technician - PCT

Fresenius Medical Care•Newport Beach, CA

5d•$25 - $27

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 and in accordance with organizational policies, procedures, training, and applicable regulations. The role includes setting up and operating hemodialysis machines, assisting with patient care and education, maintaining a safe and clean environment, and supporting quality enhancement and continuous quality improvement activities. The technician welcomes and monitors patients, obtains and documents vital signs and weights, evaluates and cannulates vascular access, initiates and discontinues dialysis treatments according to prescribed orders, monitors treatment response, and reports significant changes or unusual findings to a nurse or supervisor. The role also involves machine safety checks, treatment documentation, laboratory specimen handling, infection-control practices, and assistance with staff training under nursing supervision. In the Transitional Care Unit, the technician supports newly admitted patients through their first four weeks of dialysis, reinforces education, helps coordinate care and modality transitions, and assists patients in understanding home dialysis and treatment options. The position involves travel between assigned facilities and community locations and provides direct patient care in a health care facility.

Requirements

High school diploma or GED.
Meet CMS-approved state and/or national certification requirements within the applicable 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 and CPR certification; continued employment depends on successful completion.
Pass the Ishihara Color Blindness test as a condition of employment; failure does not preclude employment, and reasonable accommodations may be considered.
Able to perform direct patient care involving heavy lifting and moving patients and assisting with ambulation, with equipment or coworker assistance as available.
Able to stand for frequent, prolonged periods and bend over; occasionally push or pull equipment exerting up to 15 pounds of force.
Able to frequently lift and lower solutions weighing up to 30 pounds and occasionally lift up to 40 pounds as high as five feet; a two-person assist program and material-assist devices are available for heavier items.

Nice To Haves

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

Responsibilities

Assist with patient-specific education about adequacy measures, the disease process, 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 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 treatments according to prescribed orders, including blood flow and dialysate flow settings.
Evaluate intradialytic problems, provide interventions as prescribed or directed, and monitor patient response to therapy.
Obtain vital signs before reinfusion and perform and document the steps needed to discontinue treatment.
Discontinue dialysis according to established procedures, evaluate the patient before terminating venous access, obtain hemostasis, and apply appropriate dressings.
Evaluate patients before discharge and complete pre- and post-dialysis evaluations.
Calculate and enter prescribed patient machine programming, including ultrafiltration goal, treatment time, and ultrafiltration modeling.
Ensure appropriate safety alarms are enabled, including Narrow Venous Limits.
Record accurate and timely vital signs, treatment parameters, treatment information, and relevant progress notes.
Report significant information, changes in condition, unusual findings, and vascular access concerns to the registered nurse or supervisor.
Observe patients and perform machine safety checks according to facility policy; document interventions and patient responses.
Obtain prescribed laboratory tests and collect, label, prepare, store, and arrange collection of specimens according to laboratory requirements.
Clean blood spills promptly with appropriate disinfectant and prepare and use supplies and equipment efficiently to prevent wastage.
Monitor patients performing self-care under RN supervision.
Assist with training applicable direct patient care staff on appropriate programs under nurse supervision.
Follow organizational business policies, procedures, systems, and ethical business practices.
Maintain safe and clean surroundings; clean and disinfect dialysis machines, chairs, equipment, and surrounding areas between treatments.
Prepare for dialysis treatments, perform and document required machine alarm testing including Pressure Holding, and initiate the Solution Delivery System.
Participate in and document Continuous Quality Improvement activities.
Enter treatment data accurately and promptly in the designated clinical application; review treatment sheets for completeness and ensure corrections or omitted entries are addressed by appropriate staff.
Prepare initial patient charts and paperwork, prepare or print laboratory requisitions, and ensure specimens are collected by the appropriate laboratory courier.
Assist with infection-control audits, support adherence to infection-control practices, follow infection-control policies and procedures, and reinforce patient and family education under direction as allowed by state law.
Follow newly admitted Transitional Care Unit patients through their first four weeks of dialysis and coordinate transitional dialysis care.
Reinforce education and care information for new patients as permitted 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 treatment options, including demonstrating peritoneal dialysis setup.
Set up and perform treatments on machines used in the Transitional Care Unit.
Assist in coordinating transition to the patient's selected modality and support Transitional Care Unit supply ordering and inventory.