Patient Care Technician - PCT Training Provided

Fresenius Medical Care•Lebanon, NH

About The Position

The Patient Care Technician (PCT) works 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, training, and applicable regulations. The role includes setting up and operating hemodialysis machines, assisting with a safe and clean care environment, and participating in quality improvement activities focused on patient satisfaction and organizational quality goals. The PCT welcomes and monitors patients throughout dialysis treatment, assesses vascular access, takes and records vital signs and weights, initiates and discontinues treatments according to prescribed orders, responds to treatment issues as directed, and reports significant changes to a registered nurse or supervisor. The role also includes accurate treatment documentation, machine safety checks, laboratory specimen collection and preparation, infection-control practices, equipment cleaning, supply management, and support for patients performing self-care under RN supervision. In the Transitional Care Unit, the PCT follows newly admitted patients through their first four weeks of dialysis, reinforces education, coordinates care with facility staff, supports understanding of home dialysis and treatment options, helps arrange modality transitions, and assists with supply inventory. The role requires travel between assigned facilities and community locations and may include travel to regional, business unit, and corporate meetings. The work takes place in a health care facility and may involve exposure to infectious materials, direct patient care, heavy lifting and moving patients, prolonged standing, bending, and occasional pushing or pulling equipment. The posting advertises a $5,000 bonus paid in three installments over 18 months, paid dialysis training, and funding for RN education with promotion once licensed. It also states that the position is full-time with full benefits and generous paid time off.

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.
Successfully complete the organization’s dialysis training program; continued employment depends on successful completion.
Successfully complete CPR certification; continued employment depends on successful completion.
Demonstrate commitment to organizational culture, values, and customer service standards.
Be able to perform the physical demands of the role, including frequent prolonged standing, bending, direct patient care involving heavy lifting and moving patients, frequent lifting or lowering solutions up to 30 pounds, occasional lifting up to 40 pounds as high as five feet, and occasional pushing or pulling equipment with up to 15 pounds of force.
Take the Ishihara Color Blindness test as a condition of employment; failure does not automatically preclude employment, and reasonable accommodations may be considered.
Previous patient care experience in a hospital or related facility is preferred, not required.

Nice To Haves

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

Responsibilities

Provide dialysis therapy as part of the health care team under the direct supervision of a licensed nurse.
Set up, operate, and perform safety checks on hemodialysis machines; conduct required pretreatment alarm testing and initiate the Solution Delivery System.
Welcome assigned patients and assess their wellbeing, vascular access, vital signs, and weight before, during, and after treatment.
Initiate and discontinue dialysis treatments according to prescribed orders and established procedures, including calculating and entering machine programming for ultrafiltration goals, treatment time, and ultrafiltration modeling.
Cannulate vascular access and administer heparin when delegated or permitted by state law.
Monitor patients’ response to dialysis, identify and address intradialytic problems as prescribed or directed, and report significant changes or unusual findings to the registered nurse or supervisor.
Obtain hemostasis, apply dressings, assess patients before discharge, and document treatment evaluations, interventions, vital signs, weights, and treatment parameters accurately and promptly.
Collect prescribed laboratory tests, prepare and store specimens according to laboratory requirements, and ensure courier collection.
Clean and disinfect dialysis machines, chairs, equipment, and surrounding areas between treatments; promptly clean blood spills using appropriate disinfectant.
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 nurse supervision.
Complete and document participation in Continuous Quality Improvement activities; enter treatment data and review treatment sheets and patient charts for completeness and corrections 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 and reinforce infection-control practices and education for patients and families 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 in the Transitional Care Unit and coordinate transitional care with appropriate staff.
Reinforce education for new patients, support understanding of home dialysis products and treatment options, and assist with demonstrations and 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.
Maintain a safe, clean environment and follow organizational policies, procedures, and ethical business practices.