Patient Care Technician - PCT

Fresenius Medical Care•Garfield Heights, OH

12d•Onsite

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, providing direct patient care, monitoring patients during treatment, documenting treatment information, and maintaining a safe and clean work environment in accordance with organization policies, procedures, training, and applicable regulations. The technician supports quality improvement and patient satisfaction activities. This is a regular, full-time outpatient clinic position in Garfield Heights. Technicians work four 10-hour shifts per week, with early morning starts as early as 5 a.m. and every other Saturday. Candidates must be available to be scheduled Monday through Saturday; requests for fixed start times or specific days cannot be accommodated. Clinics are closed Sundays, and there are no overnight shifts. No prior dialysis experience is required; the employer provides 12 full weeks of paid comprehensive training. The position involves patient education and treatment support; operating and checking dialysis equipment; obtaining vital signs, weights, and laboratory specimens; documenting care; reporting changes in patient condition; and following infection-control procedures. It may also include supporting newly admitted patients through their first four weeks of dialysis and helping coordinate transitional and home-dialysis education and care. The work takes place in a health care facility with temperature control and moderate noise. Employees interact with patients, facility staff, and physicians, and may travel between assigned facilities and community locations. The role involves exposure to infectious materials, frequent prolonged standing and bending, and regular heavy lifting and moving of patients, with assistance or devices available for heavier items. Employees must take the Ishihara color-vision test; failing it does not automatically preclude employment, and reasonable accommodations will be considered.

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.
Demonstrate commitment to the organization’s culture, values, and customer service standards.
Successfully complete the organization’s dialysis training program as a condition of continued employment.
Successfully complete CPR certification as a condition of continued employment.
Be able to perform the physical demands of the role, including frequent prolonged standing, bending, assisting with patient ambulation, and lifting or moving patients and supplies.
Be available for scheduling Monday through Saturday; fixed start times or specific weekly days cannot be accommodated.
Take the Ishihara color-vision test as a condition of employment; failing the test does not automatically preclude employment, and reasonable accommodations may be considered.

Nice To Haves

Previous patient care experience in a hospital or related facility is preferred.
Patient care experience in another field, such as STNA, phlebotomy, or EMT work, is preferred.
Prior dialysis experience is not required.

Responsibilities

Welcome assigned patients and ask about their wellbeing since their last treatment.
Provide patient-specific education with other health care team members, including information about adequacy measures, disease processes, and vascular access, as appropriate.
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, evaluate intradialytic problems, and provide interventions as prescribed or directed.
Perform the steps required to discontinue treatment, assess patients before and after treatment, 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 appropriate safety alarms are enabled and perform machine safety checks according to facility policy.
Accurately and promptly document treatment parameters, vital signs, interventions, patient responses, and other required information in treatment sheets and clinical applications.
Report significant information, changes in patient condition, unusual findings, and access concerns to the registered nurse or supervisor.
Obtain prescribed laboratory tests and 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.
Monitor patients performing self-care under registered nurse supervision.
Assist with training applicable direct patient care staff under a nurse’s supervision.
Maintain a safe, clean environment and 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.
Participate in and document Continuous Quality Improvement activities; review treatment sheets for completeness and help ensure missing or incorrect entries are addressed 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, follow infection-control policies, support adherence to infection-control practices, and reinforce patient and family education under appropriate direction.
For transitional care patients, follow patients through their first four weeks of dialysis and coordinate transitional care with relevant staff and disciplines.
Reinforce education for new patients, help explain 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.