Patient Care Technician - PCT

Fresenius Medical Care•Mt Morris, MI

About The Position

The Patient Care Technician (PCT) 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 treatment and monitoring, and maintaining a safe, clean care environment in accordance with organizational policies, procedures, training, and applicable regulations. The technician supports the organization’s Quality Enhancement Program (QEP) and Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) activities, including efforts related to patient satisfaction and process improvement. The PCT supports patients throughout dialysis treatment by taking and documenting vital signs and weights, evaluating vascular access, initiating and discontinuing treatment as prescribed, monitoring patients’ responses, and reporting significant changes or unusual findings to the registered nurse or supervisor. The position also involves accurate clinical documentation, specimen collection and preparation, machine safety checks, infection-control practices, and preparation and disinfection of equipment and treatment areas. In the Transitional Care Unit, the PCT follows newly admitted patients through their first four weeks of dialysis, reinforces education under applicable supervision, helps coordinate care and treatment-option transitions, and assists patients in understanding home dialysis and related products. The position requires travel between assigned facilities and community locations and may require travel to regional, Business Unit, and Corporate meetings. The work takes place in a health care facility and may involve exposure to infectious or contagious materials, frequent standing and bending, and regular lifting and moving of patients or equipment.

Requirements

High school diploma or GED required.
Must meet CMS-approved state and/or national certification requirements within the required state or CMS timeline.
Must have any state licensure, education, and training required for the role.
Demonstrated commitment to the organization’s 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.
Must take the Ishihara Color Blindness test as a condition of employment; failure does not preclude employment, and reasonable accommodations may be considered.
Ability to perform direct patient care involving regular heavy lifting and moving of patients and assistance with ambulation, with equipment or coworker assistance when needed.
Ability to stand for frequent, prolonged periods and bend over.
Ability to occasionally push or pull equipment with up to 15 pounds of force.
Ability to frequently lift and lower solutions weighing up to 30 pounds and occasionally lift up to 40 pounds as high as five feet.

Nice To Haves

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

Responsibilities

Assist health care team members in providing 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 when 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 intervene as prescribed or directed.
Obtain vital signs before reinfusion, discontinue treatment according to established procedures, assess patients before termination of venous access, and obtain hemostasis and apply dressings.
Evaluate patients before discharge and document pre- and post-dialysis evaluations, weights, vital signs, and treatment information.
Calculate and enter prescribed machine programming, including ultrafiltration goals, treatment time, and ultrafiltration modeling; ensure required safety alarms are enabled.
Conduct machine safety checks and monitor patients performing self-care under RN supervision.
Report significant information, changes in patient condition, and unusual findings to the registered nurse or supervisor; document interventions and patient responses.
Monitor vascular access during treatment, including arterial and venous pressures, and document and report unusual findings.
Obtain prescribed laboratory tests; collect, label, prepare, store, and arrange collection of specimens according to laboratory specifications.
Clean blood spills promptly with appropriate disinfectant and prepare and use supplies and equipment efficiently to prevent waste.
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 a safe, clean, and orderly environment; clean and disinfect dialysis machines, chairs, equipment, and surrounding areas between treatments.
Prepare for dialysis treatment, conduct required machine alarm testing including Pressure Holding Testing (PHT), and initiate the Solution Delivery System (SDS).
Participate in and document Continuous Quality Improvement activities; 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, print laboratory requisitions, and ensure specimens are collected by the appropriate laboratory courier.
Assist with infection-control audits, support staff and patient adherence to infection-control practices, follow infection-control policies, and reinforce related 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 allowed by state law, and liaise with appropriate staff to support the patient experience and scheduled care.
Help patients understand home dialysis products, benefits, and options, including demonstrating peritoneal dialysis setup; assist with transition to the patient’s chosen modality.
Set up and perform treatment on machines used in the Transitional Care Unit and assist with supply ordering and inventory.