Patient Care Technician - PCT

Fresenius Medical Care•Goodyear, AZ

12d

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 follows organization policies, procedures, and training, as well as applicable regulatory requirements. The technician sets up and operates hemodialysis machines, helps maintain a safe and clean environment, and participates in quality improvement activities focused on patient outcomes and satisfaction. The PCT supports patients throughout dialysis treatment, including obtaining and documenting vital signs and weights, evaluating and cannulating vascular access, initiating and discontinuing treatment according to prescribed orders, monitoring patients and machine safety, responding to treatment-related issues as directed, and preparing laboratory specimens. The role also includes accurate clinical documentation, infection-control practices, equipment cleaning, and support for staff training under nurse supervision. In the Transitional Care Unit, the PCT follows newly admitted patients through their first four weeks of dialysis, reinforces education, coordinates care with appropriate staff, helps patients understand treatment options and home dialysis, and assists with transition to the patient’s chosen modality. The position involves direct patient care, travel between assigned facilities and community locations, and physical activity including standing, bending, lifting, and moving patients or equipment.

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 the organization’s culture, values, and customer service standards.
Successfully complete the organization’s dialysis training program and CPR certification to continue employment.
Pass 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 heavy lifting and moving patients and assisting with ambulation; frequent, prolonged standing and bending; occasional pushing or pulling of equipment with up to 15 pounds of force; frequent lifting and lowering of solutions up to 30 pounds; and occasional lifting up to 40 pounds as high as five feet.
Ability to travel between assigned facilities and locations within the community; travel to regional, Business Unit, and Corporate meetings may be required.

Nice To Haves

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

Responsibilities

Provide patient-specific education about adequacy measures, disease processes, and vascular access as appropriate and under applicable supervision.
Welcome assigned patients and ask about their wellbeing since their previous treatment.
Evaluate vascular access, perform cannulation, and administer heparin when delegated or permitted by state law.
Obtain and document pre- and post-treatment vital signs and weights, including required patient identification and pre-treatment vascular access evaluation.
Initiate dialysis according to prescribed orders, including blood-flow and dialysate-flow settings, and calculate and enter prescribed machine programming for ultrafiltration goals, treatment time, and UF modeling.
Ensure appropriate machine safety alarms are enabled and perform machine safety checks according to facility policy.
Monitor patients’ responses to dialysis, evaluate intradialytic problems, provide interventions as prescribed or directed, and document patient responses.
Perform required pre-reinfusion and treatment-discontinuation tasks, including vital signs, standing and sitting blood pressure, hemostasis, dressings, and evaluation before discharge.
Document treatment parameters, vital signs, evaluations, interventions, progress notes where applicable, and other patient-treatment information accurately and promptly.
Report significant information, changes in condition, or unusual findings to the registered nurse or supervisor.
Monitor vascular access pressures during treatment, intervene as appropriate, and document and report unusual findings.
Obtain prescribed laboratory tests and collect, label, prepare, store, and arrange courier collection of specimens according to laboratory requirements.
Clean blood spills promptly using appropriate disinfectant and prepare 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.
Follow organization business policies, procedures, training systems, and ethical business practices.
Maintain a safe and clean environment; clean and disinfect the dialysis machine, chair, equipment, and surrounding area between treatments.
Prepare for dialysis treatments, complete required documentation, perform pretreatment machine alarm testing including Pressure Holding Test (PHT), and initiate the Solution Delivery System (SDS).
Participate in and document Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) activities; enter treatment data accurately and promptly in the designated clinical application.
Review treatment sheets for completeness and nursing signatures, and ensure omitted entries are completed or corrected by appropriate staff.
Prepare initial patient charts and paperwork for admission and placement in the chart; prepare or print laboratory requisitions for prescribed or stat specimens.
Assist with infection-control audits, reinforce adherence to infection-control practices, follow infection-control policies and procedures, and support patient and family education under direction of the CM or designee as allowed by state law.
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 allowed by state law; liaise with appropriate staff to support the patient experience and scheduled services.
Help patients understand home dialysis products and benefits, treatment options, and peritoneal dialysis setup demonstrations.
Set up and perform treatments on machines used in the Transitional Care Unit, assist with coordination of the transition to the patient’s chosen modality, and help with TCU supply ordering and inventory.