Patient Care Technician - PCT - Training Provided

Fresenius Medical Care•Clairton, PA

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, providing direct patient care, maintaining a safe and clean environment, documenting treatments, and supporting quality improvement and infection control activities. No prior dialysis experience is required; the position includes 11 weeks of paid on-the-job training. National certification is required within the applicable state or CMS timeline, and certification leads to a pay increase and promotion. The PCT welcomes and monitors patients, evaluates and cannulates vascular access, initiates and discontinues dialysis treatments according to prescribed orders, monitors patient responses, performs relevant interventions, and reports significant changes to a nurse or supervisor. The role also involves collecting laboratory specimens, maintaining treatment records, preparing equipment and supplies, and cleaning and disinfecting equipment and treatment areas. In the Transitional Care Unit, the PCT follows newly admitted patients through their first four weeks of dialysis, reinforces education, coordinates care with other staff, supports patients in understanding treatment options and home dialysis, and assists with supplies and inventory. 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 materials, heavy lifting and moving patients, frequent prolonged standing, bending, and occasional pushing or pulling equipment.

Requirements

High school diploma or GED.
Meet CMS-approved state and/or national certification requirements within the applicable state or CMS timeline.
Complete the organization's dialysis training program successfully; continued employment depends on successful completion.
Successfully complete CPR certification; continued employment depends on successful completion.
Meet all applicable state licensure, education, and training requirements.
Demonstrate commitment to organizational culture, values, and customer service standards.
Be able to perform direct patient care involving regular heavy lifting and moving of 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 5 feet.
Take the Ishihara color blindness test as a condition of employment; failing the test does not preclude employment, and reasonable accommodations may be considered.

Nice To Haves

Previous patient care experience in a hospital or related facility is preferred.
Prior dialysis experience is not required; paid on-the-job training is provided.

Responsibilities

Assist health care team members with patient-specific education about adequacy measures, disease processes, and vascular access as appropriate.
Welcome assigned patients and ask about their wellbeing since their previous 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 according to prescribed orders, including blood flow and dialysate flow settings.
Calculate and enter prescribed dialysis machine programming, including ultrafiltration goals, treatment time, and ultrafiltration modeling; ensure required safety alarms are enabled.
Monitor patients and their response to dialysis, conduct machine safety checks, evaluate intradialytic problems, and provide interventions as prescribed or directed.
Discontinue dialysis according to established procedures, obtain required vital signs, evaluate patients before discharge, achieve hemostasis, and apply appropriate dressings.
Accurately and promptly document treatment parameters, vital signs, evaluations, interventions, patient responses, and other required information in treatment records and clinical applications.
Report significant information, changes in patient condition, and unusual findings to the registered nurse or supervisor.
Obtain prescribed laboratory tests; collect, label, prepare, store, and arrange collection of specimens according to laboratory requirements.
Clean blood spills promptly and 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.
Follow organization policies and procedures, maintain environmental safety and cleanliness, and clean and disinfect dialysis machines, chairs, equipment, and surrounding areas between treatments.
Prepare for dialysis treatments, perform required machine alarm testing including Pressure Holding Test, and initiate the Solution Delivery System.
Participate in and document Continuous Quality Improvement activities; review treatment sheets for completeness and ensure missing or corrected 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, support adherence to infection control practices, and reinforce infection control education for patients and families 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 information for new patients, liaise with staff to support the patient experience, and help ensure disciplines are scheduled according to the care plan.
Help patients understand home dialysis products and benefits, treatment options, and peritoneal dialysis setup; assist with coordination of 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.