Patient Care Technician - PCT CCHT - Dialysis

Fresenius Medical Care•Oklahoma City, OK

11d

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, maintaining a safe and clean work environment, and supporting the organization’s Quality Enhancement Program (QEP) and continuous quality improvement activities. The PCT follows organizational policies and procedures, applicable training, and relevant state and federal regulations. The technician welcomes and monitors patients, supports patient education, assesses vascular access, performs cannulation and delegated heparin administration where permitted, obtains vital signs and weights, initiates and discontinues treatments, and responds to treatment issues as directed. The role includes machine safety checks, treatment documentation, laboratory specimen preparation, infection-control practices, and maintaining 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 with care-team members, assists patients in understanding home dialysis and treatment options, helps coordinate transitions to a selected modality, and supports supply ordering and inventory. The position involves direct patient care, travel between assigned facilities and community locations, and frequent standing, bending, lifting, and moving patients or supplies. The work takes place in a health care facility and may involve exposure to infectious or contagious materials.

Requirements

High school diploma or GED required.
Must meet CMS-approved state and/or national certification requirements within the applicable state or CMS timeline.
Must meet all applicable state licensure, education, and training requirements.
Demonstrated commitment to the organization’s culture, values, and customer service standards.
Continued employment depends on successful completion of the organization’s dialysis training program and CPR certification.
Must take the Ishihara Color Blindness test as a condition of employment; failing the test does not preclude employment, and reasonable accommodations will be considered.
Ability to perform the physical demands of the role, including frequent prolonged standing, bending, assisting with patient ambulation and movement, and lifting or lowering supplies as described.
Previous patient care experience in a hospital or related facility is preferred.

Nice To Haves

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

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.
Evaluate intradialytic problems and intervene as prescribed or directed; monitor patient response to dialysis.
Obtain vital signs before reinfusion and perform and document functions required to discontinue treatment, including standing and sitting blood pressure checks and evaluation before termination of venous access.
Obtain hemostasis and apply appropriate dressings; evaluate patients before discharge.
Calculate and enter prescribed individual dialysis machine programming for ultrafiltration goals, treatment time, and UF modeling.
Ensure required safety alarms are enabled, including Narrow Venous Limits (NVL) 160, and conduct machine safety checks according to facility policy.
Record accurate and timely vital signs, treatment parameters, evaluations, interventions, and other treatment information in the designated records and clinical application.
Report significant information, changes in patient condition, unusual findings, or vascular access concerns to the registered nurse or supervisor.
Monitor vascular access pressures during treatment and provide, document, and report appropriate interventions or unusual findings.
Obtain prescribed laboratory testing; collect, label, prepare, and store specimens according to laboratory specifications, and arrange their collection by the appropriate courier.
Clean blood spills promptly with appropriate disinfectant 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 organizational policies, procedures, systems, and ethical business practices; maintain a safe and clean environment.
Clean and disinfect dialysis machine surfaces, chairs, equipment, and surrounding areas between treatments according to facility policy.
Prepare for dialysis treatments, complete required documentation, perform pretreatment machine alarm testing including Pressure Holding (PHT), and initiate the Solution Delivery System (SDS).
Complete and document participation in Continuous Quality Improvement activities.
Review treatment sheets for completeness, confirm nursing signatures, and ensure omitted entries are completed or corrected by appropriate staff.
Prepare initial patient charts and admission paperwork, and prepare and print laboratory requisitions for prescribed or stat specimens.
Assist with infection-control audits, support adherence to infection-control practices, follow infection-control policies and procedures, and reinforce patient and family education under the direction of the CM or designee as allowed by state law.
Follow newly admitted patients through their first four weeks of dialysis and coordinate their transitional dialysis care.
Reinforce education and care matters for new patients as permitted by state law, and liaise with appropriate staff to support the patient experience and ensure disciplines are scheduled according to the care plan.
Assist patients in understanding home dialysis products, the benefits of home dialysis, and how home dialysis may work for them.
Set up and perform treatments on machines used in the Transitional Care Unit and demonstrate peritoneal dialysis setup as part of treatment-option education.
Assist with coordination of the transition to the patient’s chosen modality and with Transitional Care Unit supply ordering and inventory.