Patient Care Technician - PCT- CCHT

Fresenius Medical Care•LaGrange, GA

12d•Onsite

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 organizational policies, procedures, and training, as well as applicable corporate, state, and federal regulations. The technician sets up and operates hemodialysis machines, helps maintain a safe and clean work environment, and supports the Quality Enhancement Program (QEP) and Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) activities, including patient satisfaction and process improvement. The position provides direct patient care throughout dialysis treatment, including welcoming patients; assessing wellbeing and vascular access; obtaining and recording weights and vital signs; initiating and discontinuing treatments; monitoring patient responses and machine safety; performing authorized interventions; documenting treatment information; and reporting changes or unusual findings to the registered nurse or supervisor. The technician also supports patient education, laboratory testing and specimen handling, infection control, preparation and disinfection of treatment equipment, and training of applicable staff under nurse supervision. In a Transitional Care Unit, the technician follows newly admitted patients through their first four weeks of dialysis, reinforces education, helps coordinate care and modality transitions, supports understanding of home dialysis and treatment options, performs treatments on TCU machines, and assists with supply ordering and inventory. The work includes desk and computer tasks as well as interaction with patients, facility staff, and physicians. Travel between assigned facilities and community locations is required; travel to regional, Business Unit, and Corporate meetings may also be required. The health care setting has controlled air temperature and moderate noise, with possible exposure to infectious or contagious diseases and materials. Direct patient care regularly involves heavy lifting and moving patients and assisting with ambulation. Frequent prolonged standing and bending are required, along with occasional pushing or pulling equipment and lifting solutions.

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 have any applicable state licensure, education, and training required for the role.
Demonstrated commitment to organizational culture, values, and customer service standards.
Continued employment is dependent 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 automatically 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.
Ability to stand for frequent, prolonged periods and bend over.
Ability to occasionally push or pull equipment using 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 5 feet; assistance devices and two-person assistance are available for heavier items.
Ability to travel between assigned facilities and various community locations; 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 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 previous treatment.
Evaluate vascular access for patency, cannulate access, and administer heparin when delegated or permitted by state law.
Obtain and document pre- and post-treatment weights and vital signs, including the required pre-treatment vascular access evaluation and initial identification.
Initiate dialysis according to prescribed orders, including blood flow and dialysate flow settings.
Calculate and enter individual dialysis machine programming for ultrafiltration goal, treatment time, and ultrafiltration modeling as prescribed.
Ensure appropriate safety alarms are enabled, including Narrow Venous Limits (NVL) 160, and conduct machine safety checks according to facility policy.
Monitor patients’ responses to dialysis and evaluate and address intradialytic problems as prescribed or directed.
Obtain vital signs before reinfusion and perform and document required procedures to discontinue treatment, including standing and sitting blood pressure checks and patient evaluation before termination of venous access.
Obtain hemostasis and apply appropriate dressings; evaluate patients before discharge.
Record accurate, timely vital signs and treatment parameters on the Hemodialysis Treatment Sheet and complete applicable treatment documentation and progress notes.
Report significant information and changes in patient condition, unusual findings, and vascular-access monitoring results to the registered nurse or supervisor.
Perform and document interventions for unusual patient status and record patient responses.
Obtain prescribed laboratory tests and collect, label, prepare, store, and arrange appropriate courier collection of specimens.
Clean blood spills promptly with the 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 business policies, procedures, systems, and ethical business practices.
Maintain safe, clean, and orderly surroundings; clean and disinfect dialysis machines, chairs, equipment, and surrounding areas between treatments according to facility policy.
Prepare for dialysis treatments, document tasks as appropriate, complete required pretreatment machine alarm testing, including Pressure Holding Test (PHT), and initiate the Solution Delivery System (SDS).
Participate in and document ongoing 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 for admission, compile paperwork, and prepare or print laboratory requisitions for prescribed or stat specimens according to laboratory destination.
Assist with infection-control audits, support staff and patient 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.
In the Transitional Care Unit, 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, and liaise with appropriate FKC staff to support the patient experience and scheduling of disciplines according to the care plan.
Help patients understand home dialysis products, the benefits of home dialysis, and how it may work for them; assist with understanding treatment options, including demonstrating peritoneal dialysis setup.
Set up and perform treatments on all machines used in the Transitional Care Unit.
Assist with coordinating transition to the patient’s chosen modality and with TCU supply ordering and inventory.