Patient Care Technician - PCT

Fresenius Medical Care•Tualatin, OR

8d•Onsite

About The Position

The Patient Care Technician (PCT) works as part of the dialysis health care team to provide safe and effective dialysis therapy under the direct supervision of a licensed nurse. The role involves setting up and operating hemodialysis machines, assisting with a safe and clean work environment, and supporting the organization’s Quality Enhancement Program (QEP), continuous quality improvement (CQI), patient satisfaction, and process improvement activities. The PCT welcomes patients, assesses their wellbeing and vascular access, obtains pre- and post-treatment vital signs and weights, initiates and discontinues dialysis according to prescribed orders and established procedures, monitors patients and equipment throughout treatment, responds to issues as directed, and documents treatment information accurately. Responsibilities also include specimen collection and preparation, infection-control practices, machine and area cleaning, maintaining supplies, and supporting patient education and self-care monitoring under nursing supervision. In the Transitional Care Unit, the PCT supports newly admitted patients through their first four weeks of dialysis, reinforces education, coordinates care with facility staff, helps patients understand treatment and home-dialysis options, assists with modality transitions, and manages related supplies and inventory. The position includes patient-facing work in a health care facility, travel between assigned facilities and community locations, and possible travel to regional, Business Unit, and Corporate meetings.

Requirements

High school diploma or G.E.D. required.
Must meet Center for Medicaid/Medicare Services (CMS)-approved state and/or national certification requirements within the required state or CMS timeline.
Must meet applicable state licensure, education, and training requirements.
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; failing the test does not preclude employment, and reasonable accommodations may be considered.
Ability to perform direct patient care involving frequent, prolonged standing, bending, heavy lifting and moving of patients, and assisting with ambulation.
Ability to push or pull equipment with up to 15 pounds of force occasionally, lift and lower solutions up to 30 pounds frequently, and lift up to 40 pounds occasionally as high as five feet; assistance devices or coworkers are available for heavier items.
Ability to travel between assigned facilities and 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 the health care team 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.
Assess 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 vascular-access evaluations.
Initiate dialysis according to prescribed orders, including blood-flow and dialysate-flow settings.
Calculate and enter prescribed machine programming, including ultrafiltration goals, treatment time, and ultrafiltration modeling.
Ensure required safety alarms are enabled and conduct machine safety checks according to facility policy.
Monitor patients’ response to therapy, evaluate intradialytic problems, provide interventions as prescribed or directed, and report significant changes or unusual findings to the registered nurse or supervisor.
Obtain vital signs before reinfusion, discontinue treatment according to procedures, assess patients before termination of venous access and discharge, and obtain hemostasis and apply dressings.
Document treatment parameters, evaluations, interventions, patient responses, and other required information accurately and promptly in the treatment sheet and clinical application.
Monitor vascular-access pressures during treatment, intervene as appropriate, document findings, and report unusual findings to the registered nurse or supervisor.
Obtain prescribed laboratory tests, collect and prepare specimens, complete requisitions, and ensure samples are properly labeled, stored, and collected by the appropriate laboratory 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 in training applicable direct patient care staff on appropriate programs under nurse supervision.
Follow organization 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 Test (PHT), and initiate the Solution Delivery System (SDS).
Participate in and document ongoing Continuous Quality Improvement activities; review treatment sheets for completeness and follow up on omitted or incorrect entries with appropriate staff.
Prepare initial patient charts and organize admission paperwork.
Assist with infection-control audits, reinforce infection-control practices, and participate in patient and family infection-control 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 transitional dialysis care.
Reinforce education and care information for new patients, coordinate with facility 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 demonstrations.
Assist with coordinating transitions to the patient’s chosen modality, setting up and performing treatments on machines used in the Transitional Care Unit, and ordering and tracking supplies and inventory.