Patient Care Technician - PCT

Fresenius Medical Care•Tualatin, OR

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 involves setting up and operating hemodialysis machines, supporting a safe and clean work environment, and participating in the organization’s Quality Enhancement Program (QEP), continuous quality improvement activities, and process improvements intended to support patient outcomes and satisfaction. The technician welcomes and monitors patients, assesses vascular access, performs cannulation and delegated heparin administration as permitted, initiates and discontinues dialysis treatments according to prescribed orders and established procedures, records treatment information, and reports changes in patient condition. The position also includes machine safety checks, laboratory specimen collection and preparation, infection-control practices, equipment cleaning, and accurate clinical documentation. In the Transitional Care Unit, the PCT follows newly admitted patients through their first four weeks of dialysis, reinforces education as permitted by state law, helps coordinate care and modality transitions, supports patient understanding of home dialysis options, and assists with treatment, supply ordering, and inventory. The role requires travel between assigned facilities and community locations, and may involve travel to regional, business-unit, and corporate meetings. The work takes place in a health care facility and may involve exposure to infectious or contagious materials. Direct patient care involves frequent standing and bending, assisting with patient movement and ambulation, and lifting or moving supplies and equipment.

Requirements

High school diploma or GED.
Meet CMS-approved state and/or national certification requirements within the applicable 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; continued employment is dependent on successful completion.
Successfully complete CPR certification; continued employment is dependent on successful completion.
Take 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 and prolonged standing, bending, occasional pushing or pulling with up to 15 pounds of force, frequent lifting and lowering of solutions up to 30 pounds, and occasional lifting up to 40 pounds to a height of 5 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 dialysis 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 patency, perform access cannulation, and administer heparin when delegated or permitted by state law.
Obtain and document pre- and post-treatment vital signs and weights, including patient identification and vascular access evaluation.
Initiate and discontinue dialysis treatments according to prescribed orders and established procedures.
Monitor patient response to dialysis, evaluate intradialytic problems, provide prescribed or directed interventions, and report significant changes or unusual findings to the registered nurse or supervisor.
Calculate and enter prescribed dialysis machine programming, including ultrafiltration goals, treatment time, and UF modeling.
Ensure appropriate machine safety alarms are enabled and conduct patient and machine safety checks according to facility policy.
Document treatment parameters, vital signs, interventions, and patient responses accurately and promptly in the required records and clinical applications.
Evaluate vascular access during treatment, monitor arterial and venous pressures, intervene as needed, and document and report unusual findings.
Obtain prescribed laboratory tests; collect, label, prepare, store, and arrange courier 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.
Maintain a safe, clean environment and clean and disinfect dialysis machines, chairs, equipment, and surrounding areas between treatments.
Prepare for dialysis treatments, perform and document required machine alarm testing including Pressure Holding Testing (PHT), and initiate the Solution Delivery System (SDS).
Participate in and document Continuous Quality Improvement activities; review treatment sheets for completeness and ensure missing entries are completed or corrected by appropriate staff.
Prepare initial patient charts and paperwork, and prepare and print laboratory requisitions for prescribed or stat specimens.
Assist with infection-control audits, support adherence to infection-control practices, follow applicable policies and procedures, and reinforce patient and family infection-control education under direction 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 information for new patients as allowed by state law, and liaise with appropriate staff to support patient experience and scheduled multidisciplinary care.
Help patients understand home dialysis products, benefits, and options, including demonstrating peritoneal dialysis setup.
Assist with coordinating transition to the patient’s chosen modality and with Transitional Care Unit supply ordering and inventory.
Set up and perform treatments on machines used in the Transitional Care Unit.