Patient Care Technician - PCT

Fresenius Medical Care•Alamogordo, NM

10d

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, and complies with applicable corporate, state, and federal requirements. The PCT sets up and operates hemodialysis machines, helps maintain a safe and clean work environment, and participates in Quality Enhancement Program (QEP) and Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) activities focused on patient satisfaction and quality goals. The PCT provides treatment-related support, including assessing patients and vascular access, initiating and discontinuing dialysis treatments according to prescribed orders and established procedures, monitoring patients and equipment, documenting treatment information, and reporting significant changes or unusual findings to a registered nurse or supervisor. The role also supports patient education, laboratory specimen handling, infection control, facility readiness, and staff training under nursing supervision. In the Transitional Care Unit, the PCT follows newly admitted patients through their first four weeks of dialysis, reinforces education, coordinates with facility staff, and supports patients as they learn about treatment and modality options, including home dialysis. The position involves direct patient care, travel between assigned facilities and community locations, and frequent standing, bending, lifting, and moving patients or supplies. Training is provided; continued employment depends on successful completion of the organization's dialysis training program and CPR certification.

Requirements

High school diploma or GED.
Meet applicable CMS-approved state and/or national certification requirements within the required state or CMS timeline.
Meet all applicable state licensure, education, and training requirements.
Demonstrated commitment to organizational 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.
Pass 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 regular heavy lifting and moving of patients and assisting with ambulation, with equipment or coworker assistance as needed.
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 five feet.
Ability to work in a health care environment and potentially be exposed to infectious and contagious diseases or materials.

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 last 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 weights and vital signs, and perform pre-treatment vascular access evaluations.
Initiate dialysis according to prescribed orders, including blood-flow and dialysate-flow settings.
Calculate and enter patient-specific machine programming for ultrafiltration goals, treatment time, and ultrafiltration modeling as prescribed.
Ensure required safety alarms are enabled and observe patients while conducting machine safety checks.
Evaluate intradialytic problems, provide prescribed or directed interventions, monitor patient responses, and document interventions and outcomes.
Obtain vital signs before reinfusion and perform the functions required to discontinue treatment; assess patients before termination of venous access and before discharge.
Obtain hemostasis and apply appropriate dressings.
Monitor vascular access during treatment, including arterial and venous pressures; intervene as appropriate and report and document unusual findings.
Complete accurate and timely treatment documentation, including vital signs, treatment parameters, treatment sheets, progress notes when applicable, and data entered in clinical applications.
Report significant information, changes in patient condition, and unusual findings to a registered nurse or supervisor.
Obtain prescribed laboratory tests; collect, label, prepare, store, and arrange appropriate courier collection of specimens according to laboratory specifications.
Clean blood spills promptly with appropriate disinfectant and maintain infection-control practices.
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 and clean environment; clean and disinfect dialysis machines, chairs, equipment, and surrounding areas between treatments.
Prepare dialysis treatment areas and conduct and document required pretreatment machine alarm testing, including Pressure Holding Test (PHT); initiate the Solution Delivery System (SDS).
Participate in and document CQI activities; review treatment sheets for completeness and ensure missing or corrected entries are addressed by appropriate staff.
Prepare initial patient charts, compile paperwork, and prepare or print laboratory requisitions for prescribed or stat specimens.
Assist with infection-control audits and reinforce infection-control education for patients and families under direction and as permitted by state law.
Follow newly admitted patients through their first four weeks of dialysis and coordinate transitional dialysis care.
Reinforce education and care matters for new patients, coordinate with appropriate 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; support 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 TCU supply ordering and inventory.
Travel between assigned facilities and community locations, and attend regional, Business Unit, or Corporate meetings when required.