Patient Care Technician - PCT

Fresenius Medical Care•Venice, FL

22d

About The Position

The Patient Care Technician (PCT) is part of the dialysis health care team and provides safe, 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 PCT sets up and operates hemodialysis machines, helps maintain a safe and clean work environment, and participates in quality improvement activities intended to support patient satisfaction and organizational quality goals. The technician welcomes and monitors patients, assesses vascular access, performs cannulation and delegated care, initiates and discontinues dialysis treatments according to orders and procedures, monitors patient response, and documents treatment information. The role also involves specimen collection and preparation, machine safety checks, equipment cleaning, infection-control practices, and support for staff training and continuous quality improvement. In the Transitional Care Unit, the PCT follows newly admitted patients through their first four weeks of dialysis, reinforces education, coordinates care with appropriate staff, supports patients’ understanding of home dialysis and treatment options, and assists with modality transitions and unit inventory. The position includes direct patient care and travel between assigned facilities and community locations; travel to meetings may also be required. The work environment is a health care facility with controlled air temperature and moderate noise, with possible exposure to infectious or contagious materials. Physical work includes frequent, prolonged standing, bending, heavy lifting and moving patients, and handling dialysis solutions 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.
Demonstrate commitment to the organization’s culture, values, and customer service standards.
Successfully complete the organization’s dialysis training program to continue employment.
Successfully complete CPR certification to continue employment.
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 direct patient care involving frequent, prolonged standing and bending; lift and move patients and assist with ambulation; occasionally push or pull equipment using up to 15 pounds of force; frequently lift and lower solutions up to 30 pounds; and occasionally lift up to 40 pounds as high as five feet. Assistance and material-aid devices are available for heavier items.

Nice To Haves

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

Responsibilities

Welcome assigned patients and ask about their wellbeing since their last treatment.
Assist with patient-specific education about adequacy measures, disease processes, and vascular access, as appropriate.
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, including initial patient identification and vascular access evaluations.
Initiate dialysis according to prescribed orders, including blood flow and dialysate flow settings.
Calculate and enter prescribed dialysis machine programming, including ultrafiltration goals, treatment time, and ultrafiltration modeling.
Ensure appropriate machine safety alarms are enabled, including Narrow Venous Limits, and conduct machine safety checks according to facility policy.
Monitor patients’ responses to dialysis, evaluate intradialytic problems, and provide interventions as prescribed or directed.
Discontinue dialysis according to established procedures, assess patients before termination of venous access, obtain hemostasis, apply dressings, and evaluate patients before discharge.
Record accurate and timely vital signs, treatment parameters, interventions, patient responses, and other treatment information in required records and clinical applications.
Report significant information, changes in condition, unusual findings, and vascular access concerns to the registered nurse or supervisor.
Obtain prescribed laboratory tests; collect, label, prepare, store, and arrange pickup of specimens according to laboratory requirements.
Prepare, organize, and use supplies and equipment efficiently to prevent waste.
Monitor patients performing self-care under the supervision of a registered nurse.
Assist with training applicable direct patient care staff on programs under nurse supervision.
Follow organizational business policies, procedures, systems, and ethical business practices.
Maintain a safe, clean environment; clean and disinfect machines, chairs, equipment, and surrounding areas between treatments according to facility policy.
Prepare for dialysis treatments, perform required pretreatment machine alarm testing including Pressure Holding Testing, and initiate the Solution Delivery System.
Participate in and document Continuous Quality Improvement activities; review treatment sheets for completeness and ensure required signatures and corrections 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, reinforce infection-control practices, follow infection-control procedures, and support 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 transitional dialysis care.
Reinforce education and care information for new patients as allowed by state law, and liaise with appropriate staff to support the patient experience and scheduled care.
Help patients understand home dialysis products, the benefits of home dialysis, and treatment options, including demonstration of peritoneal dialysis setup.
Set up and perform treatments on machines used in the Transitional Care Unit, assist with transitions to patients’ chosen modalities, and help coordinate supply ordering and inventory.
Travel between assigned facilities and community locations; travel to regional, Business Unit, and Corporate meetings may be required.