Patient Care Technician - PCT

Fresenius Medical Care•Muskegon, MI

6d•Onsite

About The Position

The Patient Care Technician (PCT) is part of a 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 state and federal regulations. The PCT sets up and operates hemodialysis machines, helps maintain a safe and clean environment, and participates in quality improvement activities focused on patient satisfaction and achieving organizational quality goals. The PCT supports patients throughout dialysis treatment, including evaluating vascular access, obtaining vital signs and weights, initiating and discontinuing treatment according to prescribed orders and established procedures, monitoring patient response, addressing treatment concerns as directed, documenting care, and reporting changes or unusual findings to a registered nurse or supervisor. The position also involves collecting and preparing laboratory specimens, maintaining treatment records, supporting infection-control practices, and preparing and disinfecting equipment and treatment areas. In a Transitional Care Unit, the PCT follows newly admitted patients through their first four weeks of dialysis, reinforces education, coordinates care with facility staff, supports patients in understanding treatment and home-dialysis options, performs treatments on unit machines, and assists with supply ordering and inventory. The work includes desk and computer tasks as well as direct patient care. It requires travel between assigned facilities and community locations; travel to regional, Business Unit, or Corporate meetings may also be required. The environment is a health care facility with controlled air temperature and moderate noise, with possible exposure to infectious or contagious diseases and materials. The job involves frequent prolonged standing, bending, and regular heavy lifting and moving of patients, with occasional pushing or pulling of equipment and lifting solutions weighing up to 40 pounds. Assistance and material-handling devices are available for heavier items. Employees must take the Ishihara color-vision test as a condition of employment; failing it does not preclude employment, and reasonable accommodations may be considered.

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.
Demonstrate commitment to organizational 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-vision test as a condition of employment; failing the test does not automatically preclude employment, and reasonable accommodations may be considered.
Ability to perform the described physical duties, including frequent prolonged standing and bending; assisting with patient lifting, moving, and ambulation; and lifting solutions frequently up to 30 pounds and occasionally up to 40 pounds as high as five feet. Assistance devices or coworkers may help with heavier items.

Nice To Haves

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

Responsibilities

Provide dialysis therapy under the direct supervision of a licensed nurse and in accordance with organizational policies, procedures, training, and applicable regulations.
Welcome assigned patients and inquire about their wellbeing since their last treatment.
Evaluate vascular access for patency, perform cannulation, administer heparin when delegated or permitted by state law, and monitor access pressures during treatment.
Obtain and document pre-, intra-, and post-treatment vital signs and weights, including relevant standing and sitting blood pressure measurements.
Initiate dialysis according to prescribed orders, including blood-flow and dialysate-flow settings, and calculate and enter prescribed machine programming for ultrafiltration goals, treatment time, and UF modeling.
Ensure required machine safety alarms are enabled, including Narrow Venous Limits, and conduct machine safety checks according to facility policy.
Monitor patients’ response to dialysis, evaluate intradialytic problems, provide interventions as prescribed or directed, document responses, and report significant changes or unusual findings to the registered nurse or supervisor.
Discontinue treatment according to established procedures, obtain hemostasis, apply appropriate dressings, and evaluate patients before discharge.
Complete accurate and timely treatment documentation, including treatment sheets, progress notes where applicable, vital signs, treatment parameters, evaluations, and interventions.
Obtain prescribed laboratory tests and collect, label, prepare, store, and arrange courier collection of specimens according to laboratory requirements.
Clean blood spills promptly with the appropriate disinfectant and maintain a safe, clean treatment environment.
Prepare and efficiently use supplies and equipment, clean and disinfect dialysis machines, chairs, equipment, and surrounding areas between treatments, and prepare machines for treatment, including required alarm testing and initiation of the Solution Delivery System.
Monitor patients performing self-care under RN supervision.
Assist in training applicable direct patient-care staff on appropriate programs under nurse supervision.
Follow organizational business policies and ethical practices, maintain environmental integrity, and participate in Continuous Quality Improvement activities.
Enter treatment data into the designated clinical application, review treatment sheets for completeness and signatures, and ensure omissions or errors are corrected by appropriate staff.
Prepare initial patient charts and paperwork, and prepare or print laboratory requisitions for prescribed or stat specimens.
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 permitted 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, coordinate with appropriate staff to ensure visits are scheduled according to the care plan, and help patients understand home dialysis products, benefits, and treatment options.
Set up and perform treatments on machines used in the Transitional Care Unit, demonstrate peritoneal dialysis setup as applicable, and assist with transitions to the patient’s chosen modality.
Assist with Transitional Care Unit supply ordering and inventory.