Patient Care Technician - PCT

Fresenius Medical Care•Ooltewah, TN

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 includes setting up and operating hemodialysis machines, supporting a safe and clean treatment environment, and following organizational policies, procedures, training, and applicable regulatory requirements. The technician supports Quality Enhancement Program (QEP) and Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) activities, including efforts related to patient satisfaction and process improvement. The technician assists with patient education, prepares and monitors dialysis treatments, evaluates vascular access, obtains and records patient measurements and treatment information, responds to treatment issues within prescribed directions, and reports changes or unusual findings to a registered nurse or supervisor. Responsibilities also include specimen collection and preparation, infection-control practices, machine and area cleaning, and accurate clinical recordkeeping. In the Transitional Care Unit, the technician follows newly admitted patients through their first four weeks of dialysis, reinforces education under applicable supervision, coordinates with care-team members, supports patients in understanding treatment and home-dialysis options, assists with modality transitions, and helps manage supplies 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 work environment is a health care facility with controlled air temperature and moderate noise, with possible exposure to infectious and contagious diseases or materials. Direct patient care regularly involves lifting and moving patients and assisting with ambulation. The role requires frequent, prolonged standing and bending, and may involve pushing or pulling equipment and lifting solutions. Assistance devices or coworkers may be available for heavier items. Employees must take the Ishihara Color Blindness test as a condition of employment; failing the test does not automatically 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; 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 automatically preclude employment, and reasonable accommodations may be considered.
Ability to perform direct patient care involving regular heavy lifting and moving of patients and assistance with ambulation.
Ability to stand for frequent, prolonged periods and bend over.
Ability to occasionally push or pull equipment with 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.

Nice To Haves

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

Responsibilities

Assist health care team members with patient-specific education regarding adequacy measures, disease processes, and vascular access, as appropriate.
Welcome assigned patients and inquire about their wellbeing since their last treatment.
Evaluate vascular access patency, perform cannulation, and administer heparin when delegated or permitted by state law.
Obtain and document pre-, during-, and post-treatment vital signs and weights; perform pre- and post-dialysis evaluations and initial patient identification.
Initiate dialysis according to prescribed orders, including blood-flow and dialysate-flow settings, and discontinue treatment according to established procedures.
Calculate and enter prescribed dialysis-machine programming, including ultrafiltration goals, treatment time, and ultrafiltration modeling; ensure required safety alarms are enabled.
Monitor patients’ responses to dialysis, conduct machine safety checks, evaluate intradialytic issues, and provide interventions as prescribed or directed.
Assess vascular access during treatment, monitor arterial and venous pressures, take appropriate action, document findings, and report unusual findings to the registered nurse or supervisor.
Obtain prescribed laboratory tests; collect, label, prepare, store, and arrange appropriate courier collection of specimens.
Document treatment parameters, patient information, interventions, and responses accurately and promptly in required treatment sheets and clinical applications.
Report significant information or changes in patient condition to the registered nurse or supervisor.
Clean blood spills promptly using appropriate disinfectant and follow facility infection-control policies and procedures.
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, and aesthetically appropriate environment; disinfect dialysis machines, chairs, equipment, and surrounding areas between treatments.
Prepare machines and treatment areas, conduct required pre-treatment 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, confirm required nursing signatures, and ensure omissions are completed or corrected by appropriate staff.
Prepare initial patient charts and paperwork for admission, and prepare or print laboratory requisitions for prescribed or stat specimens.
Assist with collecting information for infection-control audits and reinforce infection-control practices and education for patients and families under appropriate direction.
Follow newly admitted patients through their first four weeks of dialysis and coordinate transitional dialysis care.
Reinforce education and care information for new patients, and liaise with facility staff to support the patient experience and scheduled care-team visits.
Help patients understand home dialysis products and benefits, treatment options, and peritoneal dialysis setup; assist with transition to the patient’s chosen modality.
Set up and perform treatments on all machines used in the Transitional Care Unit and assist with supply ordering and inventory.
Follow organizational business policies, procedures, systems, ethical business practices, culture, values, and customer service standards.