Patient Care Technician - PCT

Fresenius Medical Care•Kearney, NE

11d

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, as well as applicable corporate, state, and federal regulations. The technician 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 aimed at improving patient satisfaction and treatment outcomes. The role provides direct patient-care support throughout dialysis treatment, including patient assessment, vascular-access care, treatment setup and monitoring, documentation, laboratory specimen handling, and reporting changes in patient condition to nursing staff. In the Transitional Care Unit, the technician supports newly admitted patients during their first four weeks of dialysis, reinforces education, coordinates care with facility staff, and helps patients understand treatment and home-dialysis options. The position involves work in a health care facility and travel between assigned facilities and community locations. Work includes computer and desk tasks, interaction with patients and clinical staff, frequent prolonged standing and bending, and lifting or moving patients and supplies. Exposure to infectious and contagious diseases or materials may occur. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.

Requirements

High school diploma or GED.
Meet CMS-approved state and/or national certification requirements within the required state or CMS timeline.
Hold any applicable state licensure and complete education and training required for the role.
Demonstrate 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; failing the test does not preclude employment, and reasonable accommodations will be considered.
Ability to perform frequent, prolonged standing and bending, assist with patient lifting and ambulation, and lift or lower solutions frequently up to 30 pounds and occasionally up to 40 pounds as high as five feet; equipment, coworkers, and material-assist devices may provide support.
Ability to occasionally push or pull equipment with up to 15 pounds of force.

Nice To Haves

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

Responsibilities

Welcome assigned patients and ask about their wellbeing since their previous treatment.
Evaluate vascular access for patency, perform cannulation, and administer heparin as delegated or permitted by state law.
Obtain and document pre- and post-treatment weights and vital signs, including required pre-treatment vascular-access evaluation and post-treatment assessment.
Initiate dialysis according to prescribed orders, including blood-flow and dialysate-flow settings.
Calculate and enter prescribed dialysis-machine programming, including ultrafiltration goal, treatment time, and ultrafiltration modeling.
Ensure required safety alarms are enabled, including Narrow Venous Limits (NVL) 160, and conduct patient and machine safety checks.
Monitor patient responses to dialysis, evaluate intradialytic problems, and provide interventions as prescribed or directed.
Discontinue treatment according to established procedures, obtain hemostasis, apply dressings, assess the patient before discharge, and document the treatment.
Record accurate and timely treatment parameters, vital signs, assessments, interventions, and patient responses in required treatment records and clinical applications.
Report significant information, changes in patient condition, and unusual findings to the registered nurse or supervisor.
Monitor vascular-access pressures during treatment, intervene as appropriate, and document and report unusual findings.
Obtain prescribed laboratory tests; collect, label, prepare, store, and arrange appropriate courier collection of specimens.
Clean blood spills promptly using appropriate disinfectant and prepare, organize, and use supplies and equipment efficiently.
Monitor patients performing self-care under RN supervision.
Assist with training applicable direct patient-care staff on appropriate programs under nurse supervision.
Follow organizational business policies, procedures, training systems, and ethical business practices.
Maintain a safe and clean environment; clean and disinfect dialysis machines, chairs, equipment, and surrounding areas between treatments.
Prepare for dialysis treatments, conduct required machine alarm testing including Pressure Holding Test (PHT), and initiate the Solution Delivery System (SDS).
Participate in and document Continuous Quality Improvement activities; review treatment sheets for completeness and ensure omissions or corrections are addressed 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, follow infection-control policies and procedures, reinforce adherence, and support patient and family education under the direction of the CM or designee 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 information for new patients as permitted by state law, and liaise with facility staff to support the patient experience and scheduled discipline visits.
Help patients understand home-dialysis products and benefits, treatment options, and peritoneal-dialysis setup; assist with 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 supply ordering and inventory.