Patient Care Technician - PCT

Fresenius Medical Care•Big Rapids, MI

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, following organizational policies, procedures, training, and applicable regulations. The role includes setting up and operating hemodialysis machines, supporting a safe and clean environment, and participating in quality enhancement and continuous improvement activities focused on patient satisfaction and clinical goals. The PCT welcomes and monitors patients, assesses vascular access, performs cannulation and delegated or legally permitted heparin administration, obtains and documents vital signs and weights, initiates and discontinues dialysis according to prescribed orders, monitors treatment response, and responds to treatment issues as directed. The position requires accurate treatment documentation, reporting patient status changes to a nurse or supervisor, specimen collection and preparation, machine safety checks, infection-control practices, and cleaning and disinfecting equipment between treatments. The role may also support patient-specific education, train applicable direct-care staff under nurse supervision, and assist with transitional care for newly admitted dialysis patients during their first four weeks. Transitional care activities include reinforcing education, coordinating care with facility staff, explaining home dialysis and treatment options, demonstrating peritoneal dialysis setup, supporting modality transitions, and assisting with supply inventory and ordering. Work includes desk and computer tasks and interaction with patients, facility staff, and physicians. The position requires travel between assigned facilities and community locations; travel to regional, business unit, and 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 or contagious diseases and materials. The work involves regular heavy lifting and moving of patients, assisting with ambulation, frequent and prolonged standing, bending, occasional pushing or pulling of equipment with up to 15 pounds of force, and frequent lifting or lowering of solutions up to 30 pounds and occasional lifting up to 40 pounds as high as five feet. Assistance and material-handling devices are available for heavier items. Employees must take the Ishihara Color Blindness test as a condition of employment; failing the test does not preclude employment, and reasonable accommodations may be considered.

Requirements

High school diploma or GED.
Meet 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 the organization’s culture, values, and customer service standards.
Successfully complete the organization’s dialysis training program; continued employment depends on successful completion.
Successfully complete CPR certification; continued employment depends on successful completion.
Take the Ishihara Color Blindness test as a condition of employment; failure does not preclude employment, and reasonable accommodations may be considered.
Ability to perform the physical demands described, including patient lifting and movement, assisting with ambulation, prolonged standing, bending, and lifting or lowering solutions.

Nice To Haves

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

Responsibilities

Assist the health care team in providing patient-specific education about adequacy measures, disease processes, and vascular access, as appropriate.
Welcome assigned patients and ask about their wellbeing since their previous 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 vital signs and weights, and evaluate vascular access before treatment.
Initiate dialysis according to prescribed orders, including blood-flow and dialysate-flow settings.
Monitor patients’ response to dialysis, evaluate intradialytic problems, and provide interventions as prescribed or directed.
Obtain vital signs before reinfusion and perform and document the procedures necessary to discontinue treatment, including standing and sitting blood pressure checks and evaluation before termination of venous access.
Obtain hemostasis and apply appropriate dressings; evaluate patients before discharge.
Calculate and enter prescribed patient-specific machine programming, including ultrafiltration goal, treatment time, and ultrafiltration modeling.
Ensure required safety alarms are enabled, including Narrow Venous Limits (NVL) 160.
Document treatment parameters, vital signs, patient evaluations, interventions, and patient responses accurately and promptly on required records and clinical applications.
Report significant information, changes in patient condition, and unusual findings to the registered nurse or supervisor.
Observe patients and conduct machine safety checks according to facility policy; evaluate vascular access pressures during treatment and report or address unusual findings as appropriate.
Obtain prescribed laboratory tests; collect, label, prepare, store, and arrange pickup of specimens according to laboratory requirements.
Clean blood spills promptly with appropriate disinfectant and 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.
Follow organizational policies, procedures, 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, document preparation as appropriate, complete required machine alarm testing including Pressure Holding (PHT), and initiate the Solution Delivery System (SDS).
Participate in and document Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) activities.
Review treatment sheets for completeness, confirm nursing signatures, and ensure omissions are completed or corrected by appropriate staff.
Prepare initial patient charts and compile paperwork for placement in the chart; prepare and print laboratory requisitions as needed.
Assist with infection-control audits, support adherence to infection-control practices, follow infection-control policies and procedures, and reinforce infection-control education for patients and families as allowed by state law and directed by the care manager or designee.
Follow newly admitted patients through their first four weeks of dialysis and coordinate transitional dialysis care.
Reinforce education and care matters for new patients as allowed by state law, and liaise with facility staff to support the patient experience and scheduled multidisciplinary care.
Help patients understand home dialysis products, the benefits of home dialysis, and treatment options, including demonstrating peritoneal dialysis setup.
Support coordination of the 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.
Travel between assigned facilities and community locations and, when required, to regional, business unit, and corporate meetings.