Patient Care Technician – Pct – Dialysis

Patient Care Technician – Pct – Dialysis

Requirements

• CCHT required
• High School diploma or G.E.D. required
• Must meet Center for Medicaid/Medicare Services (CMS)-approved state and/or national certification requirements within the required state or CMS timeline
• All appropriate state licensure, education, and training (if any) required

Responsibilities

• Assist other health care members in providing patient specific detailed education regarding adequacy measures where appropriate
• Welcome assigned patients and inquire as to their wellbeing since their last treatment
• Evaluate vascular access for patency, perform vascular access cannulation, and perform administration of heparin as delegated or as allowed by state law
• Obtain necessary pre and post treatment vital signs and weight and perform vascular access evaluation pre-treatment
• Initiate dialysis treatment according to prescribed orders including blood flow (QB) and dialysate flow (QD)
• Evaluate intradialytic problems and provide intervention as prescribed by physician order or as directed
• Monitor patients’ response to dialysis therapy
• Obtain vital signs prior to reinfusion; perform all relevant functions necessary for the discontinuation of treatment – document
• Discontinue dialysis treatment according to established procedures and evaluate patient prior to termination of venous access – standing & sitting blood pressure
• Obtain Hemostasis and apply appropriate dressings
• Evaluate the patient prior to discharge
• Perform and record Pre and Post dialysis evaluation, weight, and vital signs with initial identification
• Responsible for calculating and entry of individual patients’ dialysis machine programming for Ultrafiltration (UF) goal; treatment time; and UF modeling as prescribed
• Responsible for ensuring appropriate safety alarms are enabled, including Narrow Venous Limits, (NVL) 160
• Record accurate and timely information regarding vital signs and treatment parameters onto the Hemodialysis Treatment Sheet with initial identification
• Responsible for accurate documentation of information related to patient treatment including completion of Hemodialysis Treatment Sheet and, if applicable, progress notes
• Report any significant information and/or change in patient condition directly to the registered nurse or supervisor
• Observe patient and conduct machine safety checks according to facility policy. Report any change or unusual findings to the registered nurse or supervisor
• Perform and document any intervention for unusual patient status and document patients’ response to intervention
• Evaluate patients’ vascular access during treatment including arterial and venous monitoring pressures, provide appropriate intervention as needed, document and report any unusual findings to the registered nurse or supervisor
• Obtain all prescribed laboratory testing and prepare specimens for collection
• Ensure that all blood spills are immediately cleaned with appropriate disinfectant according to facility policy
• Prepare, organize, and efficiently utilize supplies and equipment to prevent wastage
• Monitors patients performing self-care under the supervision of RN
• Assists in training of applicable direct patient care staff on appropriate programs under the supervision of a nurse
• Follows all organization business policies, procedures and systems incorporated into training, including compliance with ethical business practices
• Maintain environmental integrity and aesthetics – ensure all areas are safe and clean
• Clean and disinfect dialysis machine surface, chair, equipment, and surrounding area between treatments according to facility policy
• Conduct all tasks necessary for preparation for dialysis treatment and document where appropriate and perform all required pretreatment dialysis machine alarm testing including Pressure Holding (PHT)
• Initiate Solution Delivery System (SDS) system
• Complete and document ongoing participation in Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) activities
• Enters all treatment data into the designated clinical application in an accurate and timely manner
• Review treatment sheets for completeness, ensure nursing signatures are documented, and ensure omitted entries are completed or corrected by appropriate staff
• Prepare initial patient chart for admission and compile paperwork for appropriate placement in chart
• Prepare/print lab requisitions for prescribed or stat Lab specimens according to laboratory destination
• Collect, label, appropriately prepare and store lab samples according required laboratory specifications
• Ensure collection of lab specimens by appropriate lab courier
• Assists in collecting information for infection control audits
• Supports staff and patient Adherence to infection control practices
• Follows infection control Policies and Procedures
• Participates in and reinforces infection control education of patients and families under the direction of the CM or designee as allowed by state law
• Follows all newly admitted patients through their first 4 weeks of dialysis and coordinating their transitional dialysis care
• Reinforces all education and care related matters as it relates to the new patient as allowed by state law
• Liaisons with appropriate FKC staff members to provide the best patient experience including making sure all disciplines are scheduled to see patient according to plan
• Assists in assuring patient understanding or home dialysis products, benefits of home and how home dialysis can work for them
• Sets and preforms a treatment on all machines used in the transitional care unit
• Assist in assuring patient understanding of treatment options including demonstration of the peritoneal dialysis set-up
• Assists with coordination of transition to patient’s modality choice
• Assists with supply ordering and inventory for TCU

Preferred Qualifications

• Previous patient care experience in a hospital setting or a related facility preferred
• Continued employment is dependent on successful completion of the organization dialysis training program and successful completion of CPR certification