Patient Care Technician - PCT - Dialysis Preceptor

Overview

As a Clinic Manager at Fresenius Medical Care, you’ll manage the daily operations of our outpatient centers. You’ll be the key driver in carrying out our mission: To deliver superior care that improves the quality of life of every patient, every day, setting the standard by which others in the health care industry are judged. This is accomplished by hiring, developing and inspiring a multi-disciplinary team, collaborating with physicians, tracking and delivering superior patient outcomes and monitoring regulatory and safety requirements. Strong management skills are required and prior direct patient care experience is needed for occasions when the team needs a helping hand.

Job Description

Patient Care Technicians (PCTs) at Fresenius Medical Care support and collaborate with RNs to provide dialysis treatment to several patients at a time while maintaining the functionality of the clinic. This involves prepping and testing equipment, reviewing treatment sheets, and opening the clinic at 4am for first shift. PCTs have a combination of technical skills and genuine passion needed to develop deep relationships with patients and improve their quality of life. Qualified candidates have prior customer service, healthcare and direct patient care experience, and will have the opportunity to learn the discipline of dialysis.

Success Profile

Fresenius Medical Care nurses are on the front line of patient care, improving the quality of life of every patient, every day. That means providing dialysis care to 10-12 patients at any given time, and collaborating with our multi-disciplinary team to deliver a unique care plan to each one of them. This role is all about relationships and the bond you’ll create with patients and their families. Prior dialysis nursing experience is helpful, but many successful candidates come from a background in ICU, PCU and/or surgery.

Rewards

• Strong management and leadership skills
• Opportunity to learn and grow in a dynamic healthcare environment
• Collaborative team atmosphere
• Competitive compensation and benefits package

Connect

To connect with Fresenius Medical Care, please visit our careers page or send your resume to [email protected]. For more information about Fresenius Medical Care, visit our website at www.fmc.org.

Purpose and Scope

Functions as part of the dialysis health care team in providing safe and effective home dialysis therapy and training for patients under the direct supervision of a licensed nurse under organization policies, procedures, and training and in compliance with regulations set forth by the corporation, state, and federal agencies. Assists in the setup of home dialysis equipment and the maintenance of a safe and clean working environment within the home therapy program. Supports the organization's commitment to the Quality Enhancement Program (QEP) and CQI Activities, including those related to patient satisfaction, and actively participates in process improvement activities that enhance the likelihood that patients will achieve the organization's Quality Enhancement Goals (QEP).

Principal Duties and Responsibilities (Not Home Assist)

• Reinforces home hemodialysis (HHD) and/or peritoneal dialysis (PD) training as permitted by law.
• Identifies and welcomes patients, obtains vital signs, weights, and gathers information needed to complete the Clinic Visit Intake form.
• Buils and maintains effective communication and collaboration processes and rapport with patients, care partners, the HT RN, direct and non-direct patient care staff, providers, and other team members.
• Obtains treatment records from patients and/or systems, reviews for completion, and reports missing or abnormal data to the HT RN.
• Assists with electronic home treatment/medication/oral nutritional supplement reconciliation and reports missing data/orders to the HT RN.
• May assist HT RNs with home visits.
• Provides home support as applicable and permissible.
• Prepares supplies for the collection of prescribed laboratory testing and prepares specimens for shipping.
• Assists with the tracking and shipping of transplant-related laboratory specimens and reinforces transplant education.
• Completes opening/closing daily chores and documents as appropriate.
• Disinfects dialysis machines, chairs, tables, and other equipment in between patient visits, and routinely.
• Prepares the exam/training room for home dialysis training, treatment, or other visits.
• Stocks exam, training, treatment, and storage rooms with supplies.
• Develops or follows a process for the management of supplies to maximize use and minimize waste.
• Schedules patient appointments and contacts patients/caregivers regarding dates, times, and reminders.
• Supports patient registration and use of connected health.
• Maintains logs and tracking.
• May order and track clinic/office supplies, as directed.
• Participates in medical records, infection control, and other audit processes as directed.
• Actively collaborates with others during staff huddles or meetings.
• Helps collect required documentation for patient admission, prepares and maintains the electronic and/or hard-copy patient chart, as directed.
• Performs other clerical duties, as assigned (answering phones, faxing, email, provider office contact, etc.).

Home Hemodialysis

• Reinforces HHD training and education with the HT training RN.
• Sets up, tears down, programs, tests, and disinfects the HHD machine, as directed.
• Troubleshoots HHD equipment and connectivity issues.
• Prepares dialysis equipment and supplies for HHD treatment, as directed.
• Evaluates the dialysis access before treatment, documents all findings in the medical record, and reports abnormal findings to the HT RN (when applicable, and as directed).
• Initiates HHD treatment, while monitoring and documenting patient status, vital signs, and machine data in the treatment record.
• Performs and documents safety checks during treatment at intervals designated by CMS and facility policy.
• Reports observed significant changes in patient status during treatment to the HT RN, and documents in the medical record.
• Provides interventions during treatment in response to interdialytic events, as required per provider/standing orders, as directed, permissible, and documents the intervention and patient’s response.
• Obtains pre-treatment termination vitals and documents in the treatment record.
• Ensures hemostasis of the patient dialysis access is achieved before leaving the treatment area.
• Collections and documents post-treatment vitals in the treatment record and reports to the HT RN.
• Assists with quarterly, semi-annual, and annual water and dialysate testing, as directed.

Peritoneal Dialysis

• Reinforces PD training.
• Troubleshoots PD cycler, modem, and connectivity issues.
• Performs phlebotomy to obtain prescribed laboratory testing, as directed (must meet state and/or competency requirements to perform).
• Sets up PD cycler and prepares and warms PD solutions, as directed.
• Aids with exit site care, as directed.
• May help tracking with PD equipment.