Meet Jack

Jack is a PCT who has been working in dialysis for the last 6 years. He works hard to build relationships with the patients in his clinic and does this by greeting them with a smile, taking thorough and concise histories, asking them to describe how they have been feeling, and asking them if they have questions or other problems he should know about before starting their treatment.

Jack tries to learn from the other professionals in his clinic. He often asks the nephrologist to explain the treatment she is providing. Jack has spent time with the dietitian so he is able to understand what a patient’s lab values such as PTH, Hgb, adequacy, and albumin mean. He knows that these lab markers are used to help understand how a patient is doing, and he can answer basic questions or refer the patient to the dietitian for more help. Jack has worked with the social worker to understand issues such as depression, stress, poverty, and even basic insurance information, so if a patient has a question, Jack knows he can refer this person to the social worker for help.

Jack is human and at times he gets frustrated with his job—but he doesn’t complain about it on the clinic floor or with patients. He is always 15 minutes early for the start of his shift and is often the last one to leave at night. Jack feels good about the care he provides and he is interested in all the changes and challenges of providing good dialysis care. If you asked Jack to tell you why the patients like him he might just shrug his shoulders and say, “Beats me.” If you ask the patients why they like being cared for by Jack they will tell you it is because he is dedicated and interested in their care.