Free dialysis technician and patient care technician job description templates with CMS certification, OSHA, and state licensing rules. Download as DOCX.
6 free dialysis technician and patient care technician templates, with the CMS 18-month certification, OSHA bloodborne-pathogen, and state licensing rules the generic templates skip. Download as DOCX.
A dialysis technician job description has a compliance detail the generic template farms leave out, and it shapes the whole hire: under federal rules, a patient care dialysis technician must be certified within 18 months of hire. Miss that window and the facility has a compliance problem. The role also sits under the OSHA Bloodborne Pathogens Standard, since the technician contacts blood at essentially every treatment, and it is firmly hourly and non-exempt.
These six templates cover the role by title and setting: dialysis technician, patient care technician, hemodialysis technician, independent outpatient clinic, entry-level, and charge or lead, each with the CMS certification, OSHA, and FLSA notes built in. For the fundamentals of structuring any posting, the guide to writing a job description is a useful companion.
TL;DR
A dialysis technician (also called a patient care technician or hemodialysis technician) operates dialysis equipment and cares for patients during treatment under RN supervision. It is an hourly, non-exempt role. The defining rule is federal: under CMS 42 CFR Part 494, the technician must be certified within 18 months of hire. OSHA bloodborne-pathogen rules apply at every treatment, and some states (California, Texas) add their own licensing. Download six templates as DOCX.
What a Dialysis Technician Does
A dialysis technician sets up and operates hemodialysis machines, prepares and monitors patients during treatment, follows infection-control and safety protocols, documents care, and supports the clinical team under registered-nurse supervision. It is an hourly, non-exempt role that requires certification within a federally set window.
The closest federal occupation is 31-9093.00 Medical Equipment Preparers, which lists dialysis technician among its sample job titles. There is no separate occupation code specifically for dialysis technicians, but the role is well defined by the federal Conditions for Coverage for dialysis facilities.
Technician, PCT, and Hemodialysis Tech
The role goes by several titles, and knowing they are the same job helps you write a posting that reaches the right candidates.
Same Role, Different Titles
Dialysis technician is the general term, patient care technician (PCT) is the most common employer title and emphasizes hands-on patient care, and hemodialysis technician is the formal title naming the treatment type. Renal dialysis technician and dialysis tech also appear. A dialysis registered nurse is a separate, licensed role. Use the title your facility and local candidates use, and define the scope in the summary.
Dialysis Technician Duties and Responsibilities
A dialysis technician's duties cluster into four areas: equipment and treatment, patient care, safety and infection control, and documentation and compliance. The balance is consistent across settings, with charge roles adding floor leadership.
Pick the template by title and setting. Use this guide to choose the closest fit, then adjust the duties, pay, and requirements to match.
Dialysis Technician (Standard)
Any facility
The universal hourly version: operate equipment, deliver patient care, follow safety and CMS requirements.
Patient Care Technician (PCT)
Most common title
The same role under the title most large facilities use, emphasizing direct hands-on patient care.
Hemodialysis Technician
Formal title
The formal title naming the treatment type, for in-center hemodialysis roles.
Outpatient / Independent Clinic
Small clinic, hands-on
For an independent outpatient clinic where the technician also helps keep the clinic running and compliant.
Entry-Level
18-month certification window
For a new graduate training on the job, working toward required certification within the federal 18-month window.
Charge / Lead
Experienced, still hourly
An experienced technician who leads the floor and mentors staff, still hourly and overtime eligible.
Match the Template to the Setting
A general facility role: Dialysis Technician. A large-facility title: Patient Care Technician. A formal in-center title: Hemodialysis Technician. A small independent clinic: Outpatient / Independent Clinic. A new graduate in training: Entry-Level. An experienced floor leader: Charge / Lead. Every version is hourly and non-exempt and prompts for the CMS certification window.
Download all six as a single Word document or copy individual templates. Each follows the same structure: facility and position summary, key responsibilities, qualifications, a certification and compliance note, and how to apply, with an EEO statement. Every template states the role is non-exempt and flags the CMS 18-month certification window. Fill in the brackets and post.
Download All 6 Job Description Templates
Dialysis technician, PCT, hemodialysis, outpatient clinic, entry-level, and charge. All in one DOCX.
Template 1: Dialysis Technician (Standard)
The universal version: operate equipment, deliver patient care, follow safety and CMS requirements at any facility.
Dialysis Technician Job Description (Standard)
DIALYSIS TECHNICIAN JOB DESCRIPTION
Facility: __ ([City, State])
Reports to: [Charge Nurse / Clinical Manager / Medical Director]
Employment type: Full-time, hourly
FLSA status: Non-exempt (overtime eligible)
Pay: $_ per hour
Certification: National or state certification required within 18 months of hire (CMS)
ABOUT [FACILITY NAME]
[Facility Name] is a dialysis facility in [City, State]. We are hiring a Dialysis
Technician (patient care technician) to set up and operate hemodialysis equipment,
care for patients during treatment, and maintain a safe, clean, compliant
treatment environment.
POSITION SUMMARY
The Dialysis Technician prepares and operates dialysis machines, monitors patients
before, during, and after treatment, follows infection-control and safety
protocols, documents care, and supports the clinical team under the supervision of
a registered nurse. This is an hourly, non-exempt role.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
•Set up, test, and operate hemodialysis machines and equipment
•Prepare patients and initiate, monitor, and discontinue treatment
•Take and record vital signs and patient weights
•Monitor patients for reactions and report changes to the RN
•Follow infection-control, safety, and bloodborne-pathogen protocols
•Disinfect and maintain machines and the water-treatment system
•Document treatment accurately in the patient record
•Maintain CPR/BLS certification and required competencies
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS
•High school diploma or GED
•Completion of an approved dialysis training program
•National or state certification within 18 months of hire (CMS requirement)
•Current CPR/BLS certification
•Strong attention to detail and patient-care skills
CERTIFICATION AND COMPLIANCE NOTE (read before posting)
Federal Conditions for Coverage (42 CFR Part 494) require a patient care dialysis
technician to hold national or state certification within 18 months of hire,
complete an approved training program, and maintain annual competency and CPR.
Some states (such as California and Texas) require their own state certification
or license. This role is hourly and non-exempt under the FLSA. Verify the current
requirements for your state. This is general information, not legal advice.
EEO STATEMENT
[Facility Name] is an equal opportunity employer and provides reasonable
accommodations for the essential functions of this role.
PAY AND HOW TO APPLY
Pay: $_ per hour (non-exempt, overtime eligible)
To apply, email __ with your resume and certifications.
Template 2: Dialysis Patient Care Technician (PCT)
The same role under the title most large facilities use, emphasizing direct hands-on patient care.
Dialysis Patient Care Technician (PCT) Job Description
DIALYSIS PATIENT CARE TECHNICIAN (PCT) JOB DESCRIPTION
Facility: __ ([City, State])
Reports to: [Charge Nurse / Clinical Manager]
Employment type: Full-time, hourly
FLSA status: Non-exempt (overtime eligible)
Pay: $_ per hour
Certification: National or state certification required within 18 months of hire (CMS)
ABOUT THIS ROLE
Patient Care Technician (PCT) is the most common employer title for a dialysis
technician. The PCT provides direct, hands-on patient care during hemodialysis
treatment alongside operating the equipment.
POSITION SUMMARY
[Facility Name] is hiring a Dialysis Patient Care Technician to deliver direct
patient care during treatment: preparing and operating dialysis machines,
monitoring patients, following infection-control protocols, and documenting care
under RN supervision. This is an hourly, non-exempt role.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
•Provide direct patient care before, during, and after dialysis
•Set up, operate, and discontinue hemodialysis treatment
•Cannulate access sites per training and protocol
•Take vitals, weigh patients, and monitor for reactions
•Follow infection-control and bloodborne-pathogen protocols
•Disinfect machines and maintain the treatment area
•Document treatment accurately and report changes to the RN
•Maintain certification, CPR/BLS, and annual competencies
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS
•High school diploma or GED
•Completion of an approved dialysis or PCT training program
•National or state certification within 18 months of hire (CMS requirement)
An experienced technician who leads the floor and mentors staff, still hourly and overtime eligible.
Charge / Lead Dialysis Technician Job Description
CHARGE / LEAD DIALYSIS TECHNICIAN JOB DESCRIPTION
Facility: __ ([City, State])
Reports to: [Clinical Manager / Nurse Manager]
Employment type: Full-time, hourly
FLSA status: Non-exempt (overtime eligible)
Pay: $_ per hour
Certification: National or state certification required; advanced (CCHT-A) a plus
ABOUT THIS ROLE
A charge or lead dialysis technician is an experienced technician who guides the
treatment floor, mentors newer techs, and supports the clinical manager, while
still providing patient care. It is an hourly, non-exempt role with added
responsibility, not a salaried management position.
POSITION SUMMARY
[Facility Name] is hiring a Charge/Lead Dialysis Technician to lead the treatment
floor during shifts: providing patient care, coordinating and mentoring technicians,
monitoring safety and compliance, supporting machine and water-treatment programs,
and assisting the clinical manager. You remain hourly and overtime eligible.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
•Lead the treatment floor during assigned shifts
•Provide dialysis patient care and operate equipment
•Mentor, train, and guide dialysis technicians
•Monitor infection-control, safety, and compliance
•Support machine maintenance and water-treatment programs
•Help track certifications, competencies, and training records
•Coordinate with the RN and clinical manager
•Help resolve patient and workflow issues
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS
•High school diploma or GED
•[2+] years of dialysis technician experience
•Current national or state certification (advanced certification a plus)
•Current CPR/BLS certification
•Leadership, communication, and strong clinical skills
CERTIFICATION AND COMPLIANCE NOTE
A charge or lead technician is still an hourly, non-exempt role and is owed
overtime; the lead designation does not create an FLSA exemption. Maintain
certification (some hold advanced certification such as CCHT-A), CPR, and annual
competency, and help enforce 42 CFR Part 494 requirements across the floor. This
is general information, not legal advice.
EEO STATEMENT
[Facility Name] is an equal opportunity employer and provides reasonable
accommodations for the essential functions of this role.
PAY AND HOW TO APPLY
Pay: $_ per hour (non-exempt, overtime eligible)
To apply, email __ with your resume and certifications.
Certification, OSHA, and FLSA for Your Dialysis Technician JD
This is the section no competing template covers in depth, and for a dialysis role it is the most important part of the hire. Four areas belong in the decision: CMS certification, OSHA bloodborne pathogens, FLSA classification, and state licensing and water quality.
CMS 42 CFR Part 494: certification within 18 months of hire
This is the rule that shapes the whole role and that generic templates leave out. Under the federal Conditions for Coverage for end-stage renal disease facilities (42 CFR Part 494), a patient care dialysis technician must hold a high school diploma or equivalent, complete a training program approved by the medical director and governing body and conducted under a registered nurse, and obtain certification under a state or national program within 18 months of being hired. The facility must also keep the technician's competency evaluated. In practice this means a new hire can work while training, but the clock starts at hire and the certification deadline is firm. Writing the 18-month requirement into the job description sets the expectation clearly and protects the facility. This is general information, not legal advice.
OSHA Bloodborne Pathogens: exposure happens every treatment
A dialysis technician contacts blood at essentially every treatment, so the OSHA Bloodborne Pathogens Standard (29 CFR 1910.1030) applies directly and squarely. The facility must maintain a written exposure control plan, offer the hepatitis B vaccination, provide and require personal protective equipment, run training, and follow post-exposure procedures. For a dialysis facility this is not a back-office formality; it is daily practice on the treatment floor. The job description should reference infection-control and bloodborne-pathogen responsibilities so candidates understand the safety expectations, and the facility should have the exposure control plan, vaccination records, and training records in place before a new technician starts. This is general information, not legal advice.
FLSA: the technician is non-exempt and owed overtime
A dialysis technician is an hourly, non-exempt role under the FLSA, owed overtime at one and a half times the regular rate for hours over 40 in a workweek. The role is hands-on technical and patient-care work that does not meet the learned-professional or other white-collar exemption tests, so there is no path to classifying it as exempt. This stays true for a charge or lead technician who still works the floor and is paid hourly: the lead designation adds responsibility but does not create an exemption. Track hours accurately and pay overtime. Some states have additional overtime and break rules, and several set minimum staffing ratios for dialysis facilities. This is general information, not legal advice.
State licensing and water quality add another layer
Beyond the federal rules, two more areas matter. First, state certification or licensure: while many states rely on the federal CMS requirement, some, including California and Texas, require their own state certification or license, and a few require certification before a technician may administer medications such as saline or heparin. Second, water treatment and infection control: dialysis depends on highly purified water, so facilities follow recognized water-quality standards and the CDC's dialysis-specific infection-control guidance, and technicians often perform water-system checks. None of this needs to fill a job posting, but acknowledging the certification, water-quality, and infection-control responsibilities attracts candidates who understand the regulated nature of the work. Verify your state's rules. This is general information, not legal advice.
The 18-Month Rule, From the Federal Regulation
The CMS Conditions for Coverage for dialysis facilities (42 CFR Part 494) require a patient care dialysis technician to be certified under a state or national program within 18 months of hire, after completing an approved training program, and the OSHA Bloodborne Pathogens Standard (29 CFR 1910.1030) applies at every treatment.
For the classification question, the exempt versus non-exempt guide explains why a dialysis technician, including a charge technician, is hourly and owed overtime.
Requirements and Certification
Dialysis technician roles start from a high school diploma and an approved training program, not a degree, with certification required on the federal timeline. Scale the requirements to the title and seniority.
Requirement
What to look for
Education
High school diploma or GED; no degree required
Training
Completion of an approved dialysis training program
Certification
State or national (BONENT CHT, NNCC CCHT) within 18 months of hire
CPR
Current CPR/BLS certification (CMS)
State licensing
Required in some states (e.g. California, Texas)
Classification
Hourly, non-exempt, overtime eligible
Keep the posting neutral and inclusive, since the EEOC prohibits job advertisements that show a preference based on a protected characteristic, and the SHRM guide covers the standard sections of a job description.
Dialysis Technician Pay
Dialysis technician pay is hourly and modest, consistent with a non-exempt technical role.
Proxy Median About $45,280 a Year (BLS)
The closest federal code, medical equipment preparers, had a median wage of about $45,280 a year (roughly $21.77 an hour) as of May 2023, with the lowest 10 percent under about $34,020 and the highest 10 percent over about $63,980 (BLS). National job-board data for dialysis technician and PCT titles clusters in a similar mid-to-high $40,000s range.
Experienced and charge technicians earn more, and outpatient-center settings tend to pay somewhat above the broad occupation average. Pay varies by region, employer, certification, and experience. For a posting, benchmark to local market data and the level you are hiring, and provide a good-faith pay rate or range where pay transparency rules apply.
Hire and Onboard a Dialysis Technician
For a dialysis facility, getting this hire right is mostly about who is actually doing the hiring and tracking compliance from day one. Here is how that plays out across employer types.
Most dialysis facilities belong to large national chains with corporate HR
It is worth being honest about who employs dialysis technicians. The US dialysis market is one of the most consolidated in healthcare: two national chains operate well over half of all facilities, and the largest organizations together run the large majority, while independent ownership has fallen into the low double digits and continues to decline. Most facilities are owned by enterprise networks or hospital systems with centralized corporate HR, recruiting teams, and applicant tracking systems, which write their own job descriptions and do not look like a five-to-fifty-employee business making its own hiring decisions. If you found this page as a recruiter at a large chain, these templates are a useful free reference, but the role is mostly an enterprise hire rather than the independent small-business hire FirstHR is built for.
The genuine small-business case is an independent clinic or nephrology practice
There is a real, if smaller, independent segment: an independent outpatient dialysis clinic, a physician-owned practice with in-office dialysis, or a hospital-affiliated unit operating with a lean team. In that setting the dialysis technician is a true small-team hire, and the person writing the job description may be a clinical manager or owner without a dedicated HR department. The compliance load is identical to a chain's, the CMS 18-month certification requirement, OSHA bloodborne-pathogen program, annual competencies, CPR, state licensing where it applies, and water-quality and infection-control standards, but without a corporate compliance team to manage it. The outpatient and entry-level templates here are written for exactly this case, with the certification window and infection-control requirements built in so a small clinic does not miss them.
Onboarding a dialysis technician means certifications, training records, and compliance docs
For an independent clinic, onboarding a dialysis technician is mostly about tracking certifications and compliance from day one: a signed offer letter, the new hire paperwork, bloodborne-pathogen and HIPAA acknowledgments, proof of CPR, and a clear plan to reach certification within the 18-month CMS window. FirstHR fits this people side for a small clinic: e-signature for the offer letter and safety and policy acknowledgments, document management to store certifications, training records, and competency evaluations with reminders before deadlines, training modules to deliver bloodborne-pathogen and onboarding orientation, an AI onboarding wizard and task workflows for a repeatable checklist, and a simple HRIS for a small team. To be clear about scope, FirstHR is not a clinical, dialysis-operations, or water-management system, and it does not run payroll or administer benefits, so pair it with those providers. Applicant tracking is coming soon.
For an independent clinic, onboarding centers on the offer letter, the new hire paperwork, bloodborne-pathogen and policy acknowledgments, proof of CPR, and a clear plan to reach certification within the CMS 18-month window, so the facility stays compliant from the first shift.
FirstHR fits this people side for a small clinic: e-signature for the offer letter and safety and policy acknowledgments, document management to store certifications, training records, and competency evaluations with reminders before deadlines, training modules for bloodborne-pathogen and onboarding orientation, an AI onboarding wizard and task workflows for a repeatable checklist, and a simple HRIS for a small team. FirstHR is not a clinical or dialysis-operations system and does not run payroll or administer benefits, so connect those separately. Applicant tracking is coming soon to FirstHR.
Key Takeaways
A dialysis technician (also called a patient care technician or hemodialysis technician) operates dialysis equipment and cares for patients under RN supervision.
The defining rule is federal: under CMS 42 CFR Part 494, the technician must be certified within 18 months of hire after an approved training program.
The OSHA Bloodborne Pathogens Standard applies at every treatment; name infection-control responsibilities in the posting.
The role is hourly and non-exempt and owed overtime; a charge or lead title does not create an FLSA exemption.
Some states (California, Texas among them) require their own certification or licensure on top of the federal rule.
Most dialysis facilities are large chains with corporate HR; the genuine small-business case is an independent outpatient clinic or physician practice.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does a dialysis technician do?
A dialysis technician sets up and operates hemodialysis equipment and cares for patients during treatment. The duties cluster into four areas: equipment and treatment (setting up, testing, and operating dialysis machines, initiating and discontinuing treatment, and disinfecting machines and checking water treatment), patient care (preparing patients, taking vitals and weights, cannulating access sites per protocol, and monitoring for reactions), safety and infection control (following bloodborne-pathogen protocols and keeping the treatment area safe), and documentation and compliance (recording treatment, maintaining certification and competencies, and supporting CMS and water-quality requirements). The role works under registered-nurse supervision. It is also called a patient care technician (PCT) or hemodialysis technician, and it is an hourly, non-exempt position. This is general information, not legal advice.
What certification does a dialysis technician need?
Certification is required, and the timing is set by federal rule. Under the CMS Conditions for Coverage (42 CFR Part 494), a patient care dialysis technician must obtain certification under a state or national program within 18 months of hire, after completing an approved training program and with ongoing competency evaluation. The main national certifications are the BONENT Certified Hemodialysis Technologist/Technician (CHT) and the Nephrology Nursing Certification Commission's Certified Clinical Hemodialysis Technician (CCHT), with an advanced CCHT-A for experienced techs. Some states add their own requirement: California and Texas, among others, require state certification or licensure, and a few states require certification before a technician may administer certain medications. A new hire can typically work while training, but the 18-month deadline is firm. Verify your state's rules. This is general information, not legal advice.
What is the difference between a dialysis technician, a PCT, and a hemodialysis technician?
They describe the same role with different labels. Dialysis technician is the general term. Patient care technician (PCT) is the most common employer title, especially at large facilities, and emphasizes the direct, hands-on patient-care side of the job. Hemodialysis technician is the formal title that names the treatment type, in-center hemodialysis, which is the most common dialysis setting. You may also see renal dialysis technician or simply dialysis tech. All refer to an hourly technician who operates dialysis equipment and cares for patients under RN supervision, subject to the same CMS certification requirement and FLSA non-exempt classification. A dialysis registered nurse is a separate, licensed role and not the same job. Use the title your facility and local candidates use. This is general information, not legal advice.
Is a dialysis technician exempt or non-exempt under the FLSA?
A dialysis technician is non-exempt, meaning the role is owed overtime pay of one and a half times the regular rate for hours worked over 40 in a workweek. It is hands-on technical and patient-care work that does not meet the learned-professional or other white-collar exemption tests, so there is no path to classifying it as exempt. This remains true for a charge or lead technician who still works the treatment floor and is paid hourly: the lead designation adds responsibility but does not create an FLSA exemption. Facilities should track hours accurately and pay overtime. Several states also set minimum staffing ratios for dialysis facilities and have their own overtime and break rules that go beyond the federal floor, so check your state. This is general information, not legal advice.
What should a dialysis technician job description include?
A strong dialysis technician job description includes a short facility summary, a position summary that sets the scope, and responsibilities grouped into equipment and treatment, patient care, safety and infection control, and documentation and compliance. It should list real requirements (a high school diploma or GED, completion of an approved training program, CPR/BLS, and certification within the 18-month CMS window), state that the role is hourly and non-exempt, and provide a pay rate or range. The additions that generic templates skip, and that matter most for a dialysis facility, are the compliance specifics: the CMS 42 CFR Part 494 certification requirement, OSHA bloodborne-pathogen responsibilities, annual competency, and any state certification or licensure such as in California or Texas. Add an EEO statement and a clear way to apply. This is general information, not legal advice.
Do small or independent dialysis clinics have to follow the same rules as the big chains?
Yes. The federal Conditions for Coverage (42 CFR Part 494) and the OSHA Bloodborne Pathogens Standard apply to every Medicare-certified dialysis facility regardless of who owns it, so an independent outpatient clinic or a physician-owned practice with in-office dialysis carries the same obligations as a national chain. That includes the 18-month certification requirement for patient care technicians, an approved training program, annual competency evaluations, CPR, the bloodborne-pathogen program, infection-control and water-quality standards, and any applicable state certification or licensure. The difference is that a small clinic has to meet all of it without a corporate compliance department, which is why building the certification window and compliance responsibilities into the job description and onboarding process matters even more for an independent facility. This is general information, not legal advice.
How much does a dialysis technician make?
Dialysis technician pay is hourly and modest. The closest federal occupation code, medical equipment preparers, which the Bureau of Labor Statistics uses to classify dialysis technicians, had a median wage of about $45,280 a year, or roughly $21.77 an hour, as of May 2023, with the lowest 10 percent under about $34,020 and the highest 10 percent over about $63,980. National job-board data for the dialysis technician and patient care technician titles clusters in a similar range, often the mid-to-high $40,000s, with higher pay for experienced and charge technicians and in higher-cost or outpatient-center settings, where wages tend to run somewhat above the broad occupation average. Pay varies by region, employer, certification, and experience. For a posting, benchmark to local market data and provide a good-faith pay rate or range where pay transparency rules apply. This is general information, not legal advice.
Can a dialysis technician work before getting certified?
Usually yes, within limits. The CMS Conditions for Coverage (42 CFR Part 494) allow a newly hired patient care dialysis technician to begin working after completing an approved training program conducted under a registered nurse, while working toward certification, but they must obtain state or national certification within 18 months of their hire date. In other words, the certification clock starts at hire, and the role can be filled by someone still completing the requirement, which is why the entry-level template on this page is written for a trainee working toward certification. Some states impose stricter rules, including state certification or licensure and limits on tasks such as administering medications until certified. Track each new technician's 18-month deadline closely, since missing it is a compliance problem for the facility. This is general information, not legal advice.
