Re: Davita working environment?
NavyNurse,
I sincerely apologize for all the bad comments you have read about Davita. I have been with Davita for two years and find it to be a wonderful company. I have transferred from chronics to acutes and find that I love it even more. In my chronic unit, I found that it isnt the company, it is the FA themselves that is the problem. Don't forget that management has the authority to change whatever the problems are and if they make their bosses happy, then bottom line is that they have done their job. Unfortunately, it has come down to about a dollar and they have cut out optimal things like "tip-stops" but besides that, I feel that it is a solid company. Many people think that they can go into dialysis chronic and just take it slow. It is by far not even close to that. I have calculated my steps when I worked at the chronic units and some days it was over 18,000 steps. I worked any where from 12-16 hours days. Dialysis is either something you love or hate. You have to find a FA that is good to the staff and patients. The acute setting I am now, I couldnt have asked for better. I feel like a nurse again because I deal with acute dialysis pateints. Post cardiac caths, surgery, open hearts, you name it, we dialyze them after. It makes me appreciate nursing again.
It isnt the company that is the problem, it is the people that are running the particular clinic the people are complaining about. And to be honest, there are days when you are the only nurse and taking care of 19 patients on two or three shifts is a lot but if you have a solid team of PCTs and LPNs that work with you, your job is not at all hard. I have been honored to always have wonderful PCTs and LPNs work with me. You may want to go visit a chronic center and shadow a RN to see what dialysis is all about and what is done on the floor and you may want to reevaluate your thoughts. I would recommend checking into an acute dialysis program as if you have any hospital experience, then they will train you in dialysis and you get on call pay, mileage, shift diff, overtime...the perks are endless. I have made more money in 4 weeks in acutes then I ever made in chronic. Just a thought.

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