Fresenius medical care...taking over dialysis unit HELP!

[hodgpodge]

Hello. I am an RN that is currently employed by Renal Care Group. Today we just learned that Fresenius Medical Care has bought out all of RCG's stock and they are taking us over. We were a privately owned unit until our wonderful "doctor" sold us to RCG. About 5 months ago. We got new machines, new computers, a whole new system. We are just getting used to the change when, BOOM, today we learn that Fresenius is buying RCG units. All of them. You have to understand, we are a small unit with 16 chairs, in the bootheel of MO. We are a great team of people. I feel like we can handle change well. But of course no one knows anything. I was just wondering if any of you kind people out there have or is currently working with Fresenius. How is their benefits and what kind? Do they have paid time off? All that jazz.

Are they a good company to work for? I would greatly appreciate ANY info you can give me. I really know nothing about them as a company. Just what I've seen on their website, which is still nothing. Please, I would love some personal info on what you've seen and experienced. Thank you.

[jnette, ASN, EMT-I]

Hi Cocoa and Jnette. I too had a wonderful charge nurse who had been at that difficult clinic for SEVEN years! They would not match the lousy 2$ pay raise that another clinic had offered her. What a shame, she was top notch, taught me alot and the patients loved her. It is so hard to accept that this company apparently cares nothing for their employees. In an industry that is training intensive you would think they would learn how stupid it is that we are so easily 'dispensible'. Dialysis is my passion as well, but, I'nm not sure I can work in an industry that values 2X2's more than dedicated staff, Kerry:angryfire

Wow.. you hit the nail on the head, Kerry! That was also one of my hugest disappointments... they have zero respect or appreciation of their truly dedicated staff ! We were treated as totally dispensable. Our DON was also the BEST... and she was my mentor all those years. She was simply awesome. She's still there, but she's getting ready to retire, so she's just hanging in there for now. What a shame.

[Lacie, BSN, RN]

I currently work for FMC and I have to say that patient care is not a top priority, the almighty dollar is. Our 5 units were "bought Out" by FMC about a year ago, and it has been turmoil ever since. Everytime we think we have things under control and are doing it "the Fresenius way", they change policies or there is something else to do on top of everything that we already have to do. I am the ONLY liceensed staff in our 12 station unit. There are three other PCT's, no secretary, no one else but the 4 of us. I am responsible for all of the nursing duties, all of the reports and not to mention the mounds of paperwork that FMC requires. I have been in dialysis for over 12 years and it is my passion, but I'm feeling like the life is being sucked out of me by this company. Our area manager is always on us about keeping the cost per treatment and our TAP down. It has gotten to the point that co-workers in our other units will come in and start working without clocking in just so that they can get their work done and management is not riding their a$$. Before we were acquired by FMC our staffing was very stable and it was actually a great place to work, patient care was THE only priority. Now there is so much turnover that agency staff have to be used and the people that are being hired are leaving before orientation is even over. Many of my co-workers quit within 4-6 months after the take over. We hear everyday from patients that they wish it could be like it used to be, now they feel like herded cattle. I agree avoid FMC as a patient and as an employee. I am seriously looking for another job.

I currently work with Davita and when I first started there about 9-10 months ago I was impressed with the "pt first attitude". In the last 2 months that has seriously changed and the "do it the Davita way" has become a very sad view for me. Pt's are no longer first and the almighty dollar is to the point I have started to send out my resumes elsewhere. I love doing dialysis and have been a nurse for a long time and old school in relation to pt care. The areas of responsiblity between licensed and non-licensed is way to gray and now I am in fear of jeopardizing my license every time I walk in the door. The priority is get them on, get them off, and get them out the door. I havent been able to do my other needed nursing task such as notes etc for months. I''m the first one there and the last one out. If I have to be on the phone for a pt or with a doc, I get "save it for when it's not turnover". In our clinic it always seems to be "turnover" due to someone wanting off early or visitors, etc. We run 3 shifts with the same staff open to close. From what I read here it's not much different company to company at this time. I'm looking to the hospital acute unit which isnt affilitated with any company/profit making group now. My background in critical care and case management may be more appreciated also as right now I feel like I'm an overpaid, over educated technician rather than the nursing professional I'm hired to be. Our staff is also "working off the clock" many times clocking out and coming back in so as not to go over the "productivity allotment" and fear of being yelled at. I love my pts but....too much is too much. One 30 minute break in a 15 hour day just doesnt do it either. If I'm the only licensed person in the building and have to keep getting up during that 30 min dont dock my time either and then refuse to pay me for it. I shouldnt have to spend my day off going in to complete the mandatory computer classes either for every new thing they come up with or have to do it at home without reimbursement for my time. No matching to 401K, no vesting for retirement and the only way is to buy thier stock? I better stop now or it will be a book lol. I can say your post is near identical to that of mine although different companies. The shame of it all is I love what I do and in the long run it's my clients that will suffer not the company.

[nomadness]

my wife has ten years with fmc. they will make your hands bleed make you put toothpicks in your eyes and work you to death. youre lucky you only have 16 patients. wait until they double the census and don't hire any help

[nomadness]

can you say count the epogen

[iriskkerry]

And then count it again, and if they don't like your answer, you'll be weighing every teeny tiny botle!!!!!

[missourigirl53]

Dialysis is dialysis. Davita,FMC or DCI they are all about trying to get things done with as least money as possible. I personally have worked for each and think that FMC provides much better training. They also have ok benefits.

Good luck to you

[sunshine9403]

Hello I saw that you work for FMC and I was reading the post from other people on here and like you mentioned every one seems to be very harsh. I graduated last May 2007 from nursing school and worked at a small hospital doing float until July and now I am starting training with FMC on Sept. 2nd. and will get 4 weeks of class training then 5 weeks on the floor then I will be working the clinic and be required to be on call for hospital when dialysis is needed. How hard is dialysis and would that be suffcient training to be on call for a hospital? What is diaylsis really like? Any good things to say about FMC actually theses negative post are making me nervous. Any information is greatly apperciated.

[sharlenarn]

I have just started training at Fresenius as a new hire RN. I am an experienced nurse, but let me tell you . .this is a completely different arena for me compared to the ER/hospital. The training so far has been excellent, and I like the advantage of relocating in the future if I desire . .they have many clinics. I did not receive a bonus . .they must have done away with that . .and no contract of employment. So far, everyone who has greeted me has been professional and polite. I don't see any warning signs here . .will update you on my status in the coming months. Food for thought . . recently it has come to my knowldege that Davita is playing dirty . .sending their nurses to Fresenius as prospective employees to be trained, then leaving after training. Very dirty handed . .I would not work for them. This is a testament to the quality of Fresenius training . .will keep you posted on my progress.

[MyLove4FL]

First to the New Grad who wants to go straight into Dialysis, hmmmm...not a good idea in my opinion. I firmly believe new grads need no less than 6 months to a year at minimum of Med/Surg experience before moving onto other specialties. Not only will it help you gain the experience that will only help you in this career but will even help you decide which specialty you really may want to branch off to or even stay in. You will be more prepared if you get a New Grad opening on a Med/Surg unit. Trust me once you're out of the hospital setting it is easy to forget or become rusty with your Nursing skills. So, get the 1 yr Med/Surg exp. and don't let your nursing school skills go to waste.

As for Fresenius, I am NOT impressed with this company at all!!! I recently resigned because the pay just wasn't cutting it for me, I adore my patients but if I can't make ends meet then it doesn't do anyone any good. They are HUGELY cheap in their hourly rates(my fault for even accepting a job, but I wanted to learn a new skill, so in the end it wasn't worth it), cheap with what they allow us to do to help patients and patients even see this but complaining or making any sort of recommendations was never considered by upper mgt. I've never worked in a facility that hires so many family members that work side by side, get away with whatever they want but if you dare stick up for yourself and try to be the advocate for yourself and or the patients they think you're just a complainer. HELLO people, aren't we here to HELP the sick. Chronic or not, they need our help. If Fresenius can spend millions and millions to buy all these companies out then where is the share to show their employee's they care & respect them as well as the patients. Come on, all some patients wanted were tv's that worked, or chairs that didn't fall apart or adhesive tape remover so they don't have so much gunk on their skin or caths or even better dressings to cover their catheters. I could go on and on about this company but the fact is I would NEVER EVER refer a friend, family member or another nurse/tech to this company. They say their new motto is to bring back the Nursing part to Dialysis and make the units more RN friendly, yeah good luck!!! They give more power to the PCT's than the RN's so they wonder why most units are tech run units. Whatever!!! Their benefits suck too. Expensive and costly even as a single it's expensive so if you have a family then I can't imagine the costs.

So, to those seeking employment in Dialysis, I would not recommend Fresenius.

[nursesRock86]

I am currently employed as charge nurse for fmc and am thinking about doing travel nursing. Anybody here know of good travel nursing agencies specially for new york? I am sick and worn out working at the same place.

[nursesRock86]

With regards to working for Fmc, I honestly would not recommend anybody to work full time. Most especially if you're an rn! There's always a staff shortage and if you happen to work with an incompetent manager then good luck to you. Don't get me wrong, I love working with some of the staff and my patients are awesome. But it's the BS within the whole company that frustrates me and all the other rns that I work with. We are pretty much expected to do everything and if the techs are not doing what they're supposed to do then it's on us! I could go on talking but I'm sure everybody knows what I mean.

[MyLove4FL]

Amen to that one girl!!! lol lol I totally know what you are saying!!!