I graduated May 2010 from an awesome school, got a job as a dialysis tech while I took my exams. Became charge nurse after a year. I did get training as tech, mostly read on my own. I learned to string lines (at some point, I was dreaming about it ), cannulated a couple of times and got thrown on the floor with three pts. It was a struggle, but I got better.
As a nurse, I learned everything myself - no formal training in that aspect until I went to prep class and everything sorta "came together." Dialysis is more than drawing meds and listening to lung sounds and checking edema. There is the psych component, anemia management, access management, patient management, being the mid-man between doctor and pt. I also act as the machine troubleshooter, the computer fix-it lady. I absolutely love what I do. What I cannot stand is the constant bickering and the sub-par management styles of the management team. The back-biting amongst staff. Word on the street amongst techs is that I act like I am superior to them and I talk down because of my degree/education. I am the most compassionate person I know. I love my patients and I love working with people. If I see a tech who keeps having air in her lines all the time or constantly leaves the line out from the air detector, I will correct her, not in a demeaning manner. FA called a meeting that opened a can of worms and did not really solve anything. Needless to say, management at my clinic sucks. Which is why I am looking to open up my options and get experience in Med-Surg. Has anyone ever done this?
), cannulated a couple of times and got thrown on the floor with three pts. It was a struggle, but I got better.