Transitioning into another specialty

Specialties Urology

Published

Hi fellow RN, I've been a registered Dialysis nurse for 3 years in an acute care setting. I've been trying to transition from Dialysis unit to Critical care or step-down unit and all I have been getting is that my present experience as a dialysis nurse is not much to go on or not fast paced enough to move on into the critical area or step down unit. Has anyone experienced that or is it just me?

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Obviously these people know nothing about dialysis.

Have you explained to them all that you deal with? All the critical decisions that have to be made? ALL the little nuances with the patients that affect their health? And Acutes? HEELLLOOOO!!!!

Wow.

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Specializes in RN, BSN, CHDN.

I am having the same problem! I just cannot get back into main stream nursing

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Acute dialysis which was my gig, does specialize you... to a point. As an acute dialysis RN, you retain a lot of the knowledge and theory of critical patients, but it takes a bit of work to get comfortable with the hands-on aspect again.

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Specializes in Nephrology, Cardiology, ER, ICU.

Taking additional certs might help: ACLS, EKG interpretation, etc.

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I have worked in dialysis for 4 years now, 2 as an LPN, 2 as an RN. I have an interview for ED on Friday, and am SO nervous because I know they are going to judge my "lack of experience". People just don't understand how much thought process goes into each dialysis patient, every tx!

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Specializes in Nephrology, Cardiology, ER, ICU.

Focus on your assessment skills, time management and ability to multi task - all important traits of an ER RN. Good luck.

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Once you leave medsurg, you get into a specialty.Why do you want to leave dialysis?

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