What is the typical day like for a dialysis nurse?

Dialysis is busy job, with hardly any down time during your shift.
Especially when you are the only RN for 20 patients at a time!. Each clinic RNatient ratio is different.
You have to assess the patients in before their treatments, monitor them during and assess them when they are done. In the mean time, 20 more patients are starting to come in for their treatments.
They mostly all receive some sort of IV meds during their treatments.
As for charting - pre/post assessments, med reviews, quarterly care plans, initial nursing assessments upon admission, interdisciplinary comprehensive assessments.
Codes! We try to prevent them, but they do happen and when you are the only RN there - it is all you and hopefully a pct will step into help you while you are waiting for EMS to arrive.
Dialysis patients have their "own" personalities. Remember these patients have a chronic illness and many are on dialysis because they were non compliant with their diabetes management or blood pressure control, so they continue to be "non compliant" when it comes to dialysis.
"the grass is not always greener on the other side of the fence"

With this said and done " I love dialysis" and will probably retire doing it.

Busy.


Busy.


Oh, and did I mention BUSY???

If you like to keep moving on your feet, this is the job for you !!!

Seriously.. very busy, especially at turnover. But still.. wonderful................... IF (and that's a big IF) you are working for a good, staff friendly company.

It's interesting, fascinating, and you do get very attached to your patients.

As a dialysis nurse, I run around like a chicken all day, and some one calls my name about every two minutes (literally).