Anyone start their career in dialysis?

lenovo · Dec 29, 2010

Being a dialysis nurse is fun...You will learn a lot as you go to the process since this work is routinary... I enjoy caring dialysis patients..

im same to you... i only have hallf a year experience in the medical surgical department before entering the nephrology department.. i love it being a productive part of the hemodialysis team...

aussiemom · Dec 30, 2010

I started in dialysis straight out of school (approx. 6 months ago), and I enjoy my work. Starting as a new grad anywhere is tough, but dialysis is challenging as a specialty. There is a great deal of technical knowledge you will need to acquire about the machines we use. Learning to cannulate fistulas and grafts, as well as assessing their patency, is an ongoing process. "Putting the pieces together" between anatomy and physiology, pharmacology, and pathophysiology is vital. You need to be observant at all times because our patients are very sensitive, and what we are doing with their fluids and electrolytes is no joke when it comes to their cardiac status. On top of your body of nursing knowledge, your "bedside manner" is crucial for working with patients and families. Our patients can have challenging psychosocial needs at times due to the chronic nature of their disease. Your organizational skills and delegation skills will come into play as well on a daily basis.

The only constant is change- and we often have to change plans very quickly. :smokin: I work in a hospital-based dialysis center. In addition to hemo, we have nurses trained in peritoneal dialysis. We also carry out acute treatments in our satellite "acute room" in a nearby wing, and perform acute treatments in the ICU with our portable machines. I hope I've given you a taste of what your work will entail. Give yourself time to learn and remember to be kind to yourself. I like my co-workers and it's a good work environment, but the focus it entails definitely wears you down by the end of the day. Best of luck and welcome!