I am currently working as a Staff RN at an ICHD unit with D****a for 1 year now, after obtaining my RN license last summer. Prior to that, I worked as a Certified HD Tech for 12 years, spanning several ICHD clinics (D****a and others) and also with an outpatient hospital-based unit (ended up being bought out by F**), which I loved.
Anyway, I desperately want OUT of D****a. I NEED out; the corporate, micro-managed, for-profit Fortune 500 attitude is killing me slowly from the inside out. I have basically decided if I cannot find another job outside of Chronic HD nursing, then I don't think I'll be a nurse for very much longer, which is heartbreaking since I have some long-term career goals that have absolutely nothing to do with this company, if I can just gt away from it... I would love to get into PACU, OR, or really just any acute position; I am working on my BSN, so not having that finished yet has hindered my job search somewhat. I live in an area where almost all of the big hospitals are Magnet, but as I said I'm enrolled and about halfway done with my Bachelor's. I have about 12 resumes out as of now, so far only netted me 1 interview which did not result in an offer (was for a PACU position at an amb. surgicenter). I even went and got ACLS and IV certified this month to hopefully make myself more marketable for an acute position.
I need a change, and I need it soon. Even though I am literally, physically, and mentally DONE with outpatient dialysis (still working at a clinic currently as I said, but actively trying to get away from it) I am willing to gives acutes/In-patient dialysis a shot. I found a posted position at a large University Medical Center that I am very interested in; I meet all of the requirements, except the posting lists "1 year exp. of providing apheresis therapies". Does not say 'required' or even 'preferred', however it's included in the listing. I have applied already twice; both times, my app got bounced back to me with a generic email from HR stating that I do not meet the qualifications for this position; I believe this is due to a drop-down menu in the app, on the wuestion which asks "do you have ... apheresis exp." and for the sake of honesty, I've checked 'no'. (I admit I was tempted to check 'yes', just to see if that would get a real-live person to call me, but I didn't.) However, this is a University MC; their mission statement even says that they are a teaching institution, and with my many years of HD experience, I really at least was counting on this one to get a call back. (Applying for PACU has been tougher with no exp. but I'm not giving up!)
Are there any In-patient dialysis RNs out there doing apheresis therapy on the job? Were you required to have the exp. on hire, or were you trained? I have some knowledge of apheresis from nursing school, and I've seen the Red Cross do plasmapheresis before, I've just never physically participated in it hands-on. I know I can learn it, but that can't happen if I'm not given a chance to train!
What should I do? Be persistent on this acute dialysis position, keep firing apps at PACU/OR, or pursue something else entirely? I'm feeling pretty beat up, something I didn't expect this early on in my RN career. Any advice/guidance is greatly appreciated. Sorry for the novel, thanks for reading.
OP - if your administrator "refuses" to support a transfer because he is short staffed you may have another option as well. If you work for D and they have open acutes position in your area/hospitals/acute rehab you would apply through the portal and you can also touch base with your FA's boss. It is not reasonable to try to hold people for an extended period of time because they are working the unit into the ground and staff runs away.
This is exactly what is happening with my current FA, and I am not the first one he's done this to during his 'tenure of leadership' at my clinic. In the 4 1/2 years I've worked there, I've seen several nurses and techs leave the company entirely after being denied transfers by him; let's just say, he has his 'favorites', and it's painfully obvious that I am not one of them. Just another item on the laundry list of reasons I want to get out once and for all, and never look back!
I've thought about perhaps going into Acutes within D as well; even though it's far from my first choice, at this point I am willing to try anything that will get me out of Chronics while I continue to work on my BSN. I'm not sure if any of their in-patient units do apheresis or other similar therapies, but I guess the only way to find out is to check it out! I was unsure of how to go about this, and your advice appears to be exactly what I need for a basis on how to move forward with this option. I sincerely appreciate all of your input!
CCK RN
10 Posts
This is exactly what is happening with my current FA, and I am not the first one he's done this to during his 'tenure of leadership' at my clinic. In the 4 1/2 years I've worked there, I've seen several nurses and techs leave the company entirely after being denied transfers by him; let's just say, he has his 'favorites', and it's painfully obvious that I am not one of them. Just another item on the laundry list of reasons I want to get out once and for all, and never look back!
I've thought about perhaps going into Acutes within D as well; even though it's far from my first choice, at this point I am willing to try anything that will get me out of Chronics while I continue to work on my BSN. I'm not sure if any of their in-patient units do apheresis or other similar therapies, but I guess the only way to find out is to check it out! I was unsure of how to go about this, and your advice appears to be exactly what I need for a basis on how to move forward with this option. I sincerely appreciate all of your input!