Brand New To Dialysis

nosonew, BSN, RN · Apr 17, 2005

I am a brand new dialysis nurse. I am with FMC. I am still training and i am not sure if I will like it yet. Can get some input from those who do like and those who dont? ALSO...is FMC a good company to work for?

Don't know anything about FMC but Jnette works for them and I am sure she will reply...

However, with regard to dialysis nursing..it is a love it or hate it job. I personally think you have to realize early on that these patients NEED a good QUALITY of life...and at times that will be priority of QUANTITY. However, each patients individual desires and needs will vary, and you must roll will the flow.

Also, one must realize patients on dialysis only die due to kidney failure due to fluid overload or not going to dialysis. They die 99.9% of the time due to other chronic or acute illnesses, generally cardiac in nature. (In my experience anyway). When they are towards the end of their time here... our docs generally decide to stop any dietary restrictions and other restrictions due to their kidney failure. This gives them a bit more enjoyment in their last months with us.

I wish you much luck and happiness in your new position and hope you love it like I do.

jnette, ASN, EMT-I · Apr 17, 2005

Hi there !

And welcome to dialysis !

I, too, love what I do.. in SPITE of the corporate politics and usual company BS. Yes, I work for FMC.. have for nine years now. I'll not say yay or nay as I sure don't want to bias you one way or the other. Let's just say it's big business as usual. If I don't allow myself to dwell too much on the company but rather on my work and my patients, yes, I do love it. :)

Very physically demanding, and nonstop go, go, go. But very interesting, challenging, and rewarding in that you have a wonderful opportunity to bond with your patients, as you will be seeing them 3Xweek !

Take your time to learn things.. and do NOT feel pressured into learning or knowing it all ASAP. It truly takes a full year before you are really comfortable with what you know and do.. don't allow anyone to tell you differently.

Wish you the very best.. keep us posted with your progress, and do come here if you have questions, or just want to de-stress, or vent !

bbrnurse · Apr 17, 2005

:uhoh3:

I am a brand new dialysis nurse. I am with FMC. I am still training and i am not sure if I will like it yet. Can get some input from those who do like and those who dont? ALSO...is FMC a good company to work for?

I've been in dialysis since 1987.. No I don't remember the wash tub.. :rotfl:

I love dialysis. It's my niche. I believe dialysis patients are some of the best taken care of patients. They see an RN ( this RN at least if I am on) 3 times a week. And with the new re-imbursement of Medicare are seen by a medical professional. MD, DO, or NP 4 times a month.

Not to mention a dietician, and social worker as needed.

Now if they don't feel they are getting great care it's because they aren't participating.

Today we handed out urine jugs for 24 hour urines for CC. Now one patient refused to take the jug home cuz he didn't want anyone to see it. IMHO that's silly.. Who cares that he is carrying a jug. Now that's his choice and I can't make him adhere to his care regimen..

I told him the results would determine diet, dialysis time, dialyzer size and could mean a better dialysis session..Making him feel better in the long run. My education fell on deaf ears. :uhoh3:

jnette, ASN, EMT-I · Apr 17, 2005

Now that's his choice and I can't make him adhere to his care regimen..
I told him the results would determine diet, dialysis time, dialyzer size and could mean a better dialysis session..Making him feel better in the long run. My education fell on deaf ears.

Yeh, that's such a shame about those who insist on being non compliant with their tx. and goals. We don't have many, but there are always a few. :stone

But watch them fuss when the doc has to increase their time on the machine due to this noncompliance.. and they just don't seem to "get it".. although we take greate pains to explain the connection there.. the rational.. beforehand. Oh well.

err... you might have offered to place his jug in a trash can liner or paper bag for him? Not that it's your responsibility, but HIS.. but wonder if he would have agreed to take it home and follow through that way?

bbrnurse · Apr 17, 2005

Yeh, that's such a shame about those who insist on being non compliant with their tx. and goals. We don't have many, but there are always a few. :stone
But watch them fuss when the doc has to increase their time on the machine due to this noncompliance.. and they just don't seem to "get it".. although we take greate pains to explain the connection there.. the rational.. beforehand. Oh well.
err... you might have offered to place his jug in a trash can liner or paper bag for him? Not that it's your responsibility, but HIS.. but wonder if he would have agreed to take it home and follow through that way?

Honey :rotfl: This is an FMC unit.. Where do you think I could even get a paper bag.. And a garbage liner wasn't good enough for him.. He wasn't

carrying out a "garbage bag" .. Had nothing to do with the jug really. It was a control issue.. I saw that a long time ago. And actually understand it. :rolleyes:

jnette, ASN, EMT-I · Apr 17, 2005

...a garbage liner wasn't good enough for him.. He wasn't
carrying out a "garbage bag" .. Had nothing to do with the jug really. It was a control issue.. I saw that a long time ago. And actually understand it.

Yep.. I know the kind. We have a couple of those as well. You can't force 'em, right? You can only do so much.. the rest is up to THEM. :stone

sunshine9 · Jun 15, 2005

I know that this thread started a few months ago but I just wanted to say a few words. I am currently finishing my prereq. and will start some of my nursing classes in the fall and my first clinical in the spring of 2006. I am also interested in working in a dialysis unit but also for personal reasons. I have been going back and fourth since I can remember as a very young child to her dialysis appointments. For a long time her dream has been for me to go into nursing and it has now also become mine. Living away from my mother at an early age I did not quite understand a lot about her complications and her illness (she lost her kidneys due to lupus). I just want to thank all of you for doing such a wonderful job when the going gets tuff and still realizing that you want to be there for the patients. My mother has always had such a great amount of respect for you. I often thought about what I would like to specialize in and I know that sometimes you really don't know until you've gone through rotation there. Unfortunately, my mother spent almost twenty years of her life, going back and fourth for the usual three days a week to her dialysis appointments. I would just love to give the respect, comfort, and gain the bond that many of the dialysis nurses do with their patients. Hopefully, the after the next three years of nursing school I will be able to join the rest of all of the dialysis staff in the future.

nosonew, BSN, RN · Jun 18, 2005

I know that this thread started a few months ago but I just wanted to say a few words. I am currently finishing my prereq. and will start some of my nursing classes in the fall and my first clinical in the spring of 2006. I am also interested in working in a dialysis unit but also for personal reasons. I have been going back and fourth since I can remember as a very young child to her dialysis appointments. For a long time her dream has been for me to go into nursing and it has now also become mine. Living away from my mother at an early age I did not quite understand a lot about her complications and her illness (she lost her kidneys due to lupus). I just want to thank all of you for doing such a wonderful job when the going gets tuff and still realizing that you want to be there for the patients. My mother has always had such a great amount of respect for you. I often thought about what I would like to specialize in and I know that sometimes you really don't know until you've gone through rotation there. Unfortunately, my mother spent almost twenty years of her life, going back and fourth for the usual three days a week to her dialysis appointments. I would just love to give the respect, comfort, and gain the bond that many of the dialysis nurses do with their patients. Hopefully, the after the next three years of nursing school I will be able to join the rest of all of the dialysis staff in the future.

Sounds like you will be a great dialysis nurse! To treat these people with the caring attitude, truly makes it more bearable for them.

I am a simultaneity nurse, one that believes looking at the whole person, a holistic view of each situation and completely involve the patient and family in treatment.

I work with a totalitarian nurse, who believes in numbers only.

Guess which one the patients prefer?

jnette, ASN, EMT-I · Jun 19, 2005

Sounds like you will be a great dialysis nurse! To treat these people with the caring attitude, truly makes it more bearable for them.
I am a simultaneity nurse, one that believes looking at the whole person, a holistic view of each situation and completely involve the patient and family in treatment.
I work with a totalitarian nurse, who believes in numbers only.
Guess which one the patients prefer?

Who of us has EVER wanted to be seen as a "number", right? :rolleyes:

Good for you, nosonew... I concur. I only wish more of our patients took greater interest in their care, their and their quality of life... and would contribute toward it. Seems here lately that it's become a "us against them" thing.. instead of understanding that their actions/behaviors is what determines how well they will feel in the long run. And no amount of educating has been able to change this attitude. But... gotta keep trying, right?

Sunshine.. WELCOME ! :balloons:

I agree.. you have every reason and motivation to become a marvelous dialysis nurse, and I wish you the very best in your endeavors ! It truly is a fascinating specialty and the closeness with your patients is truly rewarding. :)

rntexas · Aug 4, 2005

Im havin an interview for rn dialysis position but no experience in the area. Training will be provided though. Can anyone share interview questions they have encountered during the job interview? thanks

wir5 · Sep 3, 2005

I am a brand new dialysis nurse. I am with FMC. I am still training and i am not sure if I will like it yet. Can get some input from those who do like and those who dont? ALSO...is FMC a good company to work for?

Glad to have you with us in the wonderful world of dialysis. The other poosts I read say that you either love it or hate it, and that is absolutely true! I love it AEB the past 17 years in dialysis. I worked for FMC for 11 of those years. It was OK, but big business politics got to me, and now I am in the acute unit at the hospital, I LOVE it. Good luck and please ask question, go with your gut and follow your scope of practice. Let us hear from you. Mary