which certification...

NurseRies, BSN, RN · Jan 7, 2014

Hi I am a RN with >4 years of exp in skilled nursing/long term/rehab. I recently relocated in Maryland with my husband. I would love to start a specialty and i am interested in dialysis, inspired by one of my patient. I just sent an application for a RN position in dialysis and hoping they are willing to train un-experienced RN. I am looking for more openings in other facilities as well.. anyway, their job post said willing to train if the person is right...I was wondering if I can study for any certification in dialysis. I am willing to consider any suggestion...even though i am not sure if i can get that job at dialysis.. but I am really hoping to become one someday. When i looked up some certification such as CNN...i am not even qualified to study due to lack of experience..is there anything i can study for? or is it too early to start study for those certification anyway? please help! Thank you!![/quote']
There is no available certification without experience, but you might consider joining ANNA,which is specifically for nephrology nurses. You can put that on your resume to show your interest in the field. With your membership, you get 1 free ceu every month, specific to nephrology. I am a certified dialysis nurse and I can honestly say that my certification hasn't seemed to make a difference to my employers. But I feel good about it, and I did it for me because I love this specialty. If you are this enthusiastic, I hope they recognize that and hire you up! An experienced nurse usually does well in the field. I have seen plenty of programs hire new grads when they are desperate, and so your chances are good! They will give you plenty of training once hired, so there's no need to do independent education unless you really want to.
I may suggest spending more time researching the dialysis industry and the huge companies that nearly own the field. Look up fresenius and Davita and see what you find out about working for them, benefits, etc. they both have great training programs, but each clinic is really hit or miss depending on management and coworkers. Dialysis has been a blessing for me! But if you're in a bad clinic with lots of turnover, it can be a nightmare! Are you applying for an outpatient clinic or for an inpatient hospital program? Dialysis nursing is surrounded by a lot of politics and government reimbursements issues. The two big companies are HUGE and may not be like the healthcare industry you're used to, I'm not saying it's bad, just different probably. Best of luck and I hope you get the job!!

allaboutfun · Jan 9, 2014

I posted comment yesterday and it is all gone somehow....oops....

I wanted to say Thank you Nurserides. I already have been looking up fresenius and Davita. Near where I am there is no Davita clinic. there is one Fresenius 30 min away which is not bad but has no openings for new nurses. I notice when they have they will say willing to train new nurse, otherwise specifically stated exp. required on job position.

I received a call from the place where i sent application yesterday. she asked me some simple questions and i tired to show my passion. after all she said my app. will forwarded to the clinic near me. so I feel like one step closer now.

I never thought about relationships between politics and dialysis...thank you for the heads up...at least i have this to expect...i survived in hectic nursing homes in past so I think i will be able to manage once i get used to...i read reviews about davita clinics....sound really tough...some were ok...

thank you and hopefully I get this job! oh, I am looking up how to join ANNA right now. thank you for your comment!!!

allaboutfun · Jan 9, 2014

I went to join ANNA and there is free for 3 incentive program. "Every ANNA member who recruits 3 new members will receive a 1-year ANNA membership free!" I would like to put your name if you are ok. Please message me you name if you want :)

NurseRies, BSN, RN · Jan 9, 2014

I went to join ANNA and there is free for 3 incentive program. "Every ANNA member who recruits 3 new members will receive a 1-year ANNA membership free!" I would like to put your name if you are ok. Please message me you name if you want :)

Thanks I messaged you!

Yeah the politics of dialysis is all about how much we get reimbursed per treatment and trying to make it work. A lot of clinics don't even make much money, which is why the big companies seem to be the only one that survive. They ride off the profitable, large clinics, and other business ventures. For example, Fresenius manufactures it's own dialysis machines and supplies, which in my opinion, are the best machines! Fresenius is a German company, they have great benefits and health insurance. Davita headquarters is now in denver. Their philosophies are a little different and they have a very exciting training program. Many Davita nurses feel overworked in my experiences from traveling. They get burnt out and try somewhere else.

Politics are affecting the way we run clinics and acute programs. There are new laws going into affect which will cut the reimbursement per treatment quite a bit. We are not sure how this will affect us. Many programs are already running with a skeleton crew, counting stamps and band aids, etc. It's all about the all valuable $$$$. It has been my experiences that if you can find a small company or a non profit, or work for a university, you don't run into these stamp counting, business degree nurse managers, or "facility administrators" as they call them, which are not always RNs. At the end of the day, my pay raise has to be approved by so and so's boss, who sends it to their boss, and so on. It can be VERY corporate....

Mz.Roz · Jan 22, 2014

Hi all.

I have a question regarding certification as well. While I was a student, our instructors kept stressing to take to BONENT exam not the CHT or NCCT, but when I look at the BONENT website, it only has CHT,CPDN,and CHN. When I ask what certification is the best for a new graduate to take, they said it's BONENT because I could use it in all 50 states(I plan to move out of state soon) The only test I can take(I'm not a nurse) would be the CHT exam. this is very confusing! So I sent out my packet for the CHT exam as that is the ONLY one I can take since I am not a nurse. If you all have ANY study tips,please shout em out! Thanks!