Davita Acute dialysis questions!

[Trevor Profitt]

I currently work in the IMU and the ER, I’ve been there for 2 years and also a nurse for 2 years. I’ve worked in a Davita outpatient clinic as a tech for 7 years prior to nursing so I have a little background in dialysis, but never as a nurse. Anyway, my question to you all, and I’ll ask this in the interview as well (but they might just say what I want to hear). The job says sugar land/Katy area so I’m sure I’ll be going to different locations, but within a radius. If they’re short somewhere else, does Davita usually send you to another area to help, or pick up hours?. Is the schedule very unpredictable? Or do you have some sort of control with the days you work? If I cannot make it in d/t being sick, would that be a big issue (like it is at the smaller chronic clinics). And also, when it comes time to take vacation, is there usually some kinda coverage, or does Davita still hire the bare minimum just to get by? I have more questions, but I will ask as the responses come in. Thanks for reading and sharing your experiences with me!!

[RayNurse757]

If they’re short somewhere else, does Davita usually send you to another area to help, or pick up hours? Yes they will send you to another hospital if they are short. This usually only occurs if your day is light and someone else’s is heavy. Like if I only had 1 shift but someone else had 3 or 4, they may send me to do 1 of those shifts. We created a collective bargaining agreement though that states that if we are sent to another hospital then we would only do 1 shift.

Is the schedule very unpredictable? Or do you have some sort of control with the days you work? yes and no. Acutes is unpredictable in nature because you don’t know who’s coming through the ED or who the Nephrologist will decide needs to initiate dialysis. You also have call to contend with. If you’re on call then obviously you could get called in at any point during your call period for a pt with fluid overload, hyperkalemia or things of that nature. As far as control of schedule you should be able to request to work certain days but most programs require you to work at every other sat and 1 call Sunday each Month Other than that it shouldn’t be a problem.

If I cannot make it in d/t being sick, would that be a big issue (like it is at the smaller chronic clinics). This depends on the staff load and the current census. If it’s not very busy then your absence may not be as dire, but if the opposite was true expect pushback. At the end of the day though if I can’t make it then I can’t make it. Take that as you will LOL.

And also, when it comes time to take vacation, is there usually some kinda coverage, or does Davita still hire the bare minimum just to get by? You are allowed to take a vacation if you have the PTO to cover it. My program makes it so that we can only take off 7 days at a time(although I’m still doing research of if this is allowed) and yes Davita still only hires the bare minimum LOL because Davita=money