Davita Ddialysis Nurse

Specialties Urology

Updated:   Published

I'm wondering is it better to work as a dialysis nurse than a bedside nurse? Been working as bedside nurse in intermediate care unit. I felt like I'm so stress from the unit.

I'm working in Las Vegas, and there's opening in davita dialysis, I'm wondering is it better to have a department change?

And how much is the starting salary since I don't have any experience as a dialysis nurse?

Being the charge nurse at my clinic has its days. I have a few PCT's that don't like working with me and those that hate when I'm not there. I have low tolerance for laziness. I make it known that we all have a job to do. I scratch your back and you scratch mine. I don't have to be asked to help out, I just jump in and do it. This in return leads them to help others. Ive learned that a lot of hostile PCTS are that way because of the lack of leadership demonstrated. (I am still trying to wrap my mind around how a secretary could be a FA).

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Specializes in Med/Surg, Tele, Dialysis, Hospice.
Marshall1, I believe that most happiness or unhappiness comes from your own attitude towards your job. Although there are some clinics that are like hell on earth, if you work in the hospital (autonomously, I might add), as long as you have a good attitude about your work, you will love it! If 14-16 don't appeal to you, don't be an acute dialysis nurse. But if you can find a good clinic, dialysis is the best!

These forums are often for complaining. People who are happy in their job don't often come onto all nurses and rave about how great things are. I believe there are a lot of happy dialysis nurses, but just like any job, there are ups and downs. Most people that leave dialysis have a poor attitude. Bring a positive outlook and a hard work ethic, and you will love it.

Wise words here!

Every nursing job has its negatives, that's just the reality of working in healthcare in 2014 where people are getting sicker and money is getting tighter. Most nurses, regardless of what area of nursing they work in, will attest to having a lot of days where they feel that they are doing the work of at least two nurses and are completely spent. It's an occupational hazard for us.

What keeps me grounded when my job in the chronic dialysis unit feels overwhelming at times and it feels like there is simply not enough time in the day to do everything that they expect us to do (because on most days, to be honest, there isn't and stuff gets put off by necessity), is remembering what it was like working on a busy cardiac stepdown unit in the hospital. How my feet and legs throbbed at the end of a crazy 12 hour shift on my feet, how the doctors talked down to us at times, how we would get slammed with admissions continuously, and how I had to work both days every other weekend and lots of holidays.

In chronic dialysis, I am always done by 6 PM, I work very few holidays, and I don't have to work any Sundays. I'm even blessed to work in a clinic where some of the nurses actually prefer to work every Saturday, meaning that I usually only have to work one Saturday a month. Also, I have come to know and build a relationship with each of my patients as a unique individual and not just a room number whom I may or may not ever see again after my shift ends. For all of that, I can surely put up with the avalanche of paperwork, and the occasional crabby patient.

It's really all in how you look at it, glass half empty or glass half full.

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Specializes in Nephrology, Dialysis, Plasmapheresis.

I think a lot of new grad nurses, prospective nursing students, and even seasoned nurses have a false reality of what to expect at a nursing job. Everyone is on this constant hunt for this glamorous job, where we save lives, have tons of time to educate our patients, get paid more every year, and feel satisfied at the end of the day. Just like many jobs in the country right now, everyone is expected to more for less pay and with less staff. It is happening in many professions, even my parents agree that their jobs have changed in the last 10 years and they are burnt out.

The key for me has always been to find a way to love your job. Okay not love it, but like it at least. Find the little pleasures throughout the day that give you satisfaction, instead of the day as a whole. Overlook all the negativity and don't feed into the complaining/whining attitudes at the nurse's station. Do your job, be thankful for the paycheck and good benefits, and find a way to put a smile on your face. You will find that your attitude will change your entire outlook on life. When things get bad, "hey it could always be worse", or "I'm just thankful to have a job in these hard times"... As I always say to people who want to run because of one bad day, or even a bad month, the grass isn't always greener on the other side. Find a way to like your job. Be pleasant. Be appreciative that we have jobs!

I know that positivity makes some people sick. But does anyone have a better idea? We all have to deal with death, blood, poop, vomit, ethical decisions, negative coworkers, mean patients, and controlling, unappreciative managers. This is nursing! What did everyone think we were getting into?? hahaha.

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If I were the FA, it would be explained to the techs that they WILL help the Nursing staff or join the unemployment line, pretty simple to me.

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Love your response. I'm a dialysis nurse also since 2008 and I love it. I'm The charge Nurse and Preceptor for my clinic and in the last 6 months my region has been trying a different approach with training b/c the turnover rate is High.But it's just like You said "you must have the right Attitude and good Work Ethics " I Work for Davita here in MS

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Lizblessed..."different approach with training". We are having issues with our training and I am wondering ehat your past approach was and what youre doing now? Is it proving effective?

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I have plenty experience with Davita. Their team building exercises are ridiculous and they overworked and stressed my mother out so much she died a couple years ago at 57. Nursing can be so heartbreaking sometimes because every go9d nurse always gets attached to their patients and in dialysis you become more emotionally attached and sure enough their body can't take it anymore.

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......You are expected to work as fast as if you are on crack....

I agree with all the posts here, but especially this one!

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Specializes in Nephrology, Dialysis, Plasmapheresis.

Hey now, I know a couple of nurses that I suspected did drugs... And they were in fact much, much slower. Crack kills.

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Madwife, I've worked in many, many clinics as a tech and as an RN. Sadly, that is the norm in most of them, at least in this area. I had to leave and go to PD because of it. The FA did nothing!!

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Specializes in Dialysis.

The beatings will continue until morale improves.

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Specializes in Nephrology, Dialysis, Plasmapheresis.

We need to have mandated patient to nurse ratios and mandated tech to patient ratios. I'd also love it if somehow, nurses and patient safety (note, NOT patient satisfaction) became a priority in healthcare.

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