DAVITA dialysis center

RN1982 · Jun 20, 2008

So if they are telling you that they pay less than a hospital and the benefits are not good, why would you go work there? You need to get experience right out of school, dialysis would probably not be the place for it. Go to ICU stepdown or med/surg. It is your license after all.

Bumashes, MSN, APRN, NP · Jun 20, 2008

I live in MS, and we have three or so Davita's nearby my location. The starting pay for a new grad RN in a hospital around here is about $20 per hour, and Davita starts you out at $26-$28/hour with excellent benefits. We actually had a clinical day there in my school, so we got to work with the nurses and ask them questions. I personally wouldn't have gone to work there, though, because I wanted med-surg experience first. Sounds like you need to just go there and ask management or HR about the pay/benefits because what's good to someone could be crappy to someone else. Also, I figure they're run differently from state to state, so they could be sucky in your state for all I know. Good Luck!

Happy2CU · Jun 20, 2008

I"ve been an LPN in a Davita center for about two years. Pay is not great, salary increases are minimal. There is bonus opportunity, but you would need to be employed for almost a year to partake of that benefit.

Benefits are just okay. Medical/dental is reasonable priced.

They will ask you for a long term commitment. Employee retention is tied to the bonus.

Not sure if I would recommend dialysis right off the bat to a new grad. You will have change nurse responsibility and when things go wrong, they can head south very quickly. Depending upon the size of the facility, you may at times be the only license in the building.

All the best to you in whatever you decide employment wise. If you go with Davita hit them up for the most money you possibly can upfront.

bill4745, RN · Jun 20, 2008

It's a bad way to start your career. You would be limited in what you would see and do. A new nurse needs to start in med/surg or tele to put to use what you learned in school. I don't know anything about the company, but since it's mostly Monday-Friday daytime work, they can attract people and pay less than a hospital.

mesa1979, BSN, RN · Jun 21, 2008

Davita is a terrible company to work for. I left due to long hours, low pay and techs who would not do as they were told. Terrible comapany!!!! :angryfire

PCT08 · Aug 12, 2008

Hi my name is Cody im a PCT with Davita Dialysis in Alabama, I beleive that it is a great company i cant say exactly how much they start off paying because i could be different for others and also policy tells me not to disclose that info, but the benefits are great so i would suggest if you are going to work in dialysis i would say go with Davita All the way!!!

PCT08 · Aug 12, 2008

Davita is a great company i am a PCT for Davita as we speak i am actually on a business trip and davita pays for everything, food, hotel and even gas!!! so i would have to def. recommend davita for an employment choice. Benefits are great and pay is great i really cant tell you how much they start out because i could get in trouble but i will tell you that it is a great company to work for i know for a fact i would try it out and see how you like it. oh and they will work with your hours

PDHDRN · Sep 17, 2008

DaVita would never pay $28 an hour to a new Grad RN lol believe me, I'd day they'd start you around $25

Pay's not great but benefits are okay

Every person that refers a PCT gets $250, RN for $500 in DaVita, I think that may be the reason your friends wants you to work there.

Don't make the same mistake I did, don't start in dialysis fresh out of school. Work at a hospital for a year, in med-surg, tele... than come to dialysis if you still want to. I started dialysis fresh out of school, I don't have any nursing experience beside dialysis. I'm well experienced pd/hd nurse but cannot get a job at er, icu, ccu, OR they dont take me because I dont have any floor experience. I'm looking for a change, want to do something else and have a hard time getting a job in those areas. I may apply to tele at this magnet hospital soon, get some experience and move on.

Good luck in whatever you do, dialysis is very rewarding job also. You will enjoy it

traveler RN · Oct 9, 2008

Hi everyone, Davita was the main reason I became a travel nurse. When I left 2 years ago, was only making 21.50 after 5 years with a .67 cent raise to look forward to. There were many days I was the only nurse in the building! The policy they have is to have 1 nurse for the mwf and 1 for tts. I worked many days of 17+ hrs and would have to take crap from the facility adm. for b...s...! and I mean bs! So whoever tells you they pay well is lying to you. When I put in my resign. ltr., I was offered $2 more /hr! I make much more as a traveler, and I have no desire to work for them again. :bow:

g35babe · Mar 3, 2011

Hey Is Davita located in NYC? If so, I'm getting certified in phlebotomy and EKG tech as we speak and I have been a PCA for years but recently got certified. Due to a family emergency, I moved form florida where I was in my second semester of nursing(BSN). I visited the website but it says dialysis experience REQUIRED. I am very interested, do you have any tips?

netglow, ASN, RN · Mar 3, 2011

Look up their website and you'll find out. This thread is old. Most dialysis wants experience of Medsurg or ICU to start, then, they will train you. Remember, dialysis patients are often quite unstable. This means that you need to be comfortable in your coding skills.