Compare Dialysis to Med-Surge Pros? Cons?

Specialties Urology

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I'm thinking about doing dialysis in an outpatient clinic. I currently work a BUSY BUSY BUSY HECTIC HECTIC unit on days. Some days I feel like crawling to the front door when my shift is over. I have heard the chronic dialysis clinic is busy but can SOMEONE elaborate on some pros vs cons?

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Specializes in Telemetry, ICU, Resource Pool, Dialysis.

Pros for me are

Dealing with only a few doctors (nephrologists ONLY, thankyou)

Dealing with patients who can (theoretically) take care of their own non-dialysis issues ( I don't micromanage my patients - they're all adults and competent to make their own phone calls)

Dealing with only a few co-workers instead of an entire hospital of rude staff

No poop or pee (except quarterly 24h urines)

No wounds

Minimal medications (almost everybody gets meds on treatment, but all at the same time, all IV)

No Sundays or holidays

No Poop

No Poop

did I mention NO POOP

Cons

Chronically ill patients and their attitudes (need I say more?) Some are fabulous, some are NOT

Can be monotonous at times - but really only if you let it

Starting my day at 0500 kinda stinks ( I do 3 10s)

Clinic culture can be "not so great", but if you're lucky, you'll find a good one - I did

Yes, out-patient dialysis IS busy. I have less down time than I did when I worked med-surg. It's a different kind of busy, though. It's hard to explain. I just know that I feel PHYSICALLY tired at the end of the day, not MENTALLY EMPTY and PHYSICALLY DEAD. I don't feel like I'm being pulled in 20 different directions all day and pounding my head against the wall. Which is a nice change!!

Good luck with your decision!!

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