RN duties at your facility

Specialties Urology

Published

I am very new to dialysis only being in it for the last 3 months. I was just wondering what the RN's duties include at the different facilities. Where I work, when I get there at 630a, I am responsible for setting up machines with the tech in the pod we are in for the day. At 7a, the patient's arrive and I must assess them before the tech puts them on but I am also responsible for putting on patients. I also do all the charting and meds. One thing that I was really wondering about was the fact that the techs are allowed to put on catheter patients and do cath care. Granted, they are not allowed to do the heparin dwells at the end. Before I became an RN, I was an LPN for 20 years and was not allowed to touch a catheter! Just seems odd to me. Where I am at, basically, I do everything the tech does from cleaning machines to garbage. Just wondered if this is standard practice.

Thanks in advance for the responses.

WOW...compared to all of you, I have it easy! We have 5 pods, 4 of the 5 have only 6 pts, the other pod has 9pts. The pods with 6 have a nurse and a tech. The big pod has 1 nurse and 2 techs. So, like today, I was in the big pod. The techs and I each brought in pts and I assessed while they put on. I just kept bringing them in and assessing. Then I go around and give all the heparins, make rounds, put in all the assessments, give meds, draw up heparin for next shift. By then, it's time for take off. I do take off more than I put on since there are no assessments. M-W-F, I only work until 1 or 2pm so I help put on the next shift until the next nurse gets there. Then chart and I'm out of there...haha. So, I guess I don't have it so bad. I will be sure to pass this on to all my fellow nurses when they start complaining!

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Specializes in jack of all trades.

I went to careerbuilder yesterday and checked out somethings. ResCare already called me regarding needing an RN to oversee 2 intermediate group homes for clients with developmental disabilities. Patience is a strong point with me in relation to clients just not with bully administrators :) It's a buck more per hour then what I was making as a manager in dialysis!!! Mon-Fri 8-5 and 3 miles from my home. Not the 50+/hrs aweek with the 45min drive to work that's for sure. Be a whole new world for me but I think I'm going to check it out and go through with an interview at least. I'm big on pt advocacy and that is the main issue I found in dialysis as it seemed profit first and patients last. This company is the largest in the nation providing the type services so may be something to consider. This entire issue may have turned out to be a blessing in disquise for me who knows but I am going to take my time. Well as long as the bank account can hold out that is lol. I was considering home care anyway just to keep from beating my body up anymore than it is lol. At least I would get to set down now and then.

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Specializes in Dialysis (acute & chronic).

Let us know how the interview goes.

Also, you could consider it more than a buck an hour more since you will only be traveling 3 miles instead of 45 minutes.

I always consider the amount of travel to and from work in my salary (hours at work + travel time to and from divided by hourly wage). also consider the amount you will save in gas money.

Good Luck to you!

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Specializes in jack of all trades.

I noticed your in transplant? That would be my first choice but limited opportunities in this area as it seems. We have one hospital starting to do kidney transplant but they want people with other experience. Guess chronics doesnt fit the bill which I have yet to understand. My husband was 34 when he passed suddenly from a brainstem aneurysm and we did full donation. I was shocked to see how many people were helped by one person donating. Initially what got me into dialysis.

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Specializes in Dialysis (acute & chronic).

I did transplant coordinator/case management for all organs and bone marrow transplants.

I did not work the surgical unit post transplant.

I did that for about 1 year, but missed dialysis too much so I came back. I think I would have stuck it out if it was just renal patients - they have a personality of their own!!!!

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I went to careerbuilder yesterday and checked out somethings. ResCare already called me regarding needing an RN to oversee 2 intermediate group homes for clients with developmental disabilities. Patience is a strong point with me in relation to clients just not with bully administrators :) It's a buck more per hour then what I was making as a manager in dialysis!!! Mon-Fri 8-5 and 3 miles from my home. Not the 50+/hrs aweek with the 45min drive to work that's for sure. Be a whole new world for me but I think I'm going to check it out and go through with an interview at least. I'm big on pt advocacy and that is the main issue I found in dialysis as it seemed profit first and patients last. This company is the largest in the nation providing the type services so may be something to consider. This entire issue may have turned out to be a blessing in disquise for me who knows but I am going to take my time. Well as long as the bank account can hold out that is lol. I was considering home care anyway just to keep from beating my body up anymore than it is lol. At least I would get to set down now and then.

Good luck! I'm glad you got out and hope things get better from here. Keep us updated!

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Specializes in jack of all trades.

Thanks Val as this was the only place I could come to to vent without fear of retaliaton!!! I am also considering how to get involved politically to change staffing ratios, etc. With the new CMS guidlelines I see it only getting worse for smaller clinics. Our sister clinic had 5-6 RNs and 4-5 more PCTs then our clinic and only have 11 patients more on thier census. Since ours was the smallest with very little hippers you can imagine.

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