Experience dialysis nurses....PLEASE HELP!

[Fink]

I have been working in an eight bed ICU in the south for over 10 years. I am needing a change and have been considering dialysis because so many of the patients I have taken care of over the years are dialysis patients or were heading in that direction. I had a phone interview with DaVita today from the recruiter that went very well. I have also received any email from Fresenius stating that they are reviewing my application.

Do you dialysis nurses out there think this would be a good move for me? I love ICU and the people I work with but the corporation that owns the hospital continues to make it more difficult to WANT to work for THEM.

If I am offered a job at one or both of these dialysis centers, which one would you experienced nurses suggest? Thank you so very much for your input!!!

[kasmus]

doro8144,

When we go to the ICU it is 1:1. On the unit, RN's can have up to 2pts. I try not to have 2 pts when I am alone on the unit but sometimes it can't be helped. We are hoping the hospital will require more staffing or provide a resource nurse for us.

[akosiba]

i also work in micu/ccu and very interested to work in dialysis because am ready for a change. my question is do dialysis RN's stand on their feets all day and is it very physical on the body?

[RN625]

It would be a very good change for you. You will use your assessment skills and knowledge every day & should make an excellent acute dialysis nurse. It will be challenging enough to refresh your nursing brain cells & many times you will find yourself back in the ICU, where you will be very comfortable managing those folks. I started my dialysis career the very same way, many years ago. Go for it, but be patient; the learning curve is about 6 months even c your knowledge, so don't kick yourself. Talk to the RNs on the team to see what the situation is, take a tour of their areas, etc. Be prepared for all the disruption the others have described; acutes is its own animal...what a ride!

[RN625]

To answer akosiba, it depends on what's going on. You can sit at a bedside 3-4 hours only getting up to check your pt q 15min...or you can be up x hours managing 1 or more patients c a lot going on. You do move machines around, bend & stretch...can drop a few pounds if needed. Also going out at night for emergency run must certainly count as physically demanding. Sometimes you worked that day, or will have to stay & start a new day after coming in, etc.

[akosiba]

thank you so much RN625 your reply was very helpful. so are you an acute dialysis nurse? and for which company.

[RN625]

Glad to be of help; no I had to give up the good life.....got too old for those kind of hours, etc. I enjoyed many years in acutes, but every time but once I worked for private companies, ya know the ones that have now been gobbled up. I did work for FMC for a few months and found it satisfactory and much the same as other experiences. Now I'm doing home PD/HD and enjoying it very much, there is life after acutes.

[tony55!]

I work in acute dialysis and we do not always get our hours - no patients equals no hours. We usually get 60 to 70 hours per pay period. If we are on call one day then our manager will call us off one day to get the hours back - no overtime.