Floor RN transitioning to dialysis

Specialties Urology

Published

Specializes in Dialysis.

Hi everyone,

I started nursing in 2012 and have been a floor nurse on med/surg/tele/hem-onc unit. I just recently accepted a chronic dialysis job. I have zero dialysis experience. My new employer will be training me obviously. However, I was wondering what the best advice all of you could give for a new dialysis nurse starting out. Really do appreciate it. Thanks!

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Specializes in ICU.

Soak in all the material you can - dialysis nurses know a lot. You will be an asset to the team because of your acute experience!

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Specializes in Nephrology, Cardiology, ER, ICU.

Agree with above. Your assessment skills will be very important - the ability to tell sick from not sick. Best wishes. 

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Specializes in Geriatrics, Dialysis.

I also transitioned from a different area of nursing [SNF] to dialysis after 25 years. I thought going into it it would be easy ,boy it was not, LOL!

I'm sure you've had people there tell you it will take about a year to get comfortable in your new role, they are not wrong. It took me  about 6-8 months before I felt like I was starting to get a clue and around that magical year mark before I started feeling comfortable,  Even now the machine will throw some random error I've never seen and I have to ask what the heck does that mean? 

I've been in dialysis now for three years and really like it. I like getting to know my patients and their families. I like going to work in the morning and being able to leave at the end of the day. No mandates! I like having Sunday's off because we are closed. I really like my team. 

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