Fresenius as an employer?

Valerie Salva, BSN, RN · Mar 26, 2009

Sorry to say, but they are the worst company I have ever worked for. I would not be in dialysis still if I had to work for them.

Do a search here and you will find many opinions about them.

tralala · Apr 6, 2009

I agree with you - I'm finishing my first year at Fresenius, and it is scarey. .we are getting more and more patients - this with PCT hours being cut, notification that clinic hours are being cut, constantly told we should do more and more and more with less and less. It reminds me of the old movie where the slaves are chained in the bottom of a large ship and rowing and rowing with the overseer whipping them to row faster and faster and faster. The pay sucks compared with peers I've graduated with from nursing school who are in med-surg or LTC. I am completely mentally and physically exhausted at the end of the day and believe that depression is setting in. I am interviewing this week with another employer - I cannot get out fast enough. I believe that all the cuts are undermining patient care and safety. I do not want to be there when things crash. . No matter how hard we work or how hard we try, it is NEVER enough for this company.

happybunny1970 · Apr 6, 2009

Wow. Totally NOT my experience -- I've worked for Fresenius for about 2 years -- Acute, not Outpatient -- and LOVE the company. I have a great team of nurses and techs, very VERY little turnover. A great schedule of 7 on, 7 off that feels like a vacation evry 2 weeks.

Sorry to hear others don't have the same experience, but I think there's good and bad in every company, in every location, in every specialty.

Good luck!

kelluvanurse · Apr 14, 2009

I have been in and out of dialysis for past 5 years with a total of about 3 years of dialysis. I have done 2 travel assignments at Fresenius clinics and they were both great experiences so I accepted a full time charge nurse position with Fresenius at a new clinic close to home. I have been there 4 weeks and Im regretting the decision because they are working me to death. We are a new clinic, we have 20 pts, 2 shifts on m, w, and fri. Its me, 2 techs, one is seasoned the other is new, cant even do caths yet, and my clinical manager just had back surg and is very limited in what she can do, no secretary. anyway, they say I cant have another tech until I get 5 more pts:angryfire. Im feeling very frustrated at this point, very busy, im going in on days off to get paperwork done. We are getting admits every week, but looks like I will be taking my own row and doing everything else Im suppose to do, not to meation those lovely IDC assess that are due on everybody. Just want to scream! Anyone else feeling my pain!

starbin, BSN, RN · Apr 16, 2009

Fresenius as such is not a bad company to work for. They have good benefits and other programs. The experience varies depending on who you work with. And manager plays the big role, followed by your co-workers. I am a charge nurse with fresenius for 2 years and have had both good and bad experiences. My manager sucks.....she is a good human but she doesn't care about our problems unless it directly affects her............never finishes the staff evaluations, or resolve the interpersonal issues between staffs, never forgets to say 'I am working on it' but god knows how many more years she will keep working on the same thing. At one time I had to go to the area manager to solve problems because she was just so indifferent about it. Sometimes it frustrates everybody but .......other than that the company itself isn't bad.

kelluvanurse · Apr 16, 2009

Well, after the day that I had yesterday, talked with the new manager(her third day), she called the area manager and he is bringing himself and another RN down tomorrow to help us get caught up on foot checks and comp assessments. So that makes me feel better that he cares enough to come and try to help us out, so Im going to hang in there for awhile.

anurseadvocate · Apr 23, 2009

It is all about the individual unit, who is in charge and what their expectations are of their staff.............each dialysis facility has its' own unique characteristics, imho. Not all facilities are good and many have their problems, be it FMC, Davita, or any other provider... depends on the unit.........that is evidenced by the comments as well as surveys that are conducted.

luca68 · Apr 24, 2009

It has everything to do with the clinic you are working at. We have a 40 chair unit with over 250 patients. We get out on time. We work 4 tens and every other weekend. The turnover is minimal. By that I mean we have a retention rate of 96%. We lose maybe one employee a year. It all depends on your Nurse manager and area manager. There are units that are complete disasters, but that hasn't been my experience at all. In our area, we are paid on average 4-5 dollars more than the hospitals, and that includes new nurses. Hope this helps.

kf15 · Apr 29, 2009

Very glad to see this question being addressed, I asked the same qstn few months ago and noone ever replied.

I am a recent 2 yr RN grad in AZ and stopped by my local Fresenius clinic, it's very small and the nurse mgr spoke to me for a long time, answered many qstns, was very helpful and really nice. I watched her interract w/ some staff and got a small sense of the workplace culture.

She told me that b/c of Medicare changes last yr or so, they could not begin to train me until I had almost 1 yr of RN work behind me. I felt that she would send me to training tomm but could not, I'm really mad about this work requirement and I suppose that all dialysis co's that take Medicare will say the same.

I was kinda planning on this training but will have to wait many months now, and hope that I have RN work in the meantime, now that the country is in this ugly depression. :cry:

dialysisphillyrn · Dec 9, 2009

RUN FOR THE HILLS- They are without reservation the WORST company i have ever worked for. They use catch phrases like ULTRACARE- to give you the impression that they care about patients or staff. They only care about the almighty dollar. They will squeeze every drop of energy from you or every drop of epo so that they can make a profit over the overfill. They provide for unsafe staffing situations in the clinic, do yourself a favor and look else where. It seems like they have a monopoly on dialysis clinics. If you do work for them , encourage everyone to UNIONIZE!! so that there is at least a system of checks and balances, or that someone can have your back because this company is only looking for its own self interest. AGAIN RUN FOR THE HILLS

BigBoy75 · Dec 16, 2009

I been working for them for 6 months. The pay is not the best, and we'll never get a raise. All the nurses at my job work there for a 1 year and then start looking in a hospital. The only thing good about Fresenius is that they are willing to train you with no experience. Here in NYC, that is awesome.