Fresenius medical care...taking over dialysis unit HELP!

[hodgpodge]

Hello. I am an RN that is currently employed by Renal Care Group. Today we just learned that Fresenius Medical Care has bought out all of RCG's stock and they are taking us over. We were a privately owned unit until our wonderful "doctor" sold us to RCG. About 5 months ago. We got new machines, new computers, a whole new system. We are just getting used to the change when, BOOM, today we learn that Fresenius is buying RCG units. All of them. You have to understand, we are a small unit with 16 chairs, in the bootheel of MO. We are a great team of people. I feel like we can handle change well. But of course no one knows anything. I was just wondering if any of you kind people out there have or is currently working with Fresenius. How is their benefits and what kind? Do they have paid time off? All that jazz.

Are they a good company to work for? I would greatly appreciate ANY info you can give me. I really know nothing about them as a company. Just what I've seen on their website, which is still nothing. Please, I would love some personal info on what you've seen and experienced. Thank you.

[Valerie Salva, BSN, RN]

I am currently employed as charge nurse for fmc and am thinking about doing travel nursing. Anybody here know of good travel nursing agencies specially for new york? I am sick and worn out working at the same place.

I am a dialysis traveler and the jobs for me have really dried up in this economy. Some travel agencies I've worked with are not even handling dialysis nurses any more.

It's not a good time to become a dialysis traveler if you have a steady job.

[evp rn]

I have worked at a FMC unit where there was a LPN, and the LPN works as a tech. However, she also assisted the nurse with taking orders from the docs, giving po meds, and helping with catheters. It just depends.

[gkai]

I recently heard of a past or maybe current Zemplar policy at FMC in cases where the prescribed dose is less than 5mcg and the RN is using a 5mcg vial, requiring that the RN use the remainder of the vial on another patient and then bill the vial two times instead of once. Didn't sound right to me. Anyone heard of something like that?

[sissib]

Keep in mind the new federal reg's for incenter chronic hemodialysis. That will now drive the "$ meaning more than Pt care" that is now happening all over the country now. Some units are encouraging pts to go home hemo, because the dialysis centers can make more profit. I worked in a non profit facility and they were even talking to pts about home hemo. They are now dialyzing more pts than ever in their history. I love dialysis and plan on traveling someday and hope there is still a market for that. If you like dialysis, just hang in there and see what happens, go with the flow. Jobs are not a plentiful as it may seem.

[Cindy 17]

Hi

I had a interview with them last week they pay that they offered me was good the only thing was they took blood for me and I should of ask what is it for. Did they have to take blood from you as a new hire and what is it for

[Harrychandler]

You should have asked before they took your blood. Also does this company hire nurses with no experience. I have been working private duty for almost a year but considering the job I still consider myself with no experience.

[sissib]

they are probably checking Hep B titer. Have you had the HepB vaccine series? Did you sign a consent for them to draw your blood?

[Marshall1]

They check blood for Hep titer, Hep C and HIV. They do hire nurses without experience. I worked for them BRIEFLY..as others have pointed out here, what I was told the job would be was NOT how it turned out and there is WAY too much traveling for education/orientation that would EASILY be done in the home clinic. I never got the mileage pay as promised. I was REALLY disappointed as I've wanted to work in dialysis for some time. I was there less than a month. It was CRAZY the disorganization.