Information on outpatient dialysis

[mswim]

I am moving to outpatient dialysis clinic. Can anyone tell me some of the differences between that and a busy med-surg floor. It is 13 chair clinic with 2 shifts and small 3rd. It will be me, and 3 techs, and another part-time nurse which our shifts will overlap for some turnover. I am just feeling burned out of med-surg with all of the cutting and now floating.

[Eldrad]

Never worked on a med surg floor, but dialysis is a lot less hectic from what I hear. I am a new grad and I work with all nurses over 50. They told me I should work on a med surg floor cause dialysis is for old nurses. The technicians will put patients on the machines and take them off (you can help if you want to be nice). You assess everyone, give meds then repeat.

[Fiona59]

Wow, that's not how it's done in Canada. Only LPNs and RNs can do the run. Our aides are for stripping, cleaning, setting up the machines, getting supplies and patient assistance.

Biggest problem in dialysis for staff is carpal tunnel syndrome from knocking the air out of the dialyser.

You need good assessment skills and a kind of "feel" for how patients are reacting.

It's not for "old" nurses and it can be pretty hectic when they all want off the machines at the same time.

[rnlately]

I lasted in dialysis for 4 months. Ours was hectic at times which caused me to lose weight because I barely had time to eat. And yes it is hectic when 2 or 3 want to get off at one time and you may have to hold pressure on two of them. I admire anyone young or old that can last in that environment for over a year.

[mswim]

I actually work on med surg floor now! I can tell you that I work on floor with lot of nurses in their sixties. They are waiting it out for retirement. As far as med-surg is concerned. I run all night there too. I rarely ever get a break, but lately because of the economy it is actually dangerous. 8 patient with on RN (LPN to do meds.) Now we even have to rotate to other floors which I am not familiar with low cencus. Anyway I was hoping that it would at least be more routine, since there is not as much turnover. (Admissions +Discharges) I still think it is going to be alot of work though. But that is going to be any nursing job right now.

[Faeriewand, ASN, RN]

If you are burnt out on med/surg I think a change will do you good :)

[traumaRUs, MSN, APRN]

Dialysis is not high stress nursing. At least outpt chronic hemo isn't IMHO. I do think a nurse needs excellent assessment skills though BEFORE going to outpt hemo.

[DeLana_RN, BSN, RN]

I did outpt dialysis for 5+ years; my biggest complaint: the early morning start hours (5 a.m.), but then I'm NOT a morning person at all and could never really get used to it.

Dialysis has advantages: predictable hours/shifts (I did 4 10-hour shifts with minimal OT), certainly no call-offs, usually no Sundays (I worked every 3rd Saturday), some clinics are only M-W-F. Good pay, benefits.

But of course there are disadvantages as well. I had to run pts as well as supervise/assess the PCT's pts; turnover (first shift of pts finishes while second shift starts) can be a very stressful 2-3 hours. Nurses had to set up and clean machines and do other duties as well (check the water, etc). Some dialysis PCTs are difficult to work with, and some short-cuts are taken by personnel which some nurses (like me) find hard to deal with.

But don't just take it from me - there is a wealth of information on the dialysis forum on this board. A lot depends on which company you work for, of course, and you can read the experiences of nurses from various providers.

Best of luck to you, you may just find that you love it!

DeLana

P.S. Being the only RN with only PCTs can be challenging until you have sufficient experience (it takes 1-2 years to feel comfortable to be able to handle any situation that may arise).