How back friendly is Dialysis Nursing?

DeLana_RN, BSN, RN · Feb 21, 2008

I'd say, not very. In chronics (outpatient dialysis), you have to transfer pts from w/c to dialysis chair, lots of bending, stooping, lifting (I was required to lift 40-50 lb bags of brine for the water softener; I often had to bribe the janitor to do it for me :uhoh3: ).

Now that I'm in acute/hospital dialysis, the requirements are comparable to those of med/surg or ICU nursing - we transfer pts from w/c or stretcher to bed, move them up in bed, etc. (fortunately, we nurses don't have to fill up the brine tank here

I'm not trying to discourage you, but dialysis is definitely not easy on your back. It's a miracle I didn't develop back problems when I worked in chronics for 5 1/2 years.

Good luck to you,

DeLana

GeauxNursing · Feb 22, 2008

I'd say, not very. In chronics (outpatient dialysis), you have to transfer pts from w/c to dialysis chair, lots of bending, stooping, lifting (I was required to lift 40-50 lb bags of brine for the water softener; I often had to bribe the janitor to do it for me ).
Now that I'm in acute/hospital dialysis, the requirements are comparable to those of med/surg or ICU nursing - we transfer pts from w/c or stretcher to bed, move them up in bed, etc. (fortunately, we nurses don't have to fill up the brine tank here
I'm not trying to discourage you, but dialysis is definitely not easy on your back. It's a miracle I didn't develop back problems when I worked in chronics for 5 1/2 years.
Good luck to you,
DeLana

tell me about it! I am 27, and some days I feel like its 57, or 67! The angle at which you have to bend over to cannulate (or access the catheters) is tough on the ole back. at 10 minute intervals, 16 times a day, it is very strenuous. I am going to invent a barber shop-style dialysis chair. Pump 'em up for put on/take off, and let em down in between. It is the only way to salvage our precious backs!

Rocknurse, MSN, APRN, NP · Feb 24, 2008

I disagree. I have had 3 surgeries in the past 12 months and am not able to do many things that I could before and no longer work in the ICU because of it. I work in Acute Dialysis and apart from pushing the machines, which is manageable, my job is very back-friendly. My coworkers know I can't lift or do certain things and they are very understanding. If it wasn't for this job I really don't know what I would do. Plus I get to sit down during treatments which is a godsend as I can't stand for long periods.

jnette, ASN, EMT-I · Feb 24, 2008

I disagree. I have had 3 surgeries in the past 12 months and am not able to do many things that I could before and no longer work in the ICU because of it. I work in Acute Dialysis and apart from pushing the machines, which is manageable, my job is very back-friendly. My coworkers know I can't lift or do certain things and they are very understanding. If it wasn't for this job I really don't know what I would do. Plus I get to sit down during treatments which is a godsend as I can't stand for long periods.

It's a different story in acutes, though. Chronic outpt. units are a different story. You are constantly bending over the pts.' accesses, not to mention unpacking and repacking their personal bags with blanket, pillows, etc. And if the facillity still has staff mixing the bicarb, etc.. there is a good bit of lifting.

For many years, I was hauling those 50# bags of bicarb on my shoulder..AND the heavy boxes of normal saline IV bags up from the basement to the floor. Not to mention filling and carrying the 25# jugs of bicarb and acid to the machines all the time!

I'd say yes... it CAN be hard on the back, depending on how the facility is set up and where the storage area is. I know I did my back no favors there!

bluefabian · Feb 24, 2008

Not really.

1. DM patients with amputated leg, oftenly obese and wheel chair bound. Sometimes you even had to transfer them to taxi or whatever vehicle after treatment.

2. Older patients, particularly those with fracture history related to renal bone disease - either too weak or using moving aid tools.

3. Transporting of acid/bicarbonate solutions with is about 10 kg each, from the packaging, and bringing them to the machines. In our place the treatment place in at two floors - transporting them is a mess. As do salines, dialyzer boxes.

4. salt packs for the softener tank are damn heavy.

5. Moving a dialysis machine is a pain. Try carrying them up a floor! Not occasionally done but sometimes machine breakdown means that we need to do some transferring there.

6. I am tall. Oftenly needs to bend ackwardly to assess the fistula during cannulation, terminating and hook up.