How Can I Become a Hemodialysis Nurse?

[westieluv]

Hi! I am an RN currently licensed in Ohio and Michigan. I have been an RN for over 20 years and have experience in Med/Surg inpatient hospital nursing (10 years, floating to various units but no critical care), long term care nursing (1 year), and hospice nursing (1 year). The rest of that time I have been home with my kids.

I currently work part-time in a retirement community and rotate between a regular LTC unit and an alzheimer's LTC unit. The staffing is not the greatest, and I am on my feet passing meds for 8 1/2 hours straight every time I work, which is beating up my middle aged body, lol. Also, the facility where I work is half an hour from my house and I live in Michigan, so this involves driving in ice and snow part of the year...yuck!

Sooo...there is a Fresenius dialysis facility in the small town where I live, actually right around the corner from my house. I have experience working on a renal unit when I floated as a hospital nurse, but other than that, I don't have any renal experience. I would absolutely LOVE to work at that facility. I always liked my renal patients and felt like renal nursing might be a good place for me. Fresenius has advertised a couple of times for staff nurses in some of their locations in my area, and I have applied twice (the second time was just today), but I didn't get a call the first time and I don't anticipate a call this time, since I have never worked dialysis or exclusively in a renal unit. I am a fast learner and a hard worker. What can I do to get a chance to work for Fresenius, or at least get them to consider me? Does anyone here work for them, and if so, do I have any chance at all in your opinion? Are they hard to get into? The ad said "ICU experience preferred"--does that mean (reading between the lines) "we won't consider you if you don't have critical care experience?" I am more than willing to get the extra training that their ad says that they require, and the ad sounds like they provide it once they hire you. Does anyone know for sure about that? I have my BLS now but would gladly get my ACLS if that would help. I checked into getting certified as a renal nurse, but you have to have a certain amount of experience on a renal unit before you can take the exam. I can't seem to get a hospital job right now because there is an influx of nurses in my area and I haven't worked in a hospital since 2003 and they all want someone with "current" hospital experience.

Can anyone suggest anything for me? I would greatly appreciate it! :)

[nferrin]

I'm really surprised they haven't called you back! Fresenius is known for training most all their employees (myself included). It sounds as though you may be "over qualified", which is completely dumb, but if you have a Facility Administrator who is easily intimidated, you may not get a call back. Good luck! And maybe apply to a different unit.

[westieluv]

Thanks so much for your reply.

So do you think it would be worth my while to walk into the Fresenius location in my town and ask them about employment opportunities?

[nferrin]

I would call the unit and talk to the FA. They can be really busy and some work the floor as well, so a drop by may not work. That unit may not have any openings yet but the FA's know where others do need the help.

[westieluv]

Thank you so much for your advice! Hopefully I will be able to come back here in a couple of days and tell you that I have an interview. :)

[bluemartian, BSN]

Ive applied to Davita 3 times in the last year and I never received a call back. I recall once upon a time you could apply at Davita and you would have a recruiter contact you within 24 hours, how times have changed

[westieluv]

Well, I never did call the FA at the Fresenius location where I applied. Frankly, I got cold feet, plus, the inpatient hospice facility that I worked at last year but ultimately had to leave because I needed more hours has an opening for a 32 hr. a week midnight nurse and they want to talk to me about coming back. I loved working there, so I am focusing on that right now.

I'm not sure what's up with DaVita and Fresenius. Maybe they are getting bombarded with applications right now with all of the displaced workers that have gone into nursing and they are being really, really picky? I know I would have done a good job for them, but oh, well. I love hospice nursing, so I'm happy.