How has dialysis changed over time? Is it a worse job than it used to be?

[parolang]

I've been a dialysis PCT for three years. There are some things that puzzle me, and I thought I would ask. Like my manager had said that when she was a PCT, she had a POD of six patients, and I know when I was relatively new there she said something to other staff members that "the old days are over".

Part of me wonders, if PCTs had six patient pods, first they must not have had all the regulations and standards that we have now, and second, what did the RN's do? Has this job gotten worse for RN's, and better for PCT's over time? I know it's gotten easier for PCT at my clinic because we don't do reuse any more (but then I know that there were "reuse techs" at one time, so PCT's didn't necessary do that), we don't mix bicarb in the morning like we used to, and we no longer bleach the loop once a week. Online I still hear about four patient pods being standard, but for the most part I work five patient pods, but sometimes a four patient pod. A transfer team mate from a clinic in another state says that her old clinic is moving to five patient pods as well, but when she was a PCT she had a four patient pod.

I read a recent post here about a nurse complaining that she has to "work as a tech" due to the budget, but I'm not sure what that means unless it means that she isn't used to having a pod of patients to take care of. Our charge nurse has always had a pod of patients since I've been there, but it's usually smaller like two or three patients.

I'm just curious if anyone who has been doing this a long time has any perspective on what the trend is for this sort of thing, where it is going, and what do you consider "normal". I imagine that our clinic just doesn't make any money, and that's why they are tight on our staffing. We only have three of us on the floor for a 12 chair clinic.

[Anna S, RN]

I've been in dialysis for 12 years, and it's gotten way worse over that time. Extreme over-regulation, extreme amounts of charting now.

[Chisca, RN]

Just judging by staff turnover it is worse than it used to be. If you stay in my unit longer than a year you are on old timer. Not sure where the grass is greener, though.

[Calm_Down]

I'm new to dialysis and I agree, there is so much charting, redundant charting and over charting.

[gabrielle808, BSN, LPN, LVN, RN]

i agree, in our facility pcts and nurses are always overworked.. pct's and lpn do the job of biomed, RN sometimes work as PCT.. management even wants us to reuse our disposable lab gown for 3 days, but if soiled with blood we can get a new one. but it's still gross.. tsktsk.. this is in a chronic dialysis facility...