How qualified need to be for a peritoneal dialysis (PD) position?

AngelKissed857, BSN, RN · May 22, 2019

I can't speak to DaVita specifically, but if you have dialysis experience, PD will be more interested in you than someone without. They have a set salary that they offer based on your experience, and they don't step far outside that box. Just be aware that PD is very very different than HD. You'l have to empty a lot of things out of your brain- my patients almost never have fluid,sodium, salt restrictions. THe patients tend to be harder to manage, they chose PD because they want to be in charge. The biggest topic of conversation, every single day is- pooping. PD patients have serious constipation issues. All that said, I LOVE it.

DeBellisRN · Jul 3, 2019

On 5/18/2019 at 3:56 PM, AZNurse2015 said:
Hello! I have a year of experience in HD (Fresenius), and another 5 in acute rehab/MS.
I've applied to two PD positions with DaVita, but I'm wondering: how competitive do I have to be with these?
Do they tend to hire internally?
Can I be assertive with the pay I'm asking for?
What are the negatives of doing PD? The 9-5, ability to work independently, lack of having to supervise techs, and case management aspects sure look appealing.
Thanks so much to anybody who replies! I've done a search here on Allnurses, but couldn't find this exact info.

Hello! I was a PD nurse with DaVita for about 5 years. I’m currently staying home with my kids. I had zero experience in dialysis when i started; most PD nurses either start in HD or have general hospital experience. The pros are everything you listed, plus you form really close relationships with your patients. Training a patient to do their dialysis at home creates a strong bond between you and the patient, as well as their family. Some cons are having to take on call, which is typically just answering the phone, but calls usually happen overnight as patients perform their treatments overnight. Also sometimes I found it difficult to leave work at work. I felt a huge weight of responsibility for my patients all the time, at work and at home. That’s a personal boundary issue I suppose, but it’s something I’ve only experienced as a PD nurse, rarely as a hospital nurse. But that’s basically it for the cons that are particular to PD nursing.

If you have a supportive medical director, it’s a fabulous job and you really will make a huge difference in patients’ lives.

AZNurse2015 · Jul 3, 2019

Thank you! That's the type of info I (and many other people) find useful!