I Hate Dialysis

Dialysis is known as one of those "Love it or Hate it" specialties. But you took the job, so what drew you in? What did you expect to find compared to what you found?

It's also important to remember that in this specialty it frequently takes 6 months to develop a comfort level with the work -- there are many tiny details to pick up and that just takes time, so don't let the first day get you down UNLESS it is really not at all what you were lead to believe in the interview.

Think about what sort of position you are looking for -- Dialysis is a procedural setting, and because you are doing the same procedure for all of your patients (with minor variations) it will be repetitive. It is the repetition that allows you to notice when something is not right and needs to be addressed.

There is no wrong choice in nursing -- there are a million possibilities, but you will be happiest if you can narrow your focus to the type of nursing that best fits your interests and personality.

Good luck!

The job sounds almost appealing. Boredom is one of my favorite feelings in a job. It beats "overwhelmed" or even "hectic". If I want excitement I'll go on vacation.

Ha, ha, ha...

After beating boredom, and accepting the routineness of the job... I learned of something about this job that makes it less appealing:

the feeling that you can't do much for the patient

especially when the patient is superbly non compliant. I worked in a non profit organization before moving to a full blown renal unit in a hospital. Same situation, and it gets worse when I came to this new place - 5-6 kg weight gain is common, everyday dialysis, sometimes requiring on-calls for permanent patient. More staff, nephrologist on the floor making rounds - yet the patient makes the call. Analgesics given as per desired to the point that addiction is questionable. No fluid control, and we have a patient education department! Not to blame the staff, since the patients have the thinking that they alone (mostly) get the say in their health. And since most people who work also prefer to stay silent, enjoy the big bucks, not making a mess that may jeopardize their position. So, where is nursing really? No doubt they are highly skilled, but we all know skill alone don't make the nurse.

Not all things are greener on the other side (hint: I am working in a middle east country that pay big bucks - but I am thinking twice if trading my pure thoughts of being a caregiver, with being a maid - literally).

Dialysis is known as one of those "Love it or Hate it" specialties. But you took the job, so what drew you in? What did you expect to find compared to what you found?

Well I hate it.

To answer your questions I took the job because the Facility Administrator painted this lovely picture of how dialysis would be. He talked about extensive nursing care like only a nurse can handle dialysis, when actually the Techs do everything except push heparin and access central lines. After the whole procedure is over I was wiping chairs down with bleach and water. Spraying vinegar on the Acid lines and wiping down the dialysis machines.

I didn't go through extensive nursing training to be a housekeeper.

I have now been hired at a LTC facility. I will be responsible for 10 patients which doesn't seem too bad. Nursing has a variety of fields. So for now I am exploring!!!!

Today was my 1st day on the job at a very popular dialysis clinic. I hated it!!! Very boring and repetitive. I am a new LPN and this is the 1st job I've held as a nurse. I am not going back. The preceptor is very knowledgeable but just can't teach. The work is very boring and I didn't go to nursing school to clean bloody machines.

Interesting. I didn't go to nursing school to make coffee, fetch ice water and plump up pillows, but it seems to me that that's what med-surg is all about.

I look at it this way. I didn't go to nursing school to clean bloody machines, but if they want to pay me this much money to clean off a machine, I'm okay with that.

It's not for everyone so don't feel bad. Just understand that nursing is not what you think it will be. Anywhere you go you will be asked to do things that seem ridiculous. Whenever I feel that way I look at my paycheck and smile.

Seems that nursing itself is a love it or leave it type of career.

Iv'e been in this profession for over 23yrs. There have been many a day that I have come home completely wiped out. I did OB nursing for the first 19, and now dialysis. I've been in amazing, wonderful situations, and I've been in the worst possible situations, but thru it all you have to pull yourself out of the equation and focus on the patient and the family before you.

I know the frustration of the non-adherent patient who is a total fluid abuser and won't do anything to help themselves, but it's their choice. They are all on a life ending course. They are all very ill and we are just catching a final glimpse of their life.

This is just your introduction to nursing Don't let this frustration stop you. Go back with a change in attitude. Talk to your preceptor as to your daily goals. Spend time talking to the patients and get to know the others around you. We all have been where you are at the beginning. Nursing has many doors and maybe this isn't what you thought it would be, but give yourself time.

Dialysis is known as one of those "Love it or Hate it" specialties. But you took the job, so what drew you in? What did you expect to find compared to what you found?

Well I hate it.

To answer your questions I took the job because the Facility Administrator painted this lovely picture of how dialysis would be. He talked about extensive nursing care like only a nurse can handle dialysis, when actually the Techs do everything except push heparin and access central lines. After the whole procedure is over I was wiping chairs down with bleach and water. Spraying vinegar on the Acid lines and wiping down the dialysis machines.

I didn't go through extensive nursing training to be a housekeeper.

I have now been hired at a LTC facility. I will be responsible for 10 patients which doesn't seem too bad. Nursing has a variety of fields. So for now I am exploring!!!!

None of the specialties are for everybody. I am glad that Nursing offers a variety of specialties that suit the interest of different people.

What you have described here as your 'one day' of dialysis experience is very superficial. It takes months for one to have actual 'clue' of what it is. It is more than just a routine or repetition. I don't mind wiping the blood from the machine or the chair because I know this prevents cross contamination of germs. Not a single task done in dialysis is without a scientific rationale behind it. And , i guess this is what we learn in nursing school......back your actions with scientific knowledge. If you train a monkey for a few months, I am sure he will also learn how to amputate a leg but it does not make the monkey a surgeon. Wiping the machines with bleach water will never make me a housekeeper. There is so much more challenge in dialysis nursing than just wiping the machines/chairs or even just poking the patients with those giant needles.

Just my opinion, but I think you didn't give enough time for yourself to actually have a feel of what exactly dialysis nursing is. And, best of luck for your new career as LTC nurse. I doubt you will find LTC more dynamic than dialysis. your day starts and ends with passing the meds, then bandaging the bedsores, passing the lunch trays, making 3-4 phone calls to the physicians, x-rays, labs, pharmacies and family members. This is the same task a LTC nurse has to do every single day. I hope you will enjoy it.

Just my opinion, but I think you didn't give enough time for yourself to actually have a feel of what exactly dialysis nursing is. And, best of luck for your new career as LTC nurse. I doubt you will find LTC more dynamic than dialysis. your day starts and ends with passing the meds, then bandaging the bedsores, passing the lunch trays, making 3-4 phone calls to the physicians, x-rays, labs, pharmacies and family members. This is the same task a LTC nurse has to do every single day. I hope you will enjoy it.

I Absolutely love the LTC Facility I work at. We actually have med techs so I don't end and begin with passing meds, bandaging the bedsores is done by the wound care nurse if there are any at all (out of the 10 patients I care for none of them have bed sores) , cna's pass the food trays, all phones calls to the physicians, x-ray, labs, pharmacies, and family members are made by one of the many unit clerks.

So most of my shift I spend my time ensuring that my patients are getting the best care. Having so much staff allows me to get to know the 10 patients I am assigned to.

I consider this job a God-send.

I Sooooooooooooooooo Love my job!!!!!

This beats Dialysis on a one patient day.

And to be clear it only took me about 4 hours to realize I hated Dialysis but I'm glad that you love what you do. Somebody has to do it, why not love what you do, I do.

I am glade you like LTC nursing. I have did a little bit of every thing since I graduated last year. I worked Med/Surg, ICU, TELE, Nursery/Postpartum, and PRN at a LTC facility. I just can't seem to find where I fit in nursing out side the school setting. I am going to try my hand at diaylsis. I start with Fresinius Medical on Sept. 2nd so I guess I will see if it is my fit. I sure hope I find something I really love in nursing. I love helping people that is why I became a nurse. The hospital seemed to get to hectic for me with to much politics and gossiping. The LTC facility was great but didn't get enought training to feel comfortable with all of the paper work for admissions, skin assessments, and the med pass was the worst part for me trying to pass meds on 30 residents. I liked the LTC because I felt like I got to know the resident better than the patients who come and go in the hospital setting. Hospital I did 7pm-7am and felt like I never got to see my new born daughter. I hope dialysis will be the fit for me.

It has been a long time since I commented on Allnurses but this post really struck a chord with me because I was a Dialysis nurse for 3 years in 1994-1997 and it was hands down my favorite job ever.

Yes,it was sometimes repetitive... but sometimes that was comforting. Let me tell you why. It allowed me to get a real sense for patient's, their lives, and nursing in general. In my work on the floor I often wondered about the patients that I cared for... what happened to them? Did my care make a difference? In Dialysis, I saw the same patients 3 days a week for years and I learned that sometimes I really could make a difference and sometimes people just died... no matter what we did. The patient's and staff were my second family.

I also learned excellant assessment skills in dialysis. Of course I was an RN, not an LPN. I also learned alot about patient teaching. I used my ACLS in Dialysis..... got to defibrillate a patient one day!! I became more familiar with labs.. especially potassium!!! As a Dialysis RN I got the respect of the ICU nurses... they would scatter when I came to dialyze a patient in the unit. I became expert at accessing grafts and fistulas with needles... I drew blood on patients...gave immunizations..

And about the noncompliant patients... yes it was frustrating.. but I can't imagine what it would be like to have to monitor everything so closely... your fluids, every bite of food....and to have your life restricted by your treatments...lasting 4-5 hours a time 3 days a week... So it wasn't as hard to not be judgemental... I can hardly restrict myself from my 32 oz soda each day.

Anyway... I loved learning the technical aspects of the machines...

So dialysis may not be for everyone.. but for some it really is a great fit.

I wish I lived closer to a dialysis unit... Now I work in a really rural setting and get to do lots of things: ER, OB, ICU, Med surg... but I do miss the specialization in dialysis.

Thank goodness nursing is varied and there is something to appeal to everyone.