Is critical care experience needed to work in dialysis?

[Makemaproud]

Hi, Everybody! I'm interested in applying for a job in dialysis. I don't have any critical care experience. Is it an absolute necessity for me to have critical care experience to work in dialysis? Are there any nurses out there who went into dialysis without prior experience?? Any advice and guidance would be greatly appreciated!! All the best! Makemaproud

[Tweety, BSN, RN]

No. Dialysis is a highly specialized area, but critical care experience is not required. Good luck.

[traumaRUs, MSN, APRN]

Totally agree with Tweety. At least Fresenius hires new grads even! It is specialized care but not critical care or even acute care (at least in the outpatient clinics).

[DeLana_RN, BSN, RN]

Acute care experience is a good idea in a setting such as dialysis (where you may at times be the only RN), and critical care experience is of course always helpful. However, as pp have mentioned, neither is required.

Good luck!

DeLana

[Dialysis RN1]

I will not hire anyone without prior critical care experience. but I am in the Acute side of dialysis. If you are interested in a chronic position, critical care background should not be an issue. if you are interested in acute then critical care is a must. the thing with this is that often times our acute nurses are sent to the bedside and are the only one around to care for the patinet. granted we are contracted in only to provide dialysis therapy but you need to know and be comfortable around the criticaly ill patient if you want to be somewhat comfortable in your position.

[jnette, ASN, EMT-I]

I will not hire anyone without prior critical care experience. but I am in the Acute side of dialysis. If you are interested in a chronic position, critical care background should not be an issue. if you are interested in acute then critical care is a must. the thing with this is that often times our acute nurses are sent to the bedside and are the only one around to care for the patinet. granted we are contracted in only to provide dialysis therapy but you need to know and be comfortable around the criticaly ill patient if you want to be somewhat comfortable in your position.

Agree with that wholeheartedly... if working acutes.