Is Dialysis hard to get into?

MizzDo~LPN · Aug 16, 2008

DaVita is very desperate. They will hire you on the spot and start you the very next day. They talk about everyone being a big Village, but when you train you get a lot of funky attitudes from the Techs. It's a Tech vs. Nurse war in New Orleans.

If you want a break try a LTC facility.

Dialysis clinics open at 4:30 a.m. to set up machines and patients start coming in at 6a.m. Most people dialyze between 3-4.5 hours. After your 1st set of patients you have 2 more sets. So your day can end anywhere between 5 p.m. - 7p.m. So think really hard about it. You're constantly on your feet!!!!

nursepammiej · Aug 17, 2008

I agree, Dialysis is very hard, and I agree with the "tech-vs-nurse" war. I have worked at 3 Davita Clinics and also floated to various clinics to help out. It's everywhere for some reason. More so in some. It's very demanding, hard on feet and back. And the pace is unbelievable. Pt's are non-compliant, and it's a assembly line mentality. That being said, if you enjoy long-term relationships with pts, you might like it. You usually have the same pts unless they get a transplant or die. Very few have their function return, though I have seen it several times. Be prepared for fast-paced work, and it will really take you a good year to get your routine going and where you feel comfortable. If you are looking for long-term, be prepared for it to become quite routine. Other than the occassional nose-dive in bp or a pt having severe bleeding, it can be quite monotonous. It won't be for the person who wants to advance in their career much or continuosly learn new skills. If you like your "comfort zone" it might well be for you. If you prefer to "step outside the box" probably not.

It took a lot of soul searching, but I finally made the decision yesterday to change careers, and am going into 1/1 hospice. I will miss the pts, but I have fond that my heart just isn't in it anymore. I can see no opportunity to use any additional skills, and am afraid I will lose some if I stay.

Hope this helps

nursepammiej · Aug 17, 2008

Also, I forgot to say, as far as schedule goes, they usually start around 4:30 am and finish around 5-6 pm. We also will be starting longer hours, up to 16 hrs/day, now that the snowbirds will be heading our way. And trust me, a 12 hour shift in med-surg is a vacation compared to dialysis. I have done med-surg and ER prn on my days off from dialysis, and I feel like I'm in slow-motion. Pay in our area is about the same.

uscstu4lfe · Aug 17, 2008

I searched the Davita website and there are no listings for New Grads in the Socal Area, and I think only a couple of listings statewide. I assume (hope) this is an error?

nursingisok · Mar 21, 2009

They hire new grads. I did med surg for a couple of months when i graduated from nursing school and went into dialysis. While i'm not in love with dialysis...i don't hate it like i hated med surg. i've stuck with it longer than i thought i can and it keeps me busy. Give it a try. Davita hires really new grads. I don't like the company but its alright to try there or another dialysis company of your choice...goodluck.