LVN at DIAYLSIS CENTER??

[thizzlamik]

is anyone here currently workin at a diaylsis center? how do you like it? im a newly grad and looking for a job here in the bay area and have a cousin that works at davita. please school me on what you do at the job and hourly pay..thanks!

-marc

[HeartJulz]

I have seen some jobs posted for dialysis as well. sounds interesting! I would assume you start the IV lines mostly ..I did work for an Oncology office and those RNs did all the chemo. meds and Ivs... so it seems to me it may be similar... and I think pay would be probably around high 20s possibly low 30s... good luck...

[leelee6284]

hi there i've been working in dialysis for 4 years now as a patient care tech and LOVE it. i work for fersinius davita competator i live in mass and starting pay in the boston area is around 28 and in the western part if the state it's about 23 the cost of living is much much less there.. i'm in lpn school now and will grad in june i plan on staying in dialysis, my don has always said that dialysis is one place that a med error will not kill someone not that you would ever want to make one. the techs do everything that a nurse does there but give meds, meds are given through the machine and you hardly ever have to start an iv, the day flys by and another perk is you get every sunday off because dialysis is not done on sundays every place is closed, you also get thanksgiving and christmas off every year, you get to build a relationship with your pt's it'sa great job if you get the chance to work there give it a shot you might love it too only bad thing is if you work days its an early start 530 am at most places.

[Fiona59]

I worked dialysis, it wasn't for me. Very mechanical job, and the patients were "different". They wanted in, on, off, and out. The work area is cold due to the blood and clotting risks. Your skills were basically open a sterile tray, set up a sterile field and access.

You get in early, start up and string your machines. Check your patients weights, lab values, work out how much fluid has to come off, get the right solution for the machines.

No IVs, you access the graft, fistula or cvc that your patient has. Some are very picky about which nurse can work them.

The only difference in an RN and PN where I worked was the RN could push meds on return, we couldn't. If no RN was around you gave it s/c. Oh, and the RNs earned about $14/hour more than the PNs.

Your instructor is wrong. It is possible to kill someone in a dialysis clinic. Wrong solution, not watching the BPs close enough, diabetics going sour. Things can go wrong very quickly there.

[pagandeva2000, LPN]

I knew a few LPNs that worked in dialysis who all loved it. I am thinking of training for it myself. Most were well rested, really knew their patients very well and really seemed to thrive while working there. I would give it a try, for sure!