New HD Nurse

westieluv · Jun 21, 2016

Do you mean that you are supposed to be putting the patients on and taking them off, or just overseeing the techs who do it? That makes a huge difference, also if you are an RN or LPN, since my experience has been that LPNs do pass meds but don't have to do assessments, handle doctor rounds or communication, or oversee the rest of the clinic but RNs do.

If you are an RN and expected to run a pod of four patients by yourself along with all of your other RN duties, I think that is crazy. If you are an LPN and expected to run the pod but not do other nursing type things except for passing meds, then that is the norm where I work.

I do think that after roughly six weeks of orientation and being new to dialysis it is maybe expecting a lot for you to be able to run and turn a pod of four patients, because it can get crazy and is better suited to someone who has been doing dialysis for a while and developed a routine and is quick at what they do. At the point you are right now, the quickness is probably not there yet and it feels overwhelming, and I know how patients can be if they don't get on right when they think they should.

If you feel like it is too much, you need to tell your preceptor. I know it's hard to do this sometimes, as it makes us feel like we are inadequate when we're really not, we just need more time, but in the long run you will be glad you did.

nutella, MSN, RN · Jun 22, 2016

I've been a nurse around 9 yrs. Been on orientation in an HD clinic since the beginning of May. My preceptor is pushing me to be handling 4 pts in the am with changeover and 4 pts in the afternoon as well. How long should it take me to feel comfortable with this?

I think that is somewhat pushing it especially if you never had HD experience before. If you started in May you are still relatively new to HD. Are you up to 3 patients already and if yes, are you also doing assessments and meds ?