New RN-can I get into dialysis nursing?

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Specializes in Cardiac.

Hey all!

I finished my Nursing School this summer and am set to take my Nclex in a few weeks. I have worked for a past few years as a PCT on a specialized transplant step-down unit which is all kidneys, livers, pancreases, spleens and other viscera...I have seen a lot of dialysis and gotten to talk to some of the dialysis nurses on our floor and Ive also developed a lot of bonds with the patients on my floor who are well...definetly frequent fliers!

Anyway, for a while I was unsure what I ultimately want to do as a Nurse...like what speciality... but Id say about a year ago it hit me that I wanted to be into dialysis...

so that gets me to my question. Can one get into dialysis right out of nursing school? I know the preference is atleast a year on med-surg to work on your asessment and critical thinking skills and other important skills...but can one get into dialysis right away? Or really its best to atleast get 1 yr in Med Surg under your belt...

and whats the difference between being a nurse at a outpt dialysis clinic and within a hospital?

Thanks all!

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At an outpt clinic, it is much busier, much more fast paced. You would be responsible for many pts dialyzing at the same time.

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I graduated in May and was hired in July at a Dialysis clinic. It is possible! :)

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Specializes in Cardiac.

Thank you all for answering! I ended up looking up some of the major dialysis clinics/companies in my area and see most are hiring and through the wording it does sound like they would consider a new RN for a position. I also hashed it out with my husband and while I will continue to apply for hospital based Nursing positions I will also put in a few applications at the dialysis clinics around me which are hiring... we'll see how it hashes out. regardless, I do want to ultimately be in dialysis as I like the patient population and the whole patho and medical aspects of it all and so even if I dont end up in dialysis straight out...I know I can always move into it!

Thanks all!

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