Opening or Closing Doors?

[oldcatlady71]

I have been at my first nursing job as a staff RN for a year and a half now. I was on med/surg for a year and then on the telemetry unit for the last 6 months. Yesterday I was contacted by a nurse recruiter to interview for an acute dialysis unit position. While I have no dialysis experience (other then doing my nursing leadership and management clinical for my bachelors degree with the Nurse Manager of an acute dialysis unit at a larger hospital then my own) she was eager to meet me. She then called me back today wanting to schedule an interview even sooner because not only her but the nurse manager of the dialysis unit really wanted to meet me as soon as possible. (Oh, how the tables have turned, went from not being able to get any job as a new, inexperienced nurse to being called 2 days in a row!!)

Anyways, I was never really into dialysis and not sure how I feel about it. But what I am wondering is if this kind of position would open more doors for my professional career or will I be locked into this type of position as it is such a specialty. I am not sure where exactly I want to go in my career as I am still a baby nurse and only 25 years old, but I was always interested in CCU/ICU and oncology nursing. Would working in a dialysis unit be a good opportunity for this route or would I be closing some doors? Any opinions, thoughts, suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

[DialysisRN12]

If what you really want is CCU/ICU or oncology, moving into dialysis will not help your career. Having worked Med-Surg and now Tele, you're on the right path to get to either.

[DonMcAllister]

I was an ICU nurse for a few years, and there are definitely skills that will help in that setting, but I think many view dialysis as highly specialized. You might definitely be better off trying to get into ICU/onc floor instead of pursuing dialysis much more.

[oldcatlady71]

Very stressed. I wasn't pursuing dialysis, the opportunity just presented itself. While it would definitely be a better position (at a better hospital, my current hospital is small, really being hit by poor HCAHPS) I was already almost laid off once because of staffing, that's how I ended up on the telemetry unit, through a bump (although that ended up being better for my career). I just hate to pass up a good opportunity but also hate to back myself into a corner. Gahhhhh!!!!

[DialysisRN12]

I ended up in dialysis because I could not get a position on the floor. I wanted to be trauma ICU / flight since I was 17. But it turns out I'm right where I want to be. Dialysis is one of those specialities where you either love or hate, and I think youre either meant to be a nephro RN or not. I totally love it and found my niche.

[lisajtrn]

I too am weighing the pros and cons of what to do. I am currently working in ICU and have been for only the past 4-5 months. I worked on acute medicine for 13 years before that. My medical experience helps immensely in ICU. However I am considering moving to a nephro unit. I have actually applied. I moved to ICU when the hospital I work for built a new facility, closing the old one, and breaking up the staff on the floor into medical specialties, i.e.: respiratory, nephrology, cardiology, oncology. Prior to that we were all together on one floor. I applied for ICU at that time and got the job. While I do like ICU, there are aspects that I don't care for. Some patients are there for very long period of time and it can be wearing to deal with the same thing over and over again. Some of the intensivists want things done 5 minutes ago, and are very impatient and moody. When I worked the odd shift and when I was a student (some time ago) you had one vent, now they are doubling up vents most of the time. This can make your shift extremely busy and stressful. I originally had chosen nephrology when we were splitting up the old med floor but went to ICU instead when the opportunity came up.

I am now second-guessing my decision and thinking that I should have gone with the nephro floor, and possibly memo at some time.

Sorry for the long story but this has been weighing on me for some time and I needed to vent. Can't really say anything to my coworkers in case I stay where I am.

How do you neprho/ hemo nurses like your jobs, especially those of you who moved from medicine/ICU?

Any input is apreciated.

[TEXASWAG, MSN, RN]

I currently work at a teaching hospital in the ICU and another hospital as an acute dialysis nurse. I love dialysis. I worked in ICU for several years. Working as an acute dialysis nurse revived my spirit and passion for nursing again, because after so many years I was becoming a burnt out ICU nurse. My most memorable and favorite patients I have known working in dialysis.

[lisajtrn]

Thanks for that , I am hoping that I hear about the nephrology position soon. Hopefully that will lead into a hemo job at some point. The hemo nurses seem to like their jobs and I am not getting any younger to be dealing with the stresses of an ICU.