OR to Dialysis Nursing

[MarHudd]

Hello everyone! I have just accepted a position in an acute renal care unit and will be starting in about three weeks. I have worked in the OR, as a circulating nurse, since I gradutated nursing school five years ago. The OR is a very unique nursing enviroment and most "basic" nursing skills that we are taught in nursing school, are not used by circulating nurses. I'm looking for someone to give me a quick "crash course" on what are the most important aspects to dialysis nursing so I know if there are skills I should focus on "relearning" before my job begins. Basically, I need a little more specific info than just "dialysis nurses run the machines, assess the patient, give meds..." Specific labs I should read up on, most common meds given, and so on. Brief descriptions are fine, just a quick overview. Any help would be great =)

[island40]

All things fluid & electrolyte is a good starting point. I hope that you will be given orientation for at least a couple of months (6-10 weeks) to learn the machines and dialysate washes. Medications that are used are fairly limited: all antibiotics that are IV, sedatives, antiemetics, antihistamines, hypertonic solution, epogen or equivalent, calcium by injection, sometimes antihypertensives, sometimes drugs that raise the BP.... Assessment is the main thing - clients crash fast so you have to recognize low BP, low o2, allergic reaction and fluid shift difficulty symptoms really well to fix it before it becomes a code. Good luck.

[MarHudd]

Thanks for your response. Yes, I will have an orientation to begin, but I just wanted to be sure that I brushed up on some important focus areas since the OR is so different than Dialysis. Thanks again!