Tish88

Is there any update on this program for the CE requirement on child abuse?

What is his starting BP? To me, it sounds like his dry weight needs to be adjusted. When was the last time it was adjusted. If he does have a cardiac history, 4kg sounds like a lot for him. There are so many variables it could be and is hard to t...

There are a few questions I would ask first before answering. 1. Is the catheter infected prior to the exchange? Is there a tunnel track infection present and/or positive blood cultures? 2. Are you exchanging over a wire? 3. How is the radiologis...

I am not a PEDS dialysis nurse, but I know the children's hospital in our area uses the Fresenius K machines. I have used the Phoenix and the K's and I HATE the phoenix machines!!!!

I agree with the previous poster. Definitely find out how your time will be divided.

Dialysis catheters are packed with a higher dose of heparin than a normal CVC line. Heparin 1:1000units /ml up to 1:10,000units/ml is used for dialysis catheters. Normal line flushed are 1:100 units. Only dialysis staff should be accessing these ca...

ANNA does not require you to have "their" CE's to sit for their exam. The majority of PCT's who take an exam do not have any CE's prior to taking the exam.

The lumen of a Groshong is around 9F where as a dialysis catheter is around 13.5 - 14F. The Groshong would not support the required large volume of blood that is needed for dialysis. As for the length, they both reach into the superior vena cava and...

Are you out on FMLA? If so read up on FMLA regulations. U.S. Department of Labor - Wage and Hour Division (WHD) - The Family and Medical Leave Act This is from the website about returning to your job: Job Restoration Upon return from FMLA leave, a...

I have worked for the 2 largest dialysis companies and never had to live in the city where the position was for. Since I did acutes, I was expected to travel to the hospitals were they provided dialysis treatments for. The one company would make acu...

I always tell my new staff that it will take you 6 months to feel comfortable and a year before you truly understand dialysis completely. I am sure that if you need more time on orientation, that could be possible to extend your time. It can be over...

I don't understand how using the shower could hurt "the physical plant"? Don't patients use the showers? All you are doing is running the water If the unit does not have water supply to the rooms, how do you wash your hands?

Check first to see if you would even qualify to sit for the exam. There are restrictions as to how many hours you need to have worked in dialysis before you can take the exam. Since you don't do hemodialysis, I don't think you would qualify. The we...

They would hook the shower hose up to the R/O machine (reverse osmosis water machine), that filters the water before it goes to the dialysis machines. I have hooked up this way in the past. I also had to run a garden hose to get water supply to a p...

Acutedialysis - thanks for sharing those links

According the the CDC, Normal Saline bags are for single patient use only. These should not be shared. I think this would include the heparinzed saline bag you are making. This bag can possibly contaminate/infect multiple patients at one time.

Check with you local ANNA chapter. Many chapters have educational conferences a couple times a year. Our local chapter has 2 large conferences each year that usually offer 6-7 CE's each. These CE's are for both nurses and technicians. We also do ...

I went from working ICU straight into acute hemodialysis. That was 25+ years ago. I had 3 weeks of orientation to learn hemodialysis and pheresis and I was on my own. With an ICU background, I don't feel you need to do chronic dialysis first. I wo...

The CNN and CDN certification are certifications for dialysis nurses (nephrology nurses), not for nurses working with renal patients in the hospital. The certification is very specific to dialysis, both hemo & PD, and transplantation. Approximat...

American Nephrology Nurses Association The mission of the American Nephrology Nurses' Association (ANNA) is to promote excellence by advancing nephrology nursing practice and positively influence outcomes for individuals with kidney disease. ...

We use heparin 1:1000 units per ml and draw this up into 10 ml syringes and put them on the machine. This is for patients that require hourly doses. We also give our patients bolus' of heparin prior to the start of their treatment (after needles are...

I would say that you would have to make a new batch everyday, since there are no preservatives in Normal Saline bags. I still am trying to figure out why you are diluting heparin. Is this a cost saving method? Is this for patient infusion during tr...

Are you talking about the heparin syringes that are on the dialysis machine, connected to the patients bloodlines? If this is what you are talking about - you should NOT be keeping this syringe with heparin at all. It should be discarded with the bl...

These patients are very challenging and can be difficult, but not all of them can be characterized as non compliant.I have been doing all forms of dialysis and pheresis for over 25 years and I tell my staff that feel they way you do that it is time f...

Because people in the United States do not want to be connected to a machine for 6.5 - 10 hrs a day every night for 6 nights a week. We are lucky to get them to come to a clinic 3 days a week for 3 hr treatments. I agree they would feel better doin...