Dialyser

My Unit carried out a buttonhole trial about 18 months ago. During this time we found that with a couple of patients we never reached a point where we could use blunt needles for cannulation and instead had to continue with regular needles. Apart from this these buttonhole sites caused no problems. This however doesn't explain why your patients access sites are so large. The most likely reason that I can think of is that the staff haven't being cannulating in exactly the same place and this has lead to a merging of numerous puncture sites, as opposed to one true buttonhole site.

Haemodialysis for me. Thought I had better mention it as no one would guess it from my screen name!:wink2:

I agree about the holidays. But for the me the real reason i love working for the NHS is because as a charge nurse with 16 years experience i still earn less than my sister who is a receptionist. I go home happy every day thinking about how much lower my tax bill is compared to my sister! Thanks NHS because i hate that taxman.

I cant comment on what is normal in the States but i run a haemodialysis unit in the UK and our training programme takes 3-6 months to complete. I also tell my new staff that it takes 12 months to really develop your skills. From what you said it sounds to me as though you have done really well for length of time you have been in post. when you are still learning its not an area to rush things i think it is more important to take your time and get things right! The speed will follow as you become more experienced.:nuke:

Yes we worked on the same ward when i first qualifed in 1993. Its a small world indeed!

My name is Bruce. If you dont mind me asking whats yours?

Hi Madwife, I also trained at Withington hospital from 1990-1993 then i worked on 9a for 18 months before moving up to Scotland. I have just decided to move out to the U.S, i have so far just been reading the threads to try and get some idea where to start and the best way of doing it. I have read a lot of your posts and found them very interesting. Where in Withington did you work?

I am the Charge Nurse of a haemodialysis unit in Scotland and only get aprox $20/hr. (if i stay in post for another 10 years it will top out at $30/hr:uhoh3:) I am currently looking into moving to Jacksonville, Florida. If anyone has any advice about the best way to go about this, I would be very grateful for any advice.