rn,lmt

RAI is a company that has been around a few years. They were established when DaVita bought Gambro (and some clinics needed to be divested). Anyway, RAI has grown a lot over those years and is (I think) the third largest provider of dialysis services...

I worked in a unit where many of the patients had bedbugs. These little critters love to make their homes in pillows, mattresses, and a million other places. In fact, some of the patients were so infested, they would "flick" them off of their clothes...

It stands for Renal Advantage, Inc.

I worked with RAI in the past and they are a very good company. The president of the company, Mike Cline, is a person who empowers the people that work with him. You will find working with RAI a very rewarding experience.

I am a nurse manager for a non profit dialysis center. It is by far the best job in nursing I have ever had. I have worked in both for and non profit centers and I hope to retire from the company I am with now. So, my advice, look for a dialysis job ...

CONGRATS! Hope your career is everything you want it to be!

Steven, I completely agree! There SHOULD be NO Renalin left in the dialyzer but since we are dealing with human beings - any opportunity we have to protect the patient should be done. I personally do not like using REUSE. I know one of the large com...

The prime would also be dumped if the center utilizes "reuse" of dialyzers. This provides another, albeit small, way of protecting people from sterilant that may have not been completely rinsed out of the kidney.

I think it is so stressful for new grads to start in the critical care units (even if there is a great orientation!). I think you should look at other areas before deciding to get out of the nursing field. Believe me, after 19 years of nursing, there...

Silverfoxxy, Did DaVita purchase a FMC clinic in your area? I know that DaVita bought Gambro....

Dear Susan, What does your facility policy for rinseback of blood? That is where you need to start because in a court of law, the policy is the Bible. If you are not following the policy, and, God forbid, something happens, you will be held responsib...

I was a LPN (graduated in 88), got my RN in 91, and my BSN in 06. I am really glad I was an LPN first because I had a great deal of clinical experience in LPN school and felt that I had an advantage for my RN program. Also, since so many RN grads go ...

Hi Nursey70, I was in a RN-BSN completion program and had to arrange my own clinicals also. I chose the following: a blood donation clinic, a freestanding dialysis clinic, an adult daycare setting (providing nursing care), and with a BSN who works...

Dear fleur-de-lis, I recently completed a twenty month program with Indiana Wesleyan University for my BSN. This was a RN to BSN accelerated program. I loved the program! I would suggest it for anyone who is in the Indiana, Kentucky, or Ohio area and...

It is truly unfortunate that these things do occasionally occur, however, there are precautions that can be used to cut down on these risks. One, is to make sure your clinic is using "dialysis safety needles". The second is when the needle is being r...

Hi, It's been a little while since I was in chronic HD setting (I work in a hospital based dialysis clinic now), but regarding your question, when a patient arrives to the unit, it is really next to impossible to do an assessment prior to all your pa...

Thanks gauge14iv, When I go back to graduate school I will try that program. Thank goodness for my BSN I had an instructor who was a stickler for APA so I was pretty proficient by the end of the twenty month program, but I am not going to start my ne...

The APA software doesn't work with MAC computers (just in case that is what you have).

I have worked in a few outpatient dialysis clinics doing everything from being a staff nurse to being the director of the clinic, and I feel that it is my duty to say, if the clinic is too short staffed to help a HUMAN BEING after they are incontinen...

I work in a hospital based dialysis unit. There is not a day that goes by that I don't clean up stool. I can appreciate how difficult it is for patients to be changed when they are sitting in a recliner, but our patients are usually in beds (making c...

My thoughts exactly!

Hi, Glad you decided to specialize in dialysis. You will be forever in demand and will be able to provide a wonderful service. Each organization offers their own training program. This is usually a six to ten week program including a didactic port...

NephroBSN did a great job explaining what life is like in a freestanding dialysis clinic. (I did this for years, too). I work in a hospital based dialysis clinic in Ohio. There are mostly all RNs who do the patient care. We have a couple of seasoned ...

I am a nurse and massage therapist in Northern Kentucky. I am going to specialize in massage therapy geared to medical professionals. Reduced rates for these folks, odd-hours if necessary, trying to accommodate same day calls for massage if needed. I...

Frann, Start by calling the police. They will take your statement and then do an investigation of this jerk. His degree may be from some bogus place that issues degrees for $15.00. Anyway, even if he does have a degree he can still be a pervert. Call...