integrativenurse

Understandably you should be upset. Although it's difficult to find jobs these days but you try broadening your horizon thus making yourself more marketable. If we're all going to be honest, dialysis job is for ones who have been through different specialties and ready to settle down. I really wish you the best of luck!

It looks like both have identical questions. At least they're very similar. My CDN certification expired a year and a half ago. No reason for me to renew it since I don't work in HD anymore and I received my promotion for having it. However, I still work in the renal world so I'm planning on taking the CNN exam this fall. Not getting an extra promotion for this but will help with the appraisal.

I'll keep getting the incentive bonus if I stay for 3 years. One out of 3 is done so far. It depends on the position they're filling. In my position, several nurses were offered in my department but none of them wants to do a Monday to Friday 730-1600 job. Which turned favorably for me since I don't not want to work long hours, weekends, and calls anymore. The job prior to this one really put me and family in a bad position. Jobless for a couple of months until this VA job open its door. God blessed me and family and put me back to my old work family with a much better paying job -- 38% more!

Whatever Arr-tistRN said. But I don't know how other VHA work but I believe ADN is a Nurse 1.

Not sure if you're asking me, but I was offered and given 2 steps higher with a 3-year incentive bonus. Same grade since I didn't have any educational advancement since I left. It's a blessing.

My understanding, at least with my VA hospital, the top admin (execs) people cannot even do a thing with the application process. Meaning, HR and VA hospital admin have their own cocoon. That's why our executives are pissed about it.

Just the basic auscultation and vital signs. Went over vaccination records. I live nearby so my I went the same hospital. However, I know a person from a different state who did his physical and UDS at his local VA and this VA accepted it.

I was in contact with my HR person throughout the process. So, for example, when she said that the they are waiting Employee Health, I called EH and asked them what's happening. It happened that the admin who was supposed to set up my appointment is on vacation and EH didn't assign a surrogate. Who suffers? The applicant for their lack of communication and planning. I wasn't going to have that. The EH nurse helped me out to set up the appointment, got my sh*t done (at least with that angle). Same story with urine drug screening. I called the lab and set that up with them. Without me doing what I did, I saved AT LEAST a month's worth of work. In general the hospital's CEO, bosses, etc. want their applicants in and working because they risk losing their good applicants to the neighboring hospitals. It's just the HR process, which for some reason, has it's own timeline. I don't know if it's laziness or what.

Pros: Using jugs for acid and bicarb RO in same machine Small machine - R2D2 style Cons: Too many to mention.

Not typically. But since I knew who and where to call, I was able to cut the process by 50% (I needed a job desperately).

Truly sorry, I barely log in. Anyway, I always see that non-VA nurses get paid higher than us. However, I'm very happy here. Now, just like anything else, a nurse may end working on a *** unit with *** co-workers, and with *** shifts. I see turnover here on both nurses and doctors. Remember, one VA doesn't reflect the rest of the system. I now work M-F, bankers hours, that's my choice for me and it works well with my family life (dogs, wife, and kids love my schedule). I feel like a normal person. It seems like we always get a yearly raise. Again, I can't speak for regular places. I've also worked as a staff nurse in dialysis in private sector then became the administrator. I'm making more now as a VA employee than in there. Overall, I'm really glad that I'm working at the VA. I guess I should mention that I'm a veteran.

DaVita doesn't pay extra for certification (CDN, CNN). I never heard that they will pay for the exam maybe they do now. It's nice to have for personal pride. If you're thinking about getting this to become a CC or FA, you don't need it -- if they're desperate and you have the qualifications, they'll grab you.

Happy to read all the comments. I'm new to case management but with the VA system for more than 5 years.

What you said except I also work for a hospital so our outfit is basically acute and chronic. We do have on calls though. Generally speaking, dialysis is a better gig than my experience in LTC, Med Surg or ICU based on the positives you listed. The only job I can say I had with equally less stress was family practice. After 16 years in HD, I moved to be a renal CM with no weekends, no holidays, and still no on-call.

Hi, I know it's been a while since you took these exams, but besides the pre-requisites are there any notable differences and similarities with the test questions? I got my CDN 2 years ago and contemplating taking the CNN exam next year for professional (and monetary) advancement but I don't want to waste money buying test preps if they are the same.