SNF vs dialysis

I started at Fresenius about 5 months ago after losing my job at the hospital. I did not have dialysis experience & it was a challenge at first but now I love it. They work with me for my weekly meetings & random drug screens. Hours are early but now I can't see myself ever going back to bedside nursing.

Smit5292 said:

I started at Fresenius about 5 months ago after losing my job at the hospital. I did not have dialysis experience & it was a challenge at first but now I love it. They work with me for my weekly meetings & random drug screens. Hours are early but now I can't see myself ever going back to bedside nursing.

Thank you! I went with Fresenius! At the interview I just felt like it was somewhere that I'll be comfortable and welcomed into. At the hospital a nurse read my stipulations to the whole unit and it became super toxic. At Fresenius, they told me nobody would know except the three monitors I'll have and that they have had other probation nurses and it never gets out. I thought I deserved the humiliation of my stipulations being put on blast, but I'm realizing that is so wrong and not true. A nurse at the hospital loudly told me multiple times "you F*cked up now you have to pay the consequences" in front of the nurses station. I'm so thankful that Fresenius seems to know that there's no reason to blast a nurse for our past mistakes. 

There is no difference in Fresenius and Davita AS A WHOLE. Meaning, across the country, very similar. There ARE differences between the two at EACH LOCATION across the country. A Fresenius in one location in a Big City might be complete crap compared to one in the same city 4 miles away and same for Davita.

I've read the Dialysis discussions on here for years and they go back for well over a decade and people debate whether they should go with one Dialysis place over the other as if ALL Davitas are the same and ALL Fresenius's are the same, and in fact, they are not. It's about EACH SPECIFIC location.

The above are like a large hospital system. For example, take Kaiser in California. Some of their hospitals are a disaster. Some are outstanding. It's not about "Kaiser or Davita or Fresenius" overall, but its about each specific location.

SheelaDavis said:

There is no difference in Fresenius and Davita AS A WHOLE. Meaning, across the country, very similar. There ARE differences between the two at EACH LOCATION across the country. A Fresenius in one location in a Big City might be complete crap compared to one in the same city 4 miles away and same for Davita.

I've read the Dialysis discussions on here for years and they go back for well over a decade and people debate whether they should go with one Dialysis place over the other as if ALL Davitas are the same and ALL Fresenius's are the same, and in fact, they are not. It's about EACH SPECIFIC location.

The above are like a large hospital system. For example, take Kaiser in California. Some of their hospitals are a disaster. Some are outstanding. It's not about "Kaiser or Davita or Fresenius" overall, but its about each specific location.

Agreed. I can only speak to my experience with Fresenius. The clinic in my small hometown (literally 3 minutes from my house) was an absolute nightmare. It was probably the most unwelcoming environment I have ever worked in. This was long after I finished my state's program so that wasn't an issue. The staff there was just toxic, belittling, and passive/aggressive. The Fresenius clinic 30 minutes from my home was completely different...like night and day.

SheelaDavis said:

There is no difference in Fresenius and Davita AS A WHOLE. Meaning, across the country, very similar. There ARE differences between the two at EACH LOCATION across the country. A Fresenius in one location in a Big City might be complete crap compared to one in the same city 4 miles away and same for Davita.

I've read the Dialysis discussions on here for years and they go back for well over a decade and people debate whether they should go with one Dialysis place over the other as if ALL Davitas are the same and ALL Fresenius's are the same, and in fact, they are not. It's about EACH SPECIFIC location.

The above are like a large hospital system. For example, take Kaiser in California. Some of their hospitals are a disaster. Some are outstanding. It's not about "Kaiser or Davita or Fresenius" overall, but it's about each specific location.

Oh I promise I wouldn't judge a company based on others experiences. I have enough work experience to realize everywhere has its issues! I was more curious if people would suggest a SNF or dialysis to finish out their probation. I ultimately went with Fresenius because when I went to the interview and shadowed I felt super comfortable and like I was at "home" if that makes sense. As an RN I've worked in one specialty my whole career, so going to chronic care is kind of intimidating. However prior to being a RN I worked with elderly patients for 5-6 years as a caregiver then an LPN. It just felt like going back to my roots. It is kind of sad leaving my specialty because I LOVE what I did, but I need a fresh start where the whole unit isn't reminding me of what I did wrong constantly. We punish ourselves enough I don't need outsiders doing it too. Maybe once my probation is over I'll go back to women's health but for now I just need to finish the last 16 months strong. 

My contract wouldn't let me work at SNF, so I did Dialysis. I would have chosen Dialysis though. Less drama. It's not just drugs and alcohol or missed meetings or missed check ins or missed reports that can get you into trouble with the VON and your monitoring program, but work drama can do it. In my opinion, SNFs have more of that because you have to deal with CNAs and most are great, but many are not, and they often will use your recovery background against you and it on takes one call from a person your are supervising g to cause big problems. Dialysis centers have that also, but not quite as much.

I worked at a  Davita location when I returned to work. I Hated it. Terrible leadership and just a disaster. A year later, I went to Fresenius and it was average. It wasn't bad. It wasn't great, but it was average and doable. I then got a call and offer from another Fresenius location in a nearby town aftwr being at Fresenius for 18 months and it looked appealing and I took the job at this Davita location. I Loved it. Great leadership, great team, work was actually fun. The above is an example of how Fresenius and Davita truly are location specific and each location can be night and day different from each other.

if you have offers from both probably dialysis but it depends more on the individual dialysis center / snf because some are awful. trust your gut when you tour the place.

Exactly. Some dialysis centers are great at Fresenius or Davita and some are awful. Same thing for SNFs. They aren't all created three same. Some are good, some are awful, some are in the middle. Due your due diligence and investigate and learn about the place you are considering.

Nursrcy00901 said:

Oh I promise I wouldn't judge a company based on others experiences. I have enough work experience to realize everywhere has its issues! I was more curious if people would suggest a SNF or dialysis to finish out their probation. I ultimately went with Fresenius because when I went to the interview and shadowed I felt super comfortable and like I was at "home" if that makes sense. As an RN I've worked in one specialty my whole career, so going to chronic care is kind of intimidating. However prior to being a RN I worked with elderly patients for 5-6 years as a caregiver then an LPN. It just felt like going back to my roots. It is kind of sad leaving my specialty because I LOVE what I did, but I need a fresh start where the whole unit isn't reminding me of what I did wrong constantly. We punish ourselves enough I don't need outsiders doing it too. Maybe once my probation is over I'll go back to women's health but for now I just need to finish the last 16 months strong. 

I'm on a job hunt now, because my probation monitor is urging me to start going back into nursing again or else CA BON will suspend my RN license. I've been away of nursing profession for long, im anxious to go back. Hoping I found understanding employers out there. 

Curious_Bethy said:

I'm on a job hunt now, because my probation monitor is urging me to start going back into nursing again or else CA BON will suspend my RN license. I've been away of nursing profession for long, im anxious to go back. Hoping I found understanding employers out there. 

I wish you the best. Would recommend telling the truth with your potential employer. Employers want to see humility with people in recovery. An example of humility is not just you doing well in your recovery and you maintaining an a active recovery lifestyle and a good employment status whether in or out of nursing, BUT humility goes further. How are you helping OTHER HUMANS in recovery? This area helps you with potential employers. Why? Part of the core problem with addiction taken from any Recovery 101 textbook is SELF. Self centeredness is one of the core aspects related to addiction. So, they want to see the Opposite of that. Its great that a nurses, we are doing well in recovery. But, are "we' helping others in the same situation. Are we bringing others into recovery or mentoring or helping? Employers like to see that. It goes a long way.

I always recommend that when nurses re-enter practice and are in that first interview, yes, you want to get the point across that you are solid in recovery and it's a gigantic part of who you are now, but also be sure to talk about NON-SELF. Follow the above up with how you are helping other people in recovery (which is the perfect example of giving up SELF.) After all, this is Step 12.

Hi, does anyone have any advice on how to disclose information about discipline on license to Davita? I have a shadowing day coming up but I did not disclose during interview. I really need this job. TIA