Tech Certification....what's everybody else doing

Lacie, BSN, RN · Jan 26, 2009

My company hasnt done anything in preparation for this at all. In fact I've only gotten heck from my pct's that the RN's arent required to take the same test lol. Most pct's are telling me at this point if they have to pay for it they are done with it. I think many clinics are going to let this slip up on them then try to cram to get it done.

CocoaGirl · Jan 30, 2009

I totally agree with Lacie, I work with a few very good techs who honestly feel in 2010 they will not be working in dialysis. There is so much anxiety among the techs, and to top it off they have to pay for their test out of pocket & were told they will only be reimbursed if they pass. Sadly, FMC has policies that are not consistent with KDOQI guidelines and it is causing much confusion for the ones who are trying to study for the exam. On a side note FMC used to give a 5% salary increase to employees who were certified by BONNET etc, but as soon as the new ruling came out that policy quickly changed.

Lacie, BSN, RN · Jan 30, 2009

One of my PCt'S is 63y/o and the best tech I have. She's like why waste her time. It's only going to put her into early retirement.

workingmomRN · Feb 2, 2009

I live in NC, and the PCT certification has become a state requirement. Our present PCT's have 24 months to get certified, but new hires only get 18 months to get it. Our company has started offering classes to review HD material.

I do think that it will only be a matter of time before it will affect the nurses as well.

kmcourt66 · Feb 6, 2009

I work in Mass. All of out tech's just took the exam (16 of them) and all but 2 passed. They said it was all patient care oriented. No calculations and such. The book they were studying out of was terrible. They said all the information they studied was not on the exam. All our nurses helped them out and kept up their moral. We are proud of them. But they all thought they would fail and be looking for new jobs next year. Encourage them and reiterate to them how great they are and go over some technical terms with them. they do their job everyday well but don't know the terms to describe what they are doing. Good luck to all your tech's!

workingmomRN · Feb 7, 2009

I wonder what the purpose is in requiring certification for the PCT's. It's not like they are getting highly paid, and the exams are expensive.

3rdcareerRN · Feb 11, 2009

I wonder what the purpose is in requiring certification for the PCT's. It's not like they are getting highly paid, and the exams are expensive.

Well, the Conditions Of Coverage spell out the purpose, I think:

"The dialysis facility's staff must have the ability to demonstrate and sustain the

skills needed to perform the specific duties of their positions."

The reason other industries have had certification or licenses imposed include:

- an industry history of hiring unqualified personnel

- uneven training provided by various employers in the industry

- having certification tests as a baseline of career knowledge

- weeding out those who cannot/don't want to "sustain the skills needed"

- increasing customer confidence in quality of services

To me, it would be worth $50 per year to have a stable career ($200/exam for BONET certification, lasting 4 years). Is it really that unreasonable to everyone else?

chatty-rn · Feb 17, 2009

I work in Mass. All of out tech's just took the exam (16 of them) and all but 2 passed. They said it was all patient care oriented. No calculations and such. The book they were studying out of was terrible. They said all the information they studied was not on the exam. All our nurses helped them out and kept up their moral. We are proud of them. But they all thought they would fail and be looking for new jobs next year. Encourage them and reiterate to them how great they are and go over some technical terms with them. they do their job everyday well but don't know the terms to describe what they are doing. Good luck to all your tech's!

Hi, which exam did they take? I see that there are at least 2 versions. Also, do your techs run pts? We have techs that set up machines, do blood pressures, stock and occaisonally hold sites. We are having them take the test, but I don't know how they will do because we don't use them in that capacity. We do have two techs that run pts, one came to us certified and one just passed her exam through ANNA.

workingmomRN · Feb 20, 2009

$50 per year for a stable career is not a large amount when broken down per year. The problem some of our PCT's are having is coming up with the total amount to pay to take the exam. They will get reimbursed for the exam fee, but not until they pass it first.

Lacie, BSN, RN · Feb 20, 2009

Put it this way. Do we as nurses get our initial boards or all ceu's paid to maintain our license? Hmm what about specialty certifications? Should we expect less of those who reportedly specialize?

rondafan · Feb 20, 2009

My clinic paid for a prep course at the local hospital for around 30 techs. They let them payroll deduct the cost of the test @ $20 a check & reimbursed all that passed. All took it last month & passed except 2. The ones that passed are gonna get together & prep the others that haven't taken it yet.