TECH VS DIALYSIS RN

If I understand your question correctly, you are asking if there is a difference between a dialysis tech and a dialysis RN because you only see dialysis RN positions posted in your area?

Yes, there is a difference. A dialysis RN must be a fully licensed RN from an accredited nursing school. A dialysis tech, on the other hand, is not a nurse and does not have the authority that a nurse has in the dialysis setting. While an RN can work in a variety of healthcare settings, a dialysis tech can only work in dialysis and under the supervision of a dialysis RN.

A tech is the person who does most of the hands on work in an outpatient dialysis clinic. They bring patients into the treatment room, weigh them, set up the machines, and put the patients on their treatments, which involves either connecting the dialysis machine to a central venous catheter, usually in the patient's upper chest or groin, or inserting large bore needles into the patient's AV fistula, which is an access that a vascular surgeon creates in a patient's arm using their own blood vessels. There are also patients with AV grafts, which are similar to AV fistulas except for that they consist of a synthetic tubing placed under the patient's skin. A graft is also accessed with large bore needles. The needles are removed at the end of the treatment and the patient is monitored for bleeding and then released to go home.

A dialysis RN supervises the techs who work with his/her patients.

I just did a quick search on my company's job website (Fresenius). Here is the link:

Dialysis Nurse | Renal | Dietitian Jobs at Fresenius Medical Care

I didn't see any tech positions posted in Rhode Island right at the moment, but if you search under some other states and see the term "PCT", that is the abbreviation for a tech. There is usually a need for dialysis techs in most areas, if not with Fresenius then perhaps with Davita or a smaller, independent dialysis company. Chances are, you would be able to find a job somewhere.

Thank you so much!

Hello, on the same topic.... I am an RN. Just graduated. How does a new RN become a dialysis RN? I FIND MANY POSTINGS, ALL REQUIRING EXPERIENCE. HOW DOES ONE INITIALLY OBTAIN THE EXPERIENCE?....

As far as I researched ( I briefly thought of taking that route, depending on your state), you would have to be a registered nurse, have a minimum of 2000 hrs in a nephrology setting, then you can sit and take the CNN test and become certified for a dialysis nurse.

Where I work a new RN right out of school was hired, pretty much on the spot. Don't be discouraged; you can and may well be hired if you can interview well and try hard enough. I have seen new nurses in dialysis on several occasions. Not sure I feel it's the best thing for them (being highly specialized and may trap you into a narrow specialty early in your career), but is another topic. It can and has been done.

As far as I researched ( I briefly thought of taking that route, depending on your state), you would have to be a registered nurse, have a minimum of 2000 hrs in a nephrology setting, then you can sit and take the CNN test and become certified for a dialysis nurse.

I just want to clarify that you do not have to be a certified dialysis nurse to be a nurse who works in dialysis. That is something that you can do later after you have been a dialysis nurse for a period of time. I'm not sure if any of the dialysis nurses in our clinic or in our acutes department is a certified dialysis nurse or not, but it isn't necessary in order to secure a position in dialysis.

If you are a new nurse who wants to work in dialysis, your best bet would be to get some more generalized nursing experience first, such as working on a med/surg floor in a hospital, or a LTC facility. Dialysis companies prefer nurses who are at least a little seasoned and have developed excellent assessment and time management skills. Having taken care of renal patients in a setting outside of dialysis, such as the two examples that I gave here, is also a big plus.

I am just out of school as an RN and joined DaVita. I was surprised as well to see that they would hire without any experience. I will be happy to relay my experiences in this situation.