What is it like working at a Davita outpatient dialysis center?

[nurse1045, BSN]

It says the hours are MWF 5:45am-4pm and no weekends. It's also accepting new grads and there's paid training. This sounds too good to be true.

I've heard a lot of bad things about acute inpatient dialysis (on-call, long hours, etc.). Is the outpatient setting better?

[JBMmom, MSN, NP]

I have friends that have done both inpatient and outpatient dialysis. They all enjoy it very much. Yes, the outpatient position has no nights/weekends/holidays so that's a big plus. The ones that work acute care do get paid more, though, and when they're on call they don't end up working every time. 

As a new grad it could be slightly limiting in that it's a very specific skill set and does not readily translate to other area of nursing. On the bright side, you will know all the medications that dialyze out of the system! I still have to look them up before someone leaves for treatment. 

[CN101, BSN, RN]

My experience seems to be rare, but my career as a new grad working in an outpatient DaVita clinic has sucked. Here's a little insight:

My hours are atrocious. Every Monday, I usually work 5a-7p, and come back the next day at 5am to work for 10 hours. I work 4-5x days a week. I work every other Saturday (and sometimes multiple Saturdays in a row). I DO work holidays. I worked on Memorial Day, and I'm scheduled to work on Labor Day. I will most likely be working on Thanksgiving, too. The only good thing is that we aren't open on Sundays, and I am never on-call. However, I have been called to cover a shift while I was on PTO (which I respectfully declined) and a few times before that. That's not something specific to dialysis, but it just highlights how understaffed my facility is. 

As for working nights, my facility closes at 10:30pm-11pm. I have worked that late before (if I came in at 10am). My facility doesn't offer overnights, but I know some do. I will say that the training is paid and was pretty thorough. 
Lastly, keep in mind that my experience seems to be rare. Many of the nurses here will tell you that they love working in dialysis. Good luck! 

[Jedrnurse, BSN, RN]

22 hours ago, CN101 said:

My experience seems to be rare, but my career as a new grad working in an outpatient DaVita clinic has sucked. Here's a little insight:

My hours are atrocious. Every Monday, I usually work 5a-7p, and come back the next day at 5am to work for 10 hours. I work 4-5x days a week. I work every other Saturday (and sometimes multiple Saturdays in a row). I DO work holidays. I worked on Memorial Day, and I'm scheduled to work on Labor Day. I will most likely be working on Thanksgiving, too. The only good thing is that we aren't open on Sundays, and I am never on-call. However, I have been called to cover a shift while I was on PTO (which I respectfully declined) and a few times before that. That's not something specific to dialysis, but it just highlights how understaffed my facility is. 

As for working nights, my facility closes at 10:30pm-11pm. I have worked that late before (if I came in at 10am). My facility doesn't offer overnights, but I know some do. I will say that the training is paid and was pretty thorough. 
Lastly, keep in mind that my experience seems to be rare. Many of the nurses here will tell you that they love working in dialysis. Good luck! 

It sounds as if your standard schedule goes well over 40 hours a week. Are you being paid overtime?

[CN101, BSN, RN]

16 hours ago, Jedrnurse said:

It sounds as if your standard schedule goes well over 40 hours a week. Are you being paid overtime?

I am. I believe it’s federal law that employees who work over 40 hours get paid overtime. Either way, I would rather have more time off. 

[lawandaluxnurse, ADN, BSN]

Acutes is a bear!  I work 12 to 15hrs plus 3 to 4 days a week.  We take call as well.  I could work every day of the week if I wanted too

[jmtm17, BSN]

On 7/30/2021 at 10:03 AM, nurse1045 said:

It says the hours are MWF 5:45am-4pm and no weekends. It's also accepting new grads and there's paid training. This sounds too good to be true.

I've heard a lot of bad things about acute inpatient dialysis (on-call, long hours, etc.). Is the outpatient setting better?

First nursing job is outpatient dialysis nurse. I started two months ago. No previous RN experience. In my opinion, it really depends on what your long term career goal is. I say this, but even I am not so sure about my plans yet LOL 

It’s tough at first since you would have to learn both roles: as a PCT/tech and as a nurse. The reason why they train you as a tech first is so you can jump in and help when they're short staffed and obviously know how to troubleshoot the machine as well. Yes you can depend on your techs but what if they’re also busy with their patients. Each tech has 3 to 4 patient per 4hr period or per shifts. So one RN oversee 3 techs assigned to him/her plus all of their patients.  I have observed that not all nurses help out their techs when they’re drowning with patient load or when they're behind schedule. Most of the time, patients either come in too early or later than what they’re scheduled for which affects the whole flow of your shift. Generally speaking, techs have been working there for a long time so they know pretty much everything except for giving out IVP medications and RN charting. You can depend on them, but it’s even a better feat if they can also depend on you.  

Going back to your question, once you get the hang of it... You’ll love dialysis if you like working with same group of people and patients. It’s very very very repetitive. Some would say that it is a basic skill/specialty and I respect their opinion. It isn’t the same as bedside nursing. One thing I don’t like about  it is the long hours of schedule. I start 5am and sometimes leave at 6pm when one of my patients arrived late. And I would have to wait until their treatment is done so I could finish charting. 

If you ever decide to work in dialysis, I’d say maximize your skills by helping out your techs with cannulation, you can use this skill if you plan to transfer to bedside or ER someday! You’ll also be able to train yourself to think fast when one of your patient’s vitals is unstable. Or if they're having an anxiety. Or their needle went out by accident. Lots and lots of patient interaction and you work directly with their NPS, MD, Social Worker, and Dietitian.

I am not familiar with acute settings. But I heard their pay is higher, schedule is awful since you’re on call most of the time and you handle different patients. Some say, you’re on your own in acutes, you don’t have any techs helping you out. So you do everything starting from machine setup, cannulation, up to ending their treatment. That’s why most people that I know who transitioned to acutes have had plenty of experience in outpatient dialysis. One good thing that I like about it is you get to do networking with the people you work with in the hospital. If it’s something that you would need for your future unit goal or career. 

I honestly don’t see myself working in bedside. I am aware that working there would open up more opportunities but it all just depends what our career goal is☺️ 

[integrativenurse]

On 7/30/2021 at 1:03 PM, nurse1045 said:

It says the hours are MWF 5:45am-4pm and no weekends. It's also accepting new grads and there's paid training. This sounds too good to be true.

I've heard a lot of bad things about acute inpatient dialysis (on-call, long hours, etc.). Is the outpatient setting better?

I was a STAR trainer for DaVita. Yes, we accepted new grads with no healthcare experience and people with HS diploma. And just like other folks that we trained with healthcare experience and college grads, we had successful, mediocre, and bottom of the barrel types.

Yes, it's paid training.

Classroom training was from 8am to 430pm for weeks until they get spread out to their future home clinics for training. And I fed them really well (can't speak for others though). Home clinics dictated their hours. Typically, it's every other weekend (Saturday) and while during training trainees don't work holidays. ICHD don't have on-calls.

[SmilingBluEyes]

I would not work inpatient here. The hours suck.....work 12 hours and and you are on call.....a LOT.  For example, you might work 11a to 11p. You are getting wrapped up ready to go and the nephrologist on call rings you and says you have a patient needing emergent dialysis ASAP. Well now you know your day just got extended 5 or more hours. OR, you went home and while you are on call, you get called back to treat a patient at 4am. Not for me.

I would do it otherwise. I just can't handle a schedule like that.

This is Fresenius. Can't speak for Davita.

Outpatient hours can be long; it's true. But once you are done, you are DONE. I like that a lot. No call. And no Sundays. Christmas and Thanksgiving as well as New Year off.

[SmilingBluEyes]

On 8/17/2021 at 3:38 PM, jmtm17 said:

In my opinion, it really depends on what your long term career goal is. I say this, but even I am not so sure about my plans yet LOL 

It’s tough at first since you would have to learn both roles: as a PCT/tech and as a nurse. The reason why they train you as a tech first is so you can jump in and help when they're short staffed and obviously know how to troubleshoot the machine as well. Yes you can depend on your techs but what if they’re also busy with their patients. Each tech has 3 to 4 patient per 4hr period or per shifts. So one RN oversee 3 techs assigned to him/her plus all of their patients.  I have observed that not all nurses help out their techs when they’re drowning with patient load or when they're behind schedule. Most of the time, patients either come in too early or later than what they’re scheduled for which affects the whole flow of your shift. Generally speaking, techs have been working there for a long time so they know pretty much everything except for giving out IVP medications and RN charting. You can depend on them, but it’s even a better feat if they can also depend on you.  

Going back to your question, once you get the hang of it... You’ll love dialysis if you like working with same group of people and patients. It’s very very very repetitive. Some would say that it is a basic skill/specialty and I respect their opinion. It isn’t the same as bedside nursing. One thing I don’t like about  it is the long hours of schedule. I start 5am and sometimes leave at 6pm when one of my patients arrived late. And I would have to wait until their treatment is done so I could finish charting. 

If you ever decide to work in dialysis, I’d say maximize your skills by helping out your techs with cannulation, you can use this skill if you plan to transfer to bedside or ER someday! You’ll also be able to train yourself to think fast when one of your patient’s vitals is unstable. Or if they're having an anxiety. Or their needle went out by accident. Lots and lots of patient interaction and you work directly with their NPS, MD, Social Worker, and Dietitian.

 

Well said, particularly the bold type.