Learning Dialysis

[brandnewrn]

I am a brand new RN graduate and would like to specialize in dialysis. Does anyone know if you can get trained in dialysis right out of school? If so, any suggestion on how I would go about contacting someone to do so. I've been searching the internet, but haven't been able to find anything really.

[TracyR]

Check with the dialysis clinics in your area. Also check with all the renal doctors, they can point you in the right direction.

[oh hd rn]

you CAN get trained in dialysis right out of school...

do you want to do acute care dialysis in hospitals or chronic care dialysis in a community clinic?

both have their good points and bad points...

i have done both and i prefer acute care dialysis in hospitals (i know WanderingRN will respectfully disagree with me!)

acute care: 2 patients at a time, but they are REALLY sick, alot of DKAs, hyperkalemics, and fluid overloads/pulmunary edemas... or the occassional acute renal failure from drug toxicity... you may get the more stable "chronic" pts that cant be run in a community clinic such as the diabetic bilat AKAs... you only have to worry about meds/orders for your 2 patients, and you may very well have a tech turning over your machines or holding sites... and the systems are disposable... no reuse of kidneys... but you'll have more puke, bedpans, and code blues...

chronic care: being an RN, you'll probably be in charge while you draw up meds for 12-25 patients per shift, check orders/chart for 12-25 patients per shift, carry a patient load of 4-7 patients per shift plus respond to everyone else's emergency, you'll turn over your own machines, mix bicarb and disinfect the loop, if the patient doesn't hold his own sites you'll probably use clamps, kidneys are typically "reuse", but the patients are typically more stable... but that is made up for by "staffing issues..."

did i forget anything WanderingRN?

[kafo]

I'm an "old" OB nurse of 20yrs, just switched nursing careers to dialysis 3 mo ago and loving it. I'm seeking some good references or resources to help me along. I feel very technical at this time, I need sone good resources to help me focus more on what is truely behind the treatment. Thanks