Dialysis Technician – helping patients that have kidney problems

There is an ever-growing population of patients that need dialysis. The dialysis technician is the one that helps the patients in setting up and getting their dialysis treatments. They also monitor the patients vital signs while they are undergoing treatment which usually lasts ~ 4-5 hours. They have constant communication with the nurses and the doctor and report any discrepancies and abnormalities when noted. They also maintain and clean the dialysis machines in between patients. These are some but not all of the duties of a Dialysis Technician.

There are a lot of people nowadays that have problems with their kidneys. A majority of them will be diagnosed to have ESRD (end stage renal disease). If your kidneys are not functioning at 100%, there will be a chance that the doctor will prescribe you to be on dialysis. Dialysis is the process in which the patient’s blood is pumped through a machine where it is filtered and removed of its waste products and excess fluids. It is then pumped back to the patient. One of the health care professionals that help in setting and hooking the patients in the machine is the Dialysis Technician. Dialysis nurses and Doctors are also part of the Dialysis Team.

Being a dialysis technician, you need to know on how to operate the machines and also be able to check patient’s vital signs and have the knowledge on how our kidneys work and be able to explain to the patient on how the dialysis machine is able to help them remove excess waste from their body.

Below are some duties of a dialysis technician. There are more but it usually depends on where you work and your employer.

1. Sets up the dialysis machine.
2. Checks the patient’s chart and vital signs prior to treatment.
3. Properly drape and position the patient for the treatment.
4. Hook the patient up on the machine.
5. Monitors patient’s vital signs during the treatment.
6. Unhook the patient from the machine.
7. Document the treatment on the patient’s chart.
8. Aftercare and cleans the machine to get ready for the next patient.

Dialysis Technician Salary

If you are planning to be a dialysis technician, one of the things that you might be checking is their salary information. Dialysis technician salary will depend on different factors like the location where you are working and job experience. Nationally, the median average of the dialysis tech is $33,000 annually. It can go up as high as $40,000 on certain states and with experience. This can be a good starting number when you are trying to get a new job and negotiating your salary.

Dialysis Technician Programs

To get certified as a dialysis technician, you need to take the certification test given out by BONENT (Board of Nephrology Examiners Nursing and Technology). They also have a list of the approved dialysis technician programs offered by different schools and training centers around the country. There are 2 options that you can do so as to be eligible to get the BONENT certification test. One is to enroll on one of their approved programs and the other one is to get experience and start off as a patient care technician and working in a Renal or Dialysis facility for at least a year.

Once you get your certification, you will then be called as certified hemodialysis technician and will be getting employers lining up to interview you. Being a Dialysis Technician is a good and rewarding job and you can always use it as a stepping stone to a different medical career in the future.