Careers in Acute Dialysis Nursing
Acute Dialysis - What It Is
When a patient's kidneys cease to function, this loss of function carries impurities throughout the blood stream, often causing uremic poisoning, the use of a dialyzer becomes necessary to maintain purity of the patient's blood. A dialyzer basically filters out these impurities and restores healthy blood to the body. This process is known as "dialysis". There are two common types of dialysis: hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis, although newer medical treatments are advancing.
Acute Dialysis Nursing Careers
Acute dialysis patients require dialysis treatment two or more times a week. Acute dialysis nurses should be well educated in the details of the function of dialysis equipment as well as patient care of the dialysis "shunt" that allows for regular dialysis treatment. Since the shunt is surgically implanted in the lower arm for males and upper arm for females, this area must be constantly checked for proper blood pressure, and that no infection has developed at this site as well as insuring that the shunt remains intact. The same is true of the dialysis equipment during the dialysis procedure. If the equipment experiences minor malfunctions during acute dialysis care, the patient's blood pressure is seriously affected. Generally, the acute dialysis procedure can take up to four hours, depending on the patient.
Career Outlook for Acute Dialysis
A registered nursing degree is required for acute dialysis where there is direct patient care involved. There may also be experience required in cardio pulmonary resusitation (CPR) and intravenous (IV), depending on the specific duties of the position, interface with dialysis equipment, medical reporting and patient dietary education. For dialysis equipment technicians, certification is also required and in some states, licensing as well. In most cases, acute dialysis careers continue to grow in large hospitals where renal dialysis facilities are located. Acute dialysis treatment can be found in designated centers where dialysis "chairs" are available either located in a hospital, as a hospital annex or as a separate facility.
Finding Jobs in Acute Dialysis
Jobs in acute dialysis whether in dialysis nursing or as an equipment technician can be found in most classifieds in newspapers, on internet job sites. The salaries vary from state to state and is largely dependent on education and experience. Although, entry level jobs are not as plentiful as those for experienced job seekers, many areas will consider the entry level job applicant if need is immediate.
