- Earn your certificate or associate’s degree. …
- Gain clinical work experience. …
- Obtain your state license to work. …
- Continue your education to advance your career. …
- Consider joining a professional organization.
4 things I wish I knew before becoming a dialysis technician
What does a dialysis technician do?
When treating patients with acute or chronic kidney problems, doctors use machines and equipment that dialysis technicians maintain, watch over, and operate. A machine cleans and removes metabolic wastes that accumulate in the blood of patients whose kidneys are not functioning properly or who have experienced kidney failure during a dialysis procedure. The medical professionals in charge of monitoring this equipment and the dialysis procedures are the dialysis technicians. A dialysis technician’s daily duties will also involve the following:
What is a dialysis technician?
In clinics, hospitals, and other medical facilities, dialysis technicians work under the supervision of supervising nurses and nephrologists (kidney doctors), operating and monitoring dialysis machines for patients undergoing procedures for kidney dysfunction or kidney failure.
To work with and maintain these complicated machines, dialysis technicians typically complete at least a certificate program and state licensing requirements. Furthering their education to become an acute, renal, or hemodialysis technician, where they will work with both dialysis patients and equipment, is another way for a dialysis technician to advance in their career.
Dialysis technician average salary
You’ll need your high school diploma or the equivalent to start a career as a dialysis technician. The steps that will show you how to become a dialysis technician and your available educational options are as follows:
1. Earn your certificate or associates degree
You must enrol in a course of study leading to at least a certificate in nephrology and hemodialysis studies. Depending on the program, a certificate program for dialysis technicians can typically be finished in 12 to 18 months. An associates degree program that focuses more closely on hemodialysis procedures is a more useful starting point than a certificate program if you are thinking about pursuing a career in renal nursing, hemodialysis, or another related specialty in case you want to pursue higher education later.
2. Gain clinical work experience
You must gain experience working in a clinical setting regardless of the type of educational program you choose to enroll in. Work experience with patients and dialysis equipment, as well as knowledge of clinical applications of dialysis, can all be developed through internships, entry-level positions, and job shadowing.
3. Obtain your state license to work
While getting a license to work is mandatory for dialysis technicians in every state, these requirements can vary. The Board of Nephrology Examiners Nursing and Technology (BONENT), which grants the Certified Hemodialysis Technician (CHT) credential, certifies dialysis technicians in some states. The Certified Clinical Hemodialysis Technician (CCHT) credential, which the Nephrology Nursing Certification Commission (NNCC) awards to technicians after they pass a certification exam, is accepted by other states as proof of licensure.
4. Continue your education to advance your career
Acute renal dialysis training, for example, provides opportunities for dialysis technicians who have worked in their field for a number of years to advance in their careers. Many dialysis technicians progress to management positions in large clinics, hospitals, and other healthcare facilities’ kidney centers. Additionally, dialysis technicians with associates degrees are frequently able to pursue a bachelor’s degree in nursing and find opportunities for advancement in hemodialysis and renal nursing.
5. Consider joining a professional organization
Dialysis technicians and medical professionals can join a variety of networks and organizations. The National Association of Nephrology Technicians and Technologists (NANT), for instance, is one of these groups that offers members chances to advance their abilities, knowledge, and understanding of hemodialysis and applications. Another professional organization for dialysis nurses is the American Nephrology Nurses Association (ANNA), which offers opportunities for networking, career development, continuing education, and access to grants and scholarships.
Frequently asked questions about becoming a dialysis technician
Additional information on what it takes to become a dialysis technician can be gained from the following frequently asked questions:
How long does it take to become a dialysis technician?
A certification program for dialysis technicians can be completed in as little as 12 months, while an associate’s degree program can take up to two years to complete. Depending on the requirements of your state, you will additionally need to complete continuing education courses to renew your certification every two to four years.
What skills do dialysis technicians need?
Dialysis technicians must first and foremost have a firm grasp of the hemodialysis principles and practices they learn during their education. Additional hard skills necessary for the job include written communication, mathematics, patient care methods, and equipment monitoring. In a similar vein, dialysis technicians interact with a wide range of patients over the course of their careers and must possess strong communication abilities in addition to empathy and interpersonal skills. Success as a dialysis technician also requires having a high level of organization, focus, and critical thinking.
What is the work environment like?
Dialysis technicians work wherever patients receive kidney dialysis treatments. These medical professionals typically work in hospitals and dialysis facilities, though many technicians also work in smaller healthcare facilities, clinics, and even nursing homes.
Dialysis technicians frequently collect blood and urine samples from patients on the job, necessitating knowledge of the applications and safety precautions for reducing the risk of blood-borne illnesses. Additionally, this job may require long shifts of up to 12 hours, and many dialysis technicians will be required to stand for the duration of their shifts.
How can dialysis technicians advance their careers?
Those who have only completed a certification program for dialysis technicians have the option of continuing their education to earn an associate’s degree in the discipline. Advancement into leadership and management positions is possible for technicians who have been in their careers for more than five years and have extensive training and experience. Getting your nursing degree and working as a nephrology nurse is another excellent path for dialysis technicians to take in order to advance their careers.
FAQ
Is being a dialysis tech hard?
It is a physically demanding job, but it is also very fulfilling and rewarding.
What is the top pay for dialysis technician?
Yes, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there will be an 11% increase in demand for dialysis technicians over the next ten years. The estimated growth rate for this field is much higher than that for other occupations, so the already high demand for dialysis technicians will only grow.
Is it worth becoming a dialysis tech?
Medical professionals with training in operating a dialysis machine are known as “dialysis technicians.” Their main responsibilities involve keeping an eye on dialysis patients, ensuring machine usage is secure and safe, and modifying patient fluid removal rates as necessary.
What exactly does a dialysis technician do?
Medical professionals with training in operating a dialysis machine are known as “dialysis technicians.” Their main responsibilities involve keeping an eye on dialysis patients, ensuring machine usage is secure and safe, and modifying patient fluid removal rates as necessary.
