What kind of training, experience, or education is needed to become a tech?

[qwerty]

I've been a dialysis nurse for near 1 year and my training was done by the unit LPN and PCT's. Of course I'm with a Davita clinic (on my way out the door to be honest soon as I locate that new dream job lol).  I was sent for 4 days along with PCT's for dialysis training in a classroom setting at a hotel. I'm the only RN so no RN to teach the things I needed to know there. Fortunately I have over 20 years Critical care experience to back me up and get told everytime I send a pt out to the ER, "it's just hypotension". Thing is every pt I have sent out has been admitted and in the ICU. Last one had encephalopathy due to his aluminium levels. We dont even keep a defib or a cardiac monitor any more as "the company doesnt want the liability". I've had a pt drop in the waiting room post treatment waiting for transportation that my FA says "it's hypotension". She was in rapid atrial fib, yep it was hypotension but not from treatment lol. I have yet to call the MD for an order for antibiotics or other medication adjustments as the FA tells me just write it and give it as "he'll yell at you for calling him for something simply like that".  We just hired 2 new pct's and none are certified in anything but a HS diploma. Yet pct's push the heparin although it's against our state practice act. I'm lucky to be told if a pt drops his/her b/p or other symptoms until it's very symptomatic. Oh I'm the only RN and Charge nurse every time I'm there. Sometimes I have an LPN but she's been there so long I'm told by her most of the time when I question something "this is the way we've always done it". States do need to have certification requirements and test these people out. I've also heard techs tell pts to "shut up" when they argue with them and this I just cant tolerate yet the FA looks the other way. I also found out it's pretty much the only place she's (the FA, LPN and most of the PCT's) has every worked (same facility) for 20 years or more. Difficulty to suggest change to bad habits without support. No wonder they cant keep RN's. Are all davita's this way?

[kruep]

As a former DaVita nurse, notice I said former, yup pretty much all DaVita's are alike. 
I have 16 years + of renal and after DaVita bought Gambro I hong on for 3 years and that was all I could do.
Their upper management is a shame.  They delegate everything down as far as they can to folks who have no
idea what they are doing then scream when it is wrong.  Every good nurse they get they run off.  If you are willing
to work your butt off and try to do the right thing and you care about your patients then DaVita is not the place for
you to work.  I was managing 5 home hemo units for them and working between 50-70 hours a week plus so much travel
that I never knew what time zone I was in and I am making more money now working 3 12hour shifts a week at a hospital
in Atlanta than I was for them, and I am just a float nurse.  Something is wrong with this picture.
Guess what, at the hospital I am appreciated by my employer!!!!
kruep (Kristi)

[sharker1121]

I work at FMC and I am a CHT(Certified Hemodialysis Tech). FMC only requires that you have a diploma. We do have to take a test every year in order to keep our jobs. We are evaluated once a year on our performance as well.  But we were told last week (By our education department) that the state is passing that all techs have to be certified no matter what company you work for.  The nice thing about our company is that if you take the test before it is required they give you a 5% pay increase and reimburse you for your test.

[flip]

My center has only employed one tech in the year I have been there. She failed miserably and is no longer there. Our staff now is mostly RN's with a few LPN's.

[twirl]

two of our techs were home schooled
which is not a bad thing
but they had to take medical classes in reading and math at a local junior college
one could not make the grade and had  to drop out

[lola]

In MN you have to be licensed by the State, I am going in the AM to interview at a center as I feel thanks to Otto and all of you I can make a great tech and know how to be gentle with the needles.

[twirl]

how did the interview go

[G-Ma]

hope you heard good news from the interview lola.

[lola]

Interview went great until they said I would have to work every other Sat, in phone interview they said M-W-F so I had to turn down the job Otto is on-call Saturdays and with 3 young kids it wouldn't go. OH Well now I will keep driving the school bus

[flip]

That's the way it is here. The nurses have to work every other Saturday since the center is open 6 days a week.

[twirl]

Lola I really thought you were 98, remember when you were going to kick butt and I thought WOW and at her age.
where I go is Davita and down the road is another Davita that is only opened on MWF, I started to change to there but I had to be put on at 5am and there is no eating or drinking. Some of our techs only work MWF or TTS but the we have a big turn over with workers.

[Hawkeye]

I haven't seen the new regulations that are being put out by the government yet myself but I have been told there are lots of changes coming for the dialysis world.  The rules are getting stricter and a lot of clinics are going to struggle with them.  One good thing that I was told is that all existing PCTs will have to be licensed by 2010 and all new ones will have to come in with one already.  That will give them a year to convert and make the people providing the care more responsible for their own actions.

[Joe Paul]

I haven't seen the new regulations that are being put out by the government yet myself but I have been told there are lots of changes coming for the dialysis world.  The rules are getting stricter and a lot of clinics are going to struggle with them.  One good thing that I was told is that all existing PCTs will have to be licensed by 2010 and all new ones will have to come in with one already.  That will give them a year to convert and make the people providing the care more responsible for their own actions.

That sounds great!! No more on the job training, with us Patients being the learning tool.

[OhioTech8Years]

in ohio, you have been required to be licensed for over ten years now. we go through an education program, one year of "temporary" license, and we must take and pass an extensive test at the end of our first year to obtain a license from the Ohio Board of Nursing, which we must then maintain with Continuing Education Credits every year. Trust me guys, all of us techs are not horrible! :-)

[Des]

Thanks for the info...

I told you in the intro we know all techs  is not horrible........ SO glad your on the forum. Please don't take it personally.......

How has your latest training gone? In your intro you mentioned something in that line?   

[OhioTech8Years]

I really enjoy this site, and no, I don't take anything personally! believe me, i have worked with some compassionless techs and nurses in my time, and it really irritates me to see patients treated badly. my favorite part of my job is my patients. There is no need for any dialysis worker anywhere to be rude or disrepectful to a patient. I always try to cheer my patients up, because I know it must be horrible to sit in that chair for four hours at a stretch. I can't wait to be a dialysis nurse! i plan on travelling after i graduate so maybe I'll see some of you in the near future!   

[needlephobic]

Nurses and techs and Doctors need a class on how to become a people person not a rude snobbie person who knows it all  and the people on dialysis are just stupid so take your pain and meds and be good don't ask me questions cause i get fustraded and can't answer them with out being rude to you that is a nurse i have to deal with everytime i go in. its so bad i have considered not going in for treatments 

[Genlando]

There's an RN that just started working at my center a couple of weeks ago.  She's technically competent, but is meaner than a snake.  I finally got sick of her, and waited for the Neph, Nutritionist and Center Director to come through.  I then opened up a dialog with the hateful nurse.  As usual, she was hostile, which raised the ire of the center director.  I then proceeded to relate to them my discontent with the RN.  I told them that it was unacceptable for my insurance to be paying out buckets of money, and then get treated like crap by employees of the center.  I let them all know that I already grabbed the contact information for the CEO of Fresenius, and was ready to write a poison-pen letter. 

The center director and the nurse disappeared for about 20 minutes; when she came back, she had a new attitude.  Problem solved!

[needlephobic]

wish it was that easy for me at my unit no they told me she is not going anywhere cause she is the best of the best at what she does. I know other nurses there that could do her job in a min. was told I will tell her to be nice. Ok that means go ahead and be rude again we don't care your the best of the best. was told by the ass manager he has seen her be down right rude to the pac but nothing was done I am at the point of going over everybody's head to get something done and I have skipped treatments cause i know she is in charge and know other boss would be there like it would help if they was if i could get away with it i would do this     

[Constantcrave40]

Some in my unit have worked in er, nursing homes, some have never worked in health care.they train the techs on the job!