new Nxstage user needs advice

[stefi]

Hi. I will start training on Monday on this unit. I am very excited  but I understand training takes 2.5 weeks. I am leaving on a trip in about 3 weeks. I do not want any setbacks, so does anyone have any tips, tricks, advice, etc that might ensure the training goes smoothly? Anything that you can tell me about the machine itself, the set-up, etc will be appreciated!
The person who is training before me is having problems and taking longer than expected...the clinic manager tried to push me back a week but I said no way!
Thank you very much

EDITED: Fixed smiley error - okarol/moderator

[Adam_W]

A big factor in training time is learning how to put your needles in. If you already know how to do that, it should take a little less time for training. As for the machine, it may seem overwhelming at first, but it won't let you make a mistake, and all the procedures are pretty straight forward and easy to learn. I hope your training goes well. You'll love the freedom NxStage gives you.

Adam

[stefi]

Thank you for your encouragement.
I have a catheter and have been putting myself on for years.
I read Epoman's description of his training and then when he switched to pureflow. that was helpful
I just don't understand why it takes some people more than 2.5 weeks to learn  if the machine is so user-friendly.
whatever

[Adam_W]

If you have a catheter and already have self-care experience, than it shouldn't take you long at all.

Adam

[silverhead]

You should get a set of manuals for the Cycler and the Pureflow unit, and probably sets of abbreviated "manuals" for them both, take them home and both people go over the steps for set-up and running of the system enough times that you know where to look in them to overcome problems that present themselves, learn that "yellow" alarms are "cautions", not something to go into a panic over, just look up the code and act on what it tells you, red alarms are more serious, but learn not to panic, most all of them can be overcome easily, I was really anxious to get out of the training after 2 weeks, but settled for the extra half week to make everyone happy, you will love having it at home.......
Tom

[cev]

I would advise, do your training and then when you come back from vacation do a "referher for a few days".  Going home after continued training is scary enough without a vacation in between.  We have been doing NxStage at home 1 1/2 years and I still find after a break (1 week or more) it takes time to get back into the grove.  Wishing you the best.

[jbeany]

I did 3 weeks, but my training nurse had to be on the clinic floor for a number of days during my training, so there were times when we weren't actively learning anything.  There is a check list that NxStage provides the training nurse, and you have to be first shown, then actually do, everything they cover before you are considered trained.  Mostly, they want to make sure that you do everything repeatedly so that it becomes routine.