If helping people and relieving them from pain is something you can imagine yourself doing as a full-time career, then you should consider becoming a Dialysis Technician. Kidney disease patients with low kidney function require regular medical assistance to clean out excess fluid and waste. Patients undergoing dialysis treatment are monitored closely by these professionals. They ensure safe and secure machine usage and adjust patient fluid removal rates as required.
Take the first step in your career journey today!
What does a dialysis technician do?
Dialysis technicians’ daily responsibilities include:
- Explaining dialysis to patients
- Helping patients with their concerns and questions
- Dialysis monitoring
- Maintaining and disinfecting the machine and dialysis equipment
- Training some patients to perform their own dialysis
Scope of Work
A dialysis technician’s job is critical and life-saving. The scope of work is vast in this field. Top-tier paramedical professions include dialysis in charge, medical assistant, unit supervisor, lab assistant, and technician.
Students are able to acquire positions at health care facilities after completing this simple course. Students could also find work in dialysis centers, multispecialty hospitals, nursing homes, and clinical research companies, among other places.
How to become a dialysis technician
What are your educational options and how can you become a dialysis technician? Here are the steps:
1. Get a high school Diploma
A high school diploma is all that is required to become a dialysis technician. However, to obtain a deeper understanding of dialysis, you could seek an advanced degree in medical technology or the discipline of nephrology, which analyses the kidneys.
2. Earn your advanced diploma or a certificate
For a certificate in dialysis technician training, you must enroll in a course.
In dialysis clinics and other medical settings, the dialysis technician certificate prepares students for entry-level positions as technicians. The curriculum contains thorough coursework on the following skills essential for a Dialysis Technician career:
- How to comfort and bring patients to ease
- Dialysis machine use and maintenance
- Fluency in common medical terminology
- Sterilization and safety requirements
- Before, during, and after dialysis procedures
- Standardized methods of documentation
By completing this curriculum you won’t just acquire the skills of becoming a Dialysis Technician. You will also thoroughly understand the soft skills that make a huge difference when it comes to a patient’s experience.
3. Obtain clinical experience
Regardless of the educational curriculum you choose, you would want to gain some expertise working in a clinical setting. Internships, entry-level roles, and job shadowing are a few ways to obtain experience working with patients and dialysis equipment. Not to worry, most courses incorporate some sort of clinical experience within their curriculum.
4. Make progress in your career by continuing your education
Dialysis technicians with several years of experience as well as a higher level of education and training in acute renal dialysis care are able to grow in their careers. Many dialysis technicians advance to senior roles in kidney centers at large clinics, hospitals, and other healthcare organizations.
5. Consider becoming a member of a professional group.
Dialysis technicians and professionals can join a variety of networks and professional groups. For example, The National Association of Nephrology Technicians and Technologists (NANT) is a professional association that helps members improve their skills, competence, understanding, and application.
Embark on a journey of helping others with Blue Cliff College!
A job in the healthcare industry is one filled with gratification. Consider a job as a Dialysis Patient Care Technician if you want to make a difference in the lives of patients with chronic kidney failure and end-stage renal disease.
Blue Cliff College is a great option for students looking to kick-start their careers in this line of work. Blue Cliff College recognizes that potential students are already preoccupied with work and family obligations. We recommend that students with hectic schedules look into our hybrid Dialysis Patient Care Technician courses.
Blue Cliff College Dialysis Tech students have an option to fulfill their education requirements both on-campus and online. For people with competing priorities, having the option of both in-person and remote learning is a huge plus.
After completing 72 hours of training, graduates of our Dialysis Technician program will receive their diploma and be qualified for entry-level work in dialysis clinics and hospitals.