How to Become a Dialysis Nurse - Assignment Example

15th July Professional growth Introduction Within the health sector, the roles of dialysis nurses cannot be overlooked based on the health challenges that are emerging in the modern society. The major responsibility of a dialysis nurse is to administer treatment to the patients who have kidney diseases. Most notably, they embark on removing excess water and toxins. Once the kidney fails, the toxins that build up in the body must be eliminated in a regular manner. Additionally, there is an alteration in the balance between the electrolytes and fluid found in the body. This implies that dialysis, which imitates the primary of a kidney and is a life shaving process must be conducted. Dialysis nurses must acquire adequate skills in order to perform their duties. Once an individual passes the state licensing examination for nursing and is a registered nurse, he or she is in a position to become a dialysis nurse. This paper aims at educating my audience on the various developments and aspects of dialysis nurses including their duties among other areas as well as explaining the reasons why such development is important to the world out side my major. Job responsibilities As indicated earlier, a dialyses nurse main duty is to remove the toxins and excess water that accumulates whenever a kidney fails. Based on the importance of their duties, dialyses nurses can work in a physician office, in a dialysis clinic or even in a dialyses department of a health centre. It is the role of the nurses to administer a dialysis treatment to the patients, a process that entails fluid injection that emulates the function of a kidney. Another key role of the dialysis nurse is to run a hemodialysis machine. The role of the hemodialysis machine is to extract blood from the sick person, cleaning it and then returning it into the body (Lorry 7). During that process, the dialysis nurse monitors the signs given by the patients, communicates with the patients as well as evaluating the effectiveness of the process. Additionally, the dialysis nurse should ensure that the area where the dialysis procedure is being undertaken is clean. In this way, the infections that may occur during the process are avoided. In order to ensure that the patients are psychologically fit during the dialysis process, the nurses remains sympathetic with the patients, cares for them, appears positive to them as well as staying responsible. Dialysis nurses should also ensure that the patients are given the correct medication as indicated by the doctors. In addition, the nurse should review the patient’s reactions to the treatment as well as home medications and inform the doctor about the patient’s condition on a regular basis. Education and skills requirements In order for an individual to become a dialysis nurse, he or she should complete a Bachelor of Science in Nursing or an Associate of Science in Nursing. Apart from being a registered nurse (RN), one should pass the state licensing exam in order to become a dialysis nurse (Chin 19). By undertaking an exam that is referred to as the National Council Licensure Examination - Registered Nurse, the students are evaluated on how well they will undertake their duties in future as well as their level of knowledge on the dialysis process. In order to ensure that they are reliable and competent in their jobs, most dialysis nurses are required to have 2 years experience before they are hired. Registered nurses who want to become certified dialysis nurses must undertake a certification program that is offered by the Nephrology Nursing Certification Commission (DeWit 17). Key qualifications that a registered nurse must meet in order to be certified includes 2 years experience in a hospital or any other health providing centre, 15 hours of regular education credit which must always be renewed once in three years and 2,000 hours working in a dialysis process. Apart from the education requirements that RNs should have in order to become dialysis nurses, they should have high level of compassion in order to motivate the patients to take the medications given. Additionally, they should be team players since they are needed to associate well with other nurses and doctors in other departments. Based on the long working hours that the nurses engages in while attending very sick patients, it is vital for them to have good self-management skills (Veronica 16) . In this way, they will ensure that all their tasks are undertaken within the specified time frame. Based on the situation that the dialysis nurses work in, they possess good self-care and undertake regular exercises in order to relax an aspect that makes them to have higher level of concentration during their duties. In most cases, dialysis patients are experience chronic conditions such as high blood pressure, diabetes and heart diseases. This implies that a dialysis nurse must have strong analytical skills and be attentive to details in order to effectively manage various conditions at the same time. Career outlook As indicated by US Bureau of Labor Statistics, between 2010 and 2020, the number of registered nurses is expected to increase by more than 25% globally (US Bureau of Labor Statistics 23). Based on the high demand for dialysis nurses in health care services, hospitals and in the physician’s offices, universities and colleges across the world have embarked on extensive training program for nurses. To ensure motivated dialysis nurses are motivated, they are eligible to be promoted to position of transplant coordinator, nurse manager or an organ recovery coordinator. US Bureau of Labor Statistics indicates that dialysis nurses earn an annual median income of between $71,798. Importance dialysis nursing to the world outside my major In the contemporary world, health issues have become a great concern in the developed and third world countries. Based on the poor eating habits for example in poor countries, cases of diabetes among other sicknesses which result to kidney failure have been increasing. The developments in the dialysis nursing have thus been of great importance within the nursing sector as well as in other areas. To the world that is outside my major, dialysis nursing has brought hope and confidence in life. Dialysis nurses are extensively trained to ensure that patients get the best treatment. Apart from the Bachelor Degree in Nursing that the dialysis nurses have, they undertake continuing medical education credit on an annual basis to ensure that they become proficient and skilled in their duties. This implies that individuals who are not in the filed of nursing whether sick or not should have confidence that kidney failures are currently addressed by professionals who treats their patients as their friends. Just like other careers such as accounting, engineering, lecturing, and information technology that offer high remuneration, dialysis nursing provides competitive remuneration and flexible benefits. This implies that old and young parents who are not in the filed of nursing can advice their high school going children to pursue a Bachelor of Nursing and have an opportunity to become a dialysis nursing. Strategies being undertaken by the hospitals in training dialysis nursing is an indication that health departments and the governments are focused at maintain a health population that will be productive in other areas such as agriculture and teaching among others. Contrary to some people who view nurses as authoritative, the compassion, good communication skills, empathy and care that dialysis nurses possess is an indication to the outside world that nurses are friends to the society who will ensure that their patients participate in the healing process (Philip and Beatrice 36). Additionally, dialysis nursing monitors the medications that their patients take thus ensuring that even if an individual is in another field or career which makes him or her not to understand the contents of the medications, no life is lost due to taking bad medications. Conclusion Nurses must acquire extensive training before being involved in a dialysis that entails removing excess water and toxins from kidneys. Based on their wide range of responsibilities, dialysis nursing must first undertake a Bachelors of Science in nursing in order to ensure that they gain basic skills in nursing. Once they become dialysis nurses, they should act professionally including communicating properly with the patients. Based on the above discussion, it is clear that as a dialysis nurses, we care and value patients regardless whether they know the language used by doctors and nurses or not. This is indicated by ensuring that patients with kidney failure take the specified medications, which is the responsible of a dialysis nurse. Works Cited Veronica, H. How to Become a Dialysis Nurse. Available from http://www.innerbody.com/careers-in-health/how-to-become-a-dialysis-nurse.html Retrieved July 15, 2014. Lorry, S. What do Dialysis Nurses do? Available from http://www.bestnursingdegree.com/expert-advice/dialysis-nurses/ Retrieved July 15, 2014. DeWit, S. Fundamental Concepts And Skills for Nursing. Missouri: Saunders Elsevier, 2009. Print. Chin, L. Integrated theory and knowledge development in nursing. St. Louis, MO: Mosby, 2008. Print. Philip, A and Beatrice J. American Nursing: A History. New York: Macmillan Publishers. US Bureau of Labor Statistics (2014). Available from http://www.bls.gov/ Read More