Dialysis Technician Job Description, Skills, and Salary
Get to know about the duties, responsibilities, qualifications, and skills requirements of a dialysis technician. Feel free to use our dialysis technician job description template to produce your own. We also provide you with information about the salary you can earn as a dialysis technician.
Who is a Dialysis Technician?
A dialysis technician is someone who has been trained to perform dialysis on patients suffering from various types of kidney disease. If a person has kidney failure or is in the early stages of the disease, dialysis may be used to perform the functions that the kidneys are no longer capable of. The kidneys’ primary function is to remove excess waste from the blood. If the kidneys are damaged, this task may be performed by a dialysis machine. A dialysis technician, in general, is the individual who operates the dialysis equipment and monitors the patient throughout the treatment.
Perhaps the most important aspect of being a dialysis technician is operating the dialysis equipment. The equipment is what enables this type of treatment to be performed. Generally, dialysis technicians are responsible for keeping equipment clean and operating efficiently. Since the machine will be used by a variety of people, the technician must ensure that it remains sterile at all times. He or she may also conduct periodic tests on the machine to ensure it is operating properly.
A dialysis technician may begin his or her workday by preparing patients for treatment. Upon check-in, the technician may meet with patients and take their blood pressure, oxygen saturation level, and temperature. This may be done to obtain a general assessment of the patient’s condition before initiating dialysis. Additionally, the technician may weigh the patient. After completing the pre-dialysis procedures, the technician may connect the patient to the necessary devices and begin administering dialysis.
A dialysis technician will closely monitor patients throughout their treatment. He or she will monitor the patient closely to ensure proper dialysis tolerance. The technician may frequently check the patient’s blood pressure and oxygen saturation levels and inquire about how the patient is feeling. He or she will also monitor the dialysis machine closely to ensure it is operating properly. Monitoring the machine is also critical in case something needs to be adjusted on the machine.
Following dialysis, the technician will typically monitor the patient for a specified period. This may be done to ensure that the treatment is not causing any adverse reactions. Additionally, the technician will typically take the patient’s vital signs once more before releasing him or her to go home. To become a dialysis technician, an individual must complete high school. Most regions will also require that he or she enroll in a dialysis certification program at an accredited institution of higher learning.
The dialysis technician also assists in the administration of dialysis treatments by monitoring the procedure and making necessary adjustments to ensure the therapy is administered safely.
Dialysis technicians work in clinics, hospitals, and other medical facilities under the supervision of supervising nurses and nephrologists (kidney doctors). They are responsible for operating and monitoring dialysis machines for patients undergoing procedures for kidney dysfunction or failure.
To work with and maintain these complex machines, dialysis technicians typically complete at least a certificate program and meet state licensing requirements. Additionally, a dialysis technician can advance their career by pursuing additional education to become an acute dialysis, renal, or hemodialysis technician, where they will work with both dialysis patients and equipment.
Dialysis technicians service, monitor, and operate the machines and equipment used by physicians to perform dialysis on patients who have acute or chronic kidney problems. A dialysis procedure cleans and removes metabolic wastes that accumulate in the blood of patients whose kidneys are not functioning properly or have failed. Dialysis technicians are medical professionals who are in charge of monitoring this equipment and the dialysis procedures.
Dialysis Technician Job Description
Below are the dialysis technician job description examples you can use to develop your resume or write a dialysis technician job description for your employee. Employers can also use it to sieve out job seekers when choosing candidates for interviews.
The duties and responsibilities of a dialysis technician include the following:
- Assembling and testing the dialysis machine before initiating treatment
- Observing patients during treatment to ensure proper application and to make necessary adjustments to the treatment
- Assisting patients emotionally during their treatment
- Collaborating with nurses and physicians during dialysis treatments
- Educating patients about proper dialysis care to aid them in achieving positive outcomes
- Ascertaining that dialysis machines operate properly before the start of treatment
- Observing patients throughout their treatment to detect signs of medical emergencies
- Adapting the treatment to ensure its continued safety
- Collaborating with nurses and physicians to ensure that each patient receives the appropriate treatment
- Enlightening patients and their families about the dialysis process
- Educating patients about additional healthcare options that will help them achieve positive dialysis results
- Preparation of patients and administration of local anesthesia
- Provide doctors with written reports on patient progress.
- Taking vital signs and monitoring patients before, during, and after dialysis treatment to ensure the treatment is administered safely.
- Providing assistance and care to patients undergoing dialysis
- Administering dialysis treatments under the direction of registered nurses and physicians
- Educating patients and informing them about the importance of receiving adequate healthcare while undergoing dialysis
Other important tasks include the following:
- Maintain consistent and effective communication.
The job of a competent dialysis technician does not end with the connection of patients to medical equipment. They form relationships with the children and adults they serve. They accomplish this through the use of questions. Additionally, a dialysis technician working in a medical center actively listens to the patients he or she is caring for.
- Recognize the unique needs of each patient.
Dialysis technicians review medical records to ascertain a patient’s needs. Technicians discuss how a patient’s response to care changes over time. If a patient requires emotional support, a skilled dialysis technician will modify her approach to assist the patient in overcoming a setback.
- Maintain accurate and detailed records.
Because patient records are kept for an extended period, it is critical to maintaining immaculate records. This is true for all medical records, including those maintained by a dialysis technician.
- Monitoring equipment
Effective dialysis technicians maintain a constant eye on medical equipment. They keep track of alarms, room temperature, and vital sign instruments, among other things. If adjustments to the equipment are required, a skilled technician will know how to make them.
- Dispose of medical supplies safely.
Proper medical supply disposal contributes to the safety of medical facilities. Additionally, it contributes to the protection of the environment. Top technicians properly dispose of used and unused supplies. Additionally, they act ethically and with care when handling supplies.
- Maintain current skills, knowledge, and industry trends.
Policies and regulations affecting the healthcare industry are constantly changing, which is why skilled dialysis technicians must continue their education. They must read medical reports and stay current on healthcare procedures. Additionally, competent technicians ask qualified educators questions and seek ways to improve their technical abilities.
Qualifications
Education
To be eligible for a career as a dialysis technician, you must have completed your high school education or earned an equivalent diploma, such as a GED. A supplementary training course is required following high school. Additionally, applicants may pursue a higher education degree in nephrology or medical technology to gain a better understanding of the dialysis process.
Training
A dialysis technician can receive training in a variety of ways. The recommended path for aspiring dialysis technicians is to enroll in an accredited dialysis technology program. Applicants hired without having completed a prior training program may be required to learn on the job or maybe offered the opportunity to enroll in a program with the institute’s financial assistance.
Certifications
State certification is required of dialysis technicians. Additionally, a technician may pursue additional specialty certifications to demonstrate superior knowledge in a particular area of dialysis treatment. Several certification options include the following:
- Hemodialysis Technologist
This advanced certification in hemodialysis is offered by the Board of Nephrology Examiners Nursing Technology (BONENT). The exam is three hours long and consists of 150 multiple choice questions covering patient care, infection control, water treatment, machine technology, and education and professional development.
- Certified Clinical Hemodialysis Technician (CCHT)
This certification is offered by the National Association of Nephrology Technicians/Technologists (NANT) and is open to dialysis technicians who have completed a training program. It consists of 150 multiple-choice questions administered over three hours. It assesses a technician’s medical knowledge, comprehension, and application of knowledge in a real-world situation. Four categories of questions are included: clinical, technical, environmental, and role responsibilities.
Essential Skills
- Detail-oriented
Medical positions require an acute eye for detail and the ability to spot potentially life-threatening errors. Dialysis treatment requires technicians to adhere to a set of specific procedures. They make adjustments in response to their observations of physical changes in the patient and their supervisor’s directions.
- Multitasking
Throughout treatment, a dialysis technician monitors a variety of factors, including the patient’s health and the dialysis machine’s operation. Additionally, they must be aware of other responsibilities that require their attention, such as writing reports and communicating with staff and family members of the patient.
- Teamwork
A dialysis technician is a member of a larger team of medical professionals. Each member of this group must collaborate effectively and efficiently to provide the best possible medical care to each dialysis patient.
- Compassion
Working with those who are ill necessitates the development of significant empathy skills. Dialysis technicians are in close contact with patients during often trying times and must establish rapport, reassure them, and respond to their needs in a caring manner.
- Communication
Dialysis technicians must have exceptional communication skills. They will walk patients through the process before treatment and must clearly explain how it works. Additionally, they must communicate with the patient during treatment and be able to thoroughly answer patient questions.
Communication between dialysis technicians and other medical staff is also critical for reporting on the patient’s progress and current physical condition, both verbally and in written reports.
How to Become a Dialysis Technician
- Earn a certificate or an associate’s degree first.
You must enroll in a program that provides a certificate of completion in nephrology and hemodialysis studies. Typically, it takes between 12 and 18 months to complete a certificate program for dialysis technicians, depending on the program. If you are considering a career in renal nursing, hemodialysis, or another similar specialty, an associate’s degree program with a greater emphasis on hemodialysis procedures is a more practical starting point than a certificate program in case you wish to pursue further education afterward.
- Acquire clinical experience
Whichever educational program you choose, you’ll need to gain clinical experience. Internships, entry-level positions, and job shadowing are all excellent ways to gain experience working with patients and dialysis equipment while also increasing your understanding of the clinical applications of dialysis.
- Obtain a state-issued work permit.
While all states require dialysis technicians to obtain a license to practice, these requirements vary by state. Certain states require dialysis technicians to be certified by the Board of Nephrology Examiners for Nursing and Technology (BONENT), which issues the Certified Hemodialysis Technician (CHT) credential. Other states accept the Certified Clinical Hemodialysis Technician (CCHT) credential, which is awarded to technicians who pass a certification exam administered by the Nephrology Nursing Certification Commission (NNCC).
- Continue your education to advance your career
Dialysis technicians with several years of experience in their field and additional education and training, such as acute renal dialysis education, have opportunities to advance throughout their careers. Numerous dialysis technicians advance to leadership positions in large clinics, hospitals, and other healthcare facilities with kidney centers. Additionally, dialysis technicians with associate’s degrees frequently pursue bachelor’s degrees in nursing and find opportunities for advancement in renal and hemodialysis nursing.
- Consider becoming a member of a professional association.
There are numerous dialysis technician and medical professional networks and professional organizations. For example, the National Association of Nephrology Technicians and Technologists (NANT) provides opportunities for members to advance their skills, expertise, and knowledge of hemodialysis and its applications. Similarly, the American Nephrology Nurses Association (ANNA) is another professional organization for dialysis nurses that offers opportunities for continuing education and training, career development, networking, and grant and scholarship opportunities.
Where to Work as a Dialysis Technician
Dialysis Technicians work in hospitals, clinics, and dialysis centers.
Dialysis Technician Salary Scale
In the United States, the national average salary for a Dialysis Technician is $59,580 per year.