How to become A Dialysis Technician

• Hemodialysis Technician
• Nephrology Clinical Technician
• Dialysis Assistant
• Patient Care Technicians

What do Dialysis Technicians do?

A Dialysis Technician would typically need to: 

• Assist in the dialysis treatment of patients with permanent kidney failure; monitor the treatment, make necessary changes and ensure that the patient is taken care of well
• Prep the patient by informing them about dialysis and what to expect after the procedure is complete; train the patient and their primary caretakers on how to maintain the patient’s health during and after the dialysis is complete
• Observe the patients undergoing dialysis and provide assistance and emotional support as required; alter treatment if necessary; adjust fluid removal rates as needed
• Clean, sterilise, and maintain dialysis machinery; ensure the machine is safe to use; assemble and disassemble the device as required
• Write reports and note down details of or changes in the patient’s dialysis procedure if significant; maintain records of patients
• Respond to emergencies if required
• Administer local anaesthesia to patients if required
• Create operational guides about dialysis procedures for staff members
• Help hospital, clinic or outpatient staff with administrative tasks and running the space

Dialysis Technicians work in healthcare settings under the supervision of a registered nurse or physician. They make home visits when patients choose outpatient dialysis treatment plans.

Dialysis Technicians spend a lot of time on their feet, making rounds to cater to the needs of several patients. Travel during the workday may be necessary if you have to administer the treatment in different healthcare facilities or homes of patients.

Typically, Dialysis Technicians have 40-hour workweeks. They can opt to work regular daytime shifts or flexible 12-hour shifts.

Finding a new job might seem challenging. Dialysis Technicians can boost their job search by asking their network for referrals, contacting employers directly, using job search platforms, and inquiring at staffing agencies.

Dialysis Technicians are generally employed by:

• Hospitals
• Clinics
• Dialysis Centres
• Outpatient Care Centres

Professional associations and organisations such as The Association of Renal Technologists (ART) and Board of Nephrology Examiners Nursing & Technology (BONENT) are crucial for a Dialysis Technician interested in pursuing professional development or connecting with like-minded professionals in their industry or occupation. 

Membership in one or more adds value to your resume while bolstering your credentials and qualifications.

• Stress and burnout due to the intrinsically high level of emotional involvement with patients
• High probability of patients worsening in health, becoming seriously ill and dying if the treatment fails
• The need to be emotionally mature - remain compassionate and professional at the same time
• Physical strain due to long periods on one’s feet

The nature of the work is such that aspiring Dialysis Technicians can rarely get actual work experience. 

So it is highly recommended that you begin to volunteer even while in high school at shelters and nursing homes to get a better idea of supporting people of different age groups from diverse backgrounds emotionally.

Read as much as possible about the profession, talk with a high school counsellor and interview/job shadow experts working in different aspects of dialysis to better understand the emotional and physical demands of the job and offer proof of your commitment to course providers and prospective employers. 

Students can also receive clinical training through internships, short courses, and job training programs.

In some instances, hospitals and clinics hire candidates with a high school diploma and train them on the job in the fundamental principles of dialysis, renal failure and haemodialysis. They may also offer to enrol the new hires in a program and pay for it.

A Dialysis Technician must have a high school diploma.

Thereafter, you can avail of accredited training programs offered by a hospital, vocational school or community college that may last anywhere between six weeks to a year and consist of classroom instructions and practical experience.

Though higher education is not obligatory in many regions, a two-year associate degree in nephrology, dialysis or medical technology will improve your knowledge and skills in the field. Courses may include anatomy and diagnostic procedures, hemodialysis principles, patient care medical terminology, and dialysis procedures.

Dialysis Technicians need certification in hemodialysis from accredited nephrology organisations. Candidates are tested on their understanding of patient care, water treatment, machine technology, infection control, and education & professional development.

Certifications and their prerequisites will differ by region. Check in with relevant local bodies to find a program that suits you best.

Performance, experience, and the acquisition of professional qualifications drive the career progression of Dialysis Technicians. With enough experience, they can be promoted to supervisory or managerial roles.

Dialysis Technicians can also gain further certification and education to become registered nurses.

Candidates with an associate degree in nephrology, dialysis or medical technology and certification in haemodialysis have the best job prospects.

Continuing professional development (CPD) is essential in the healthcare sector for public wellbeing and career progression. It embraces several new learning objectives, educational methodologies, and novel technological developments, especially in education, management, and IT.

Dialysis Technicians need to undertake appropriate CPD activities to regularly renew their certification. Those who wish to make a career shift towards registered nursing must pursue a bachelor’s degree in nursing, an associate degree in nursing, or a diploma from an approved nursing program.

Nephrology Clinical Technicians vs Nephrology Biomedical Technologists vs Dialyser Reuse Technicians

Nephrology Clinical Technicians work directly with patients. They take the required samples from patients and check vitals such as blood pressure and temperature before connecting them to the dialysis machine.

These technicians closely monitor the patient’s vitals during dialysis, record all relevant information and be prepared to administer life-saving techniques such as cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) in case of an emergency.

Nephrology Biomedical Technologists are responsible for cleaning, maintaining, and repairing the dialysis equipment.

On the other hand, Dialyser Reuse Technicians are specifically in charge of cleaning, bleaching and sterilising dialysers - the equipment that filters the patient’s blood.

Safety First

Every patient has an exclusive dialyser to avoid contamination. All technicians involved in the dialysis process keep accurate records. 

The technicians also ensure the proper sterilisation of reusable plastic tubing.

Designation of Duties

The roles of a Nephrology Clinical Technician, Nephrology Biomedical Technologist and Dialyser Reuse Technician may often overlap. Tasks are assigned based on the facility in which you work, the size of the facility, the number of staff members around you, and your employer’s expectations.

On the Rise

Dialysis Technicians are highly in demand, a demand that will continue to rise as populations age worldwide. Furthermore, as numbers regarding obesity and type 2 diabetes continue to increase, both of which are risk factors for kidney disease, the demand for Dialysis Technicians will also rise.

Through the Ages

A patient’s death from kidney failure spurred the Dutch physician Willem Kolff to design and develop the first dialyser in 1943. Severe setbacks in the form of just one success story in more than 25 cases did not deter him from continuing his efforts in this regard.

Kolff sought to continue his experiments in Mount Sinai Hospital, U.S. but was forced to do so elsewhere when his new employers disapproved of his treatment methods. His team developed an improved design in the early 1950s, but it could treat only patients with kidney failure and not end-stage renal disease (ESRD).

It was Dr Belding Scribner, a professor of medicine at the University of Washington, who developed a device that would allow ESRD patients to receive treatment through an access point in their arm.

Dr Scribner opened the first official dialysis clinic for patients in 1962. He continued to work on his model until he developed a portable dialysis machine that enabled patients to receive treatment at home.

The model proved a success, and by 1973, around 40% of patients could safely opt for dialysis treatment in the comfort of their homes.

Although it is one of the causes of a worldwide health crisis, the progression of chronic kidney disease can be stopped or slowed down with early diagnosis and treatment.

Any career in the healthcare sector comes with intense stress and immense job satisfaction, and that of the Dialysis Technician is no exception to the general norm. Focus on the better quality of life and self-care that a vast number of your patients enjoy, and it will help mitigate the professional challenges.

Since you will be working closely with nurses, ensure that you have a good relationship with them in your workplace.

To achieve a successful work relationship, communicate well and frequently with the nurses in your team.

Miscommunication will lead to added stress for both of you.