A dialysis technologist, also sometimes referred to as a dialysis technician is a person who helps with the dialysis treatments of patients. The technologist’s job is to ready the patient for the treatment and to monitor the procedure while it is taking place. The individual also performs the necessary duties following the procedure and does everything they can to make the patient feel as comfortable as possible. To be a dialysis technologist you must be well trained, have an eye for details and you must have good people’s skills. You must be able to make your patients feel at ease and you must be able to deal with difficult situations. Dialysis technologists work under the direct supervision of a registered nurse.
Dialysis Technologist Job Description
A dialysis technologist must be very accurate and precise in the duties he or she performs. On a regular basis this individual sets up and operates hemodialysis machines that offer dialysis treatments for patients whose kidneys have failed. The technologist attaches the dialyzer and then the tubing to the machine to prepare for the treatment. The tech then mixes the dialysate as required and primes the dialyzer with either heparinized solution or saline to get the machine ready for the patient.
The dialysis technologist is then responsible to bring the patient into the dialysis room and to seat the patient in the chair next to the machine. The tech must then record pertinent information about the patient such as the person’s weight, temperature, blood pressure, respiration rate and pulse rate. It is the dialysis tech’s job to explain the procedure to the patient to help with the anxious feelings that the patient may be having. This is especially common with those who are new to this type of treatment. The tech then begins the procedure and must monitor it as it is taking place. The tech watches the patient to see if there is any adverse reaction and/or to see if the hemodialysis machine is functioning properly. After dialysis is finished the technologist will then record the same information as before the procedure and will do everything they can to help their patient relax and be more at ease.
Dialysis Technologist Careers Education
If you would like to become a dialysis technologist then first you must graduate with a high school diploma as this is a basic requirement for this health care job. Most of the
education and training for this occupation takes place on the job. However there are some places throughout the United States where courses can be taken at community colleges and/or technical institutions. In most cases however dialysis technologists are trained by their employers. At the present time there is no certification for this profession.
Dialysis Technologist Earnings
A dialysis technologist typically earns in the range of $25,682 to $32,413 a year. In the first year of doing this job the tech can expect to earn anywhere from $10 to $14 an hour. After five years of experience the pay will increase to anywhere from $13 to $16 an hour. By the time a dialysis technologist has gained 10 years of experience he or she will be earning an hourly wage of around $14 to $17 per hour. The pay is not the same in every state and tends to vary slight from one health care setting to another. Obtaining a higher level of education can increase the technologist’s potential to earn more.
Dialysis Technologist Careers Outlook
This is a growing field in the health care profession and there is expected to be a greater need for dialysis technicians through the year 2012. With an adequate amount of experience and with more education a dialysis technologist has the opportunity to advance to a chief technician. There is also the potential with further education to become a biomedical equipment technician.