Hemodialysis technicians operate equipment to clean the blood of patients with kidney failure. They work under the supervision of a registered nurse, monitor patients during treatment, and provide patient care. Training includes education and clinical experience, and certification is required.
A hemodialysis technician operates equipment used in hemodialysis, a process used to clean the blood of patients with kidney failure. Hemodialysis replaces the function of the kidneys, scrubbing the blood to remove impurities and returning it to circulation. Patients may be prescribed hemodialysis while waiting for a transplantable kidney to become available or a temporary problem with kidney function to be resolved. Pay for hemodialysis technicians varies depending on where they practice and their level of experience.
These medical technicians work under the supervision of a registered nurse. One aspect of the job involves checking, maintaining and programming hemodialysis machines for each patient. The hemodialysis technician also needs to be familiar with the water treatment system used in the facility where hemodialysis takes place. Training includes education about how hemodialysis was developed, how the machines work, and more so that hemodialysis technicians feel confident about their job.
When a patient arrives for treatment, the hemodialysis technician takes vital signs, records them in the patient’s chart, and helps the patient settle into a couch or chair for treatment. A needle is inserted into a vein or tubing is connected to a catheter left in place to facilitate access, and hemodialysis treatment is started. While the treatment is taking place, the hemodialysis technician monitors the patient and the machine. Technicians need to be able to respond to alarms and complications as they develop. At the conclusion of a treatment session, the patient’s vital signs are re-recorded and the area is cleaned to prepare for the next patient.
Because they are the primary point of patient interaction, these technicians are an important part of the patient care team. Hemodialysis technicians can note physical or behavioral changes that may indicate that a patient needs further medical evaluation. They can also answer questions, take note of patient concerns and relay them to a physician, and provide education for patients performing self-care at home. A hemodialysis technician can also instruct family members and caregivers how to safely and properly care for the patient.
To become a hemodialysis technician, you must earn a high school diploma and take a technical course at a hospital, community college, or trade school. The course will provide students with clinical experience as well as classroom work that prepares them to pass the certification exam. After certification, graduates of training programs can go into practice as hemodialysis technicians working in hospitals, clinics and hemodialysis centers.
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