Dialysis Technician Career Guide

Career Overview

Health-care services have increasingly progressed over the recent years. This is due to the technological advancement by which patients are treated through improved facilities as compared to past facilities. It has also turned out to be beneficial for the people working in health-care, thus increasing the job prospects. You could be one of them by enrolling yourself in a dialysis technician program.

Dialysis technicians dispose waste fluids from patient’s blood, when they either suffer from kidney failure or any other kidney disease. They are also known as nephrology technicians, renal dialysis technicians or hemodialysis technicians. Usually they work under the supervision of physicians in clinics and hospitals. It is important for patients to receive the dialysis as recommended by the doctor or they may not be able to survive. The life of a technician is always surrounded with machines. They are responsible to take special care of patients to conduct proper dialysis.

It is the main responsibility of a dialysis technician to know about how a dialysis machine works. They have to make sure that the equipment undergoes process of sterilization, operation and cleaning. They should be familiar with the requirements of the patients. Technicians’ monitor vital signs and record weight during the process of blood cleaning.

Career Outlook

The field of health-care is one of the most promising careers of today. A health-care practitioner enjoys benefits of serving people for long hours. Being a dialysis technician, you may also have to work along the same line. Usually, they accommodate patients and work for more or less than 40 hours a week. You maybe required to keep a close watch on the dialysis machine to make sure that it is error free. Most Dialysis technicians work in dialysis centers, hospitals, nursing homes, long-term care facilities, private clinics and assisted living facilities.

Salary Trends

The annual median salary in 2011 for a renal dialysis technician might be around $33,018 (www.salary.com). It usually depends upon the area you reside, past experience of work, and the education acquired. You might also enjoy the benefits of bonuses and paid vacations with time.

Education Requirements

For a career as a dialysis technician, candidates must meet sound educational requirements. At the very minimum, the candidate must have a GED or high school diploma from a technical school. It is necessary for a person to be aware of human biology as well as basic mathematics. You might be inquired about hepatitis and tetanus vaccinations prior to enrollment. The curriculum comprises of basic techniques of life saving and first-aid.

You may also opt for an online course from accredited health-care schools, rather than a conventional one. This may help a lot in dealing with your hectic routine as well as completing education at the same time. It is essential to check the accreditation of the institute you select before applying for a course in dialysis technician.