Do you have an interest in combining technical skills with patient care services? A career as a dialysis technician, or hemodialysis technicians, could not only help you build technical skills in an in-demand healthcare discipline but can serve as a springboard into a future career in administrative or nursing care within the renal specialty. Continue reading to explore how to become a technician today:
What Is A Dialysis Technician?
Technicians are state-certified healthcare professionals tasked with operating and maintaining dialysis machines before, during, and after patients receive dialysis treatment.
What Does A Hemodialysis Technician Do?
Dialysis technicians work closely with both patients and other healthcare professionals to provide dialysis services to those with kidney disease or kidney failure. The National Kidney Foundation defines dialysis as a form of recurring treatment designed to flush toxins and extra fluid from the bloodstream. Technicians are trained and certified to provide dialysis services, including:
- Assisting in patient prep prior to procedure
- Set up dialysis machines and related equipment.
- Administer and monitor patient during dialysis treatment.
- Assist and prepare patient for discharge once treatment is complete.
- Perform maintenance and diagnostics on dialysis machines as needed.
Where Does A Dialysis Technician Work?
Dialysis technicians can find work across multiple different healthcare locations. Technicians can be found throughout the healthcare continuum, with the majority of technicians working in large hospital systems, clinics, or dialysis centers alongside other renal nursing, specialists, and support staff. In some cases, technicians can work for mobile dialysis services which provide treatment to patients in the comfort of their homes. Here are some common job locations:
- Hospitals
- Clinics
- Dialysis Treatment Centers
- Mobile Dialysis Services
- In-Home Dialysis Services
How Do You Become A Hemodialysis Technician?
There are multiple different paths to becoming a dialysis technician, with pathways varying depending on specific job titles or career positions. Whether you’re transitioning into the career from a previous healthcare or non-healthcare role, or starting from high school, most positions require a combination of post-secondary education and profession certification to practice in the field. There are multiple certifying bodies which can provide state certification, as well as certificate or associate programs to help provide students with the skills they need to start their career.
- High school diploma
- Post-secondary certificate or associates degree
- State licensure in accordance with state regulations.
What Is The Career Outlook Of A Dialysis Technician?
Technicians can receive multiple career advancement benefits and opportunities through educational and professional avenues. Technicians who are interested in pursuing additional opportunities in the renal field can earn their Bachelor of Science in Nursing and become a renal registered nurse or pursue an administrative pathway by earning their healthcare administration degree and pursuing a role in management services.
Whether you’re a Certified Nursing Assistant looking to advance into a different field, or a recent high school graduate interested in combining technical and patient care services into a single career, a career as a certified technician can be a lunching point for a rewarding career in healthcare.
