Registered Nurse Dialysis - Dialysis

About This Role

This nursing role focuses on delivering safe, high-quality patient care throughout the dialysis treatment process. It involves assessing, diagnosing, planning, implementing, and evaluating care, as well as actively participating in developing and implementing individualized care plans for each patient. The role suits a registered professional dialysis nurse who can ensure the safe and efficient operation of dialysis equipment and supplies while maintaining accurate and timely medical record documentation.

Responsibilities

• Meet expectations of the applicable OneCHRISTUS Competencies: Leader of Self, Leader of Others, or Leader of Leaders
• Demonstrate appropriate hand hygiene, use of PPE, and facility hygiene, including cleaning and disinfection of work surfaces and equipment—pre-treatment, intra-treatment, and post-treatment
• Operate all available dialysis equipment and supplies based on safety, effectiveness, and cost in accordance with organizational policy to provide expected patient outcomes; document in the medical record and record change appropriately
• Follow policy and procedure in performance of water treatment procedures and testing; properly demonstrate electrolyte addition to acid concentrate per physician order
• Provide documented pre- and post-dialysis nursing assessments that include but are not limited to: patient weight and fluid removal calculations, lung sounds and presence of edema, vital signs, review of current labs, and assessment and care of the dialysis access
• Obtain pre- and post-dialysis lab specimens per physician order and organizational policy
• Initiate, monitor, and terminate each dialysis treatment per organizational policy and procedure
• Follow organizational policy and procedure in response to dialysis-related complications, emergencies, and technical issues. Nurses are required to obtain approval from leadership identified per organizational policy, for lab culture collection from dialysis catheters via the House Supervisor prior to specimen collection
• Follow organizational policy and procedure in the administration of all medications during dialysis, including as-needed (PRN) medications, blood and blood products, and erythropoiesis-stimulating agents (ESAs)
• Ensure patients are transported in a timely manner to and from dialysis treatments to minimize delays in care and maintain treatment schedules. Nurses should transport patients themselves when necessary to prevent delays in care or to ensure timely discharge
• Participate in the development and implementation of an individualized plan of care for each patient
• Verify the safety of each dialysis treatment by performing and documenting required equipment safety checks, including acid and bicarb expiration dates and chlorine/chloramine testing before every treatment and Minncare residual testing as needed
• Accurately enter charges for each patient they provide care for, ensuring timely and complete documentation of billable services in accordance with departmental procedures