Dialysis Training for RNs

Dialysis, or hemodialysis, is the process of purifying the blood in a person's body that has been made toxic due to the malfunction of the kidneys. Registered nurses who desire to become trained in the field of dialysis have several options for accredited board training. Depending on the state you live in, most medical boards have specific information on training for registered nurses.

Courses

• Many hands-on training courses are available to teach registered nurses and other medical professionals to care for patients on dialysis. Many of these courses will cover such subjects as anatomy and physiology of the kidney, common causes of renal disease, history of dialysis, principles of hemodialysis, techniques and procedures, and regulations of dialysis, according to Dialysistrainingtec.com. There are some accredited online courses available. Dialysis4career.com offers online accredited hemodialysis training. An online program may be completed in anywhere from one week up to two months, depending on a student's pace. The program at Dialysis4career.com costs less than $550.

Time Frame

• Becoming trained in dialysis may take a registered nurse 40 to 50 hours of class time. Considering there are even some online training programs, the number of hours could be cut in half, due to the 24-hour availability of online training.

Benefits

• There are many benefits to an RN becoming trained in dialysis. It will improve your marketability in the nursing field. As a registered nurse, you're allowed to assist patients with medical issues while in dialysis, which a dialysis technician is not able to do. As a registered nurse, you are licensed to care for a renal patient throughout the whole process of dialysis, as well as treat the patient after the procedure.

Certification

• The Board of Nephrology Examiners Nurses and Technology (BONENT) created a certification program to validate registered nurses already working in the field of dialysis. The organization's goal is to standardize the type of care that dialysis patients receive, and to ensure that the training and education available is achieving a certain level of quality for all practitioners of nephrology. Currently, the certification is optional in most states; however, BONENT is well respected in the field, and they are urging for legislation that will make certification a necessary part of training for all dialysis practitioners.

Compensation

• Registered nurses increase their overall expertise by becoming trained in dialysis. Often called renal dialysis nurse, an RN who has training in dialysis is in demand. According to the Salary.com Salary Wizards, the national average salary for a renal dialysis nurse is between $58,900 and 78,300 per year.