Becoming a dialysis technician is a rewarding career choice that allows you to help people in need. You’ll be able to make a difference in their lives, while also learning first-hand how to work with patients who suffer from kidney failure.
If you’re interested in becoming a dialysis technician, here are some steps that will help you get started:
Step 1: Get Your Education
To become a dialysis technician, you’ll need to complete an accredited training program. The training lasts up to two years and consists of both classroom instruction and hands-on practice with real patients. You’ll learn how to operate the machines that allow patients to get their blood cleaned through dialysis, as well as how to perform other tasks like giving injections and drawing blood samples from patients.
You may also want to consider taking a college course on human anatomy and physiology before applying for your training program; this will give you an understanding of how the body works and what happens when it doesn’t function properly. It’s important for future dialysis technicians because they’ll need this knowledge when diagnosing problems with patients’ kidneys or performing other tests related specifically to their condition (e.g., checking blood pressure levels).
Step 2: Find A Job After Graduation
How To Become Dialysis Technician
Patients who have to undergo kidney dialysis rely on the care and expertise of dialysis technicians during their treatments. Dialysis technicians operate and maintain the equipment used in patient treatments and apply their skills to ensure the safety of their patients and provide the support they need to stay comfortable during treatment. If you’re interested in becoming a dialysis technician, there are several things to consider about this career path. In this article, we’ll explore what dialysis technicians do, how much they make and how to become a dialysis technician.
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What is a dialysis technician?
Dialysis technicians work under the direction of supervising nurses and nephrologists (kidney doctors) in clinics, hospitals and other medical facilities where they’re responsible for operating and monitoring dialysis machines for patients who are undergoing procedures for kidney dysfunctions or kidney failure.
Dialysis technicians typically complete at least a certificate program and state licensing requirements to work with and maintain these complex machines. Additionally, a dialysis technician can advance in their career field by continuing their education to become an acute dialysis, renal or hemodialysis technician, where they will work with both dialysis patients and dialysis equipment.
Related: Learn About Being a Dialysis Technician
What does a dialysis technician do?
Dialysis technicians maintain, monitor and operate the machines and equipment that doctors use to perform dialysis for patients with acute or chronic kidney issues. In a dialysis procedure, a machine cleans and removes metabolic wastes that build up in the blood of patients whose kidneys are not functioning properly or who have suffered kidney failure. Dialysis technicians are the medical professionals responsible for the oversight of this equipment and dialysis procedures. Additional tasks a dialysis technician will perform throughout their workday include:
- Assembling and ensuring dialysis machines are operating properly prior to giving treatments.
- Taking patient vital signs and monitoring patients before, during and after dialysis treatment to ensure safe application of treatments
- Drawing blood and measuring blood sample to calculate patients’ blood flow and effects of dialysis procedures
- Disassembling and sterilizing dialysis machines and equipment after treatments
- Providing support and care to patients during dialysis procedures
- Working under the direction of registered nurses and doctors to administer dialysis treatments
- Educating patients and providing information about adequate healthcare while they’re receiving dialysis treatments
Related: What Does a Dialysis Technician Do?
Dialysis technician average salary
Dialysis technicians make a substantial income, with a national average salary of $44,333 per year. This average can vary, though, depending on where you live, what kind of medical facility you work in and the type of credentials you hold. For instance, a hemodialysis technician with an associate’s degree in hemodialysis will likely have a higher income potential than a general dialysis tech with a certificate. Your years of experience on the job can also impact the average salary you earn as a dialysis technician.
How to become a dialysis technician
To become a dialysis technician, you’ll need your high school diploma or equivalent to get started. The following steps outline the educational options you have and how to become a dialysis technician:
1. Earn your certificate or associate’s degree
You will need to enroll in an educational program for at least a certificate of completion in nephrology and hemodialysis studies. Typically, a certificate program for dialysis technicians can take anywhere from 12 to 18 months to complete, depending on the program. If you are considering pursuing a career in renal nursing, hemodialysis or another similar specialty, an associate’s degree program that focuses more in-depth on hemodialysis procedures is a more practical starting point rather than a certificate program in case you want to pursue higher education afterward.
2. Gain clinical work experience
Whichever kind of educational program you choose to enroll in, you’ll need to gain experience working in a clinical setting. Internships, entry-level roles and job shadowing opportunities are all excellent ways to build your understanding of clinical applications of dialysis and your experience working with patients and dialysis equipment.
3. Obtain your state license to work
While all states require dialysis technicians become licensed to work, these requirements can vary between states. Some states require dialysis technicians to obtain certification through the Board of Nephrology Examiners Nursing and Technology (BONENT), which offers the Certified Hemodialysis Technician (CHT) credential. Other states accept licensing requirements with the Certified Clinical Hemodialysis Technician (CCHT) credential, which the Nephrology Nursing Certification Commission (NNCC) offers to technicians upon their completion of a certification exam.
4. Continue your education to advance your career
Dialysis technicians who work in their field for several years and have completed additional education and training, such as acute renal dialysis education, have opportunities to advance throughout their careers. Many dialysis technicians advance to leadership roles in kidney centers in large clinics, hospitals and other healthcare facilities. Additionally, dialysis techs who hold associate’s degrees may often pursue a bachelor’s degree in nursing and find advancement opportunities in renal and hemodialysis nursing.
5. Consider joining a professional organization
There are many different networks and professional organizations for dialysis technicians and medical professionals. For instance, the National Association of Nephrology Technicians and Technologists (NANT) is one such organization that provides members with opportunities to develop their skills, expertise and knowledge of hemodialysis and applications. Likewise, the American Nephrology Nurses’ Association (ANNA) is another professional organization for dialysis nurses and provides opportunities for continuing education and training, career building, networking and accessing grants and scholarships.
Related: How to Become a Medical Technologist
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Frequently asked questions about becoming a dialysis technician
The following commonly asked questions can provide additional insight into what it takes to become a dialysis technician:
How long does it take to become a dialysis technician?
Depending on the educational program you choose to enroll in, becoming a dialysis technician can take as little as 12 months for a certification program or as long as two years for an associate’s degree. In addition to your initial educational training, you will need to attend continuing education to renew your certification every two to four years, depending on your state’s requirements.
What skills do dialysis technicians need?
First and foremost, dialysis technicians need to have a solid understanding of the hemodialysis principles and procedures they develop during their education. Other hard skills like written communication, mathematics, patient care techniques and monitoring dialysis equipment are also important on the job. Similarly, dialysis technicians work with many different patients throughout their careers and need to have strong communication skills along with interpersonal skills and empathy. Extreme attention to detail, organization and critical thinking are also necessary traits for successful dialysis technicians.
Related: Tips From a Nurse Coach: Highlighting Your Soft Skills as a Nursing Professional
What is the work environment like?
Dialysis technicians work wherever patients receive kidney dialysis treatments. Hospitals and dialysis centers are among the most common places of employment for these medical professionals, although many technicians will work in smaller healthcare facilities, clinics and even in nursing homes.
When they’re on the job, dialysis technicians work frequently with bodily fluids to take blood and urine samples from patients, which requires an understanding of the applications and safety procedures for mitigating the risk of blood-borne illnesses. Additionally, this job can require long work shifts, sometimes up to 12 hours long, and many dialysis technicians will work on their feet throughout their workplace.
How can dialysis technicians advance their careers?
Dialysis technicians who have completed only a certification program have the option of continuing their education to obtain an associate’s degree in the field. Technicians who work in their careers for longer than five years and have extensive experience and training are able to advance into leadership and management roles. Another great way for advancing your career as a dialysis technician is to obtain your nursing degree and become a nephrology nurse.
