DESCRIPTION OVERVIEW
This program will prepare a graduate to work as an entry-level Dialysis Technician (DT) in a dialysis centers, a clinic, hospital, rehabilitation centers, nursing home or long-term care facility.
This course is offered to participants as continuing education or professional development in order to enhance existing employment in the medical field.
ENTRANCE REQUIREMENTS:
You need to be at least 18 years old and have either a high school diploma or equivalency diploma.
In addition, a prospective candidate must have a graduation certificate of completion either the Patient Care Technician (PCT) program (Phlebotomy and EKG) or Medical Assistant program or Nurse Aide/Assistant (CNA) program or any similar medical training or education.
DIALYSIS TECHNICIAN DUTIES MAY INCLUDE:
On a daily basis, a dialysis technician might perform the following duties:
- Discuss the dialysis procedure with patients
- Operate the dialysis machine
- Offer support to patients before, during, and after the procedure
CERTIFICATION:
After completion of the DT program from a vocational accredited school, a certification can be obtained at the state and national level. To receive national certification, dialysis technicians can go through one of several organizations such as the Nephrology Nursing Certification Commission (NNCC) or the Board of Nephrology Examiners Nursing and Technology (BONENT). National licensing requires that candidates work in the field for at least 1 year then pass an exam.
JOB OUTLOOK:
Although the Bureau of Labor Statistics does not give specific numbers for dialysis technicians, it does report that all medical laboratory technicians will have a projected employment growth of 30 percent between the years of 2012 and 2022. This rate is above average when compared to other occupations. There are several reasons for the rapid increase in the number of jobs. There are a large number of the population who are aging, and they will need treatments such as dialysis. In addition, a greater amount of people in this country now have access to medical care due to new insurance legislation. Those individuals will seek all types of medical services and this will create a demand for more medical professionals in all laboratory technician fields.