OneStaff Medical provided this article.
Performing dialysis for patients with acute and chronic kidney disease, as well as end-stage renal disease, is a life-saving procedure that continues to grow in demand. Currently, 10% of the United States population needs dialysis, making dialysis nurses vital in medicating, supporting, and monitoring these patients.
With the major nursing shortage occurring in the U.S., the high-quality skills and experience of dialysis nurses have become ever more important, especially in travel nursing. Travel dialysis nurses can help to support other hospital staff in taking care of patients.
If you’re a nurse who’s thinking about traveling, or you’re looking for a career change, dialysis travel nursing may be the next step for you. Let’s take a look at what makes dialysis nursing so important and why you may consider traveling for your next job assignment.
What Is a Dialysis Nurse?
Registered nurses (RNs) who work in dialysis nursing provide support and care for patients diagnosed with acute, chronic, or end-stage kidney disease. Patients who experience kidney failure in their lifetime have two treatment options: a kidney transplant or dialysis. Because kidneys are essential for normal bodily function, performing dialysis is an important treatment option that highly-skilled nurses must administer.
There are two types of patient care dialysis, but hemodialysis is the most common. During this dialysis procedure, a hemodialyzer machine is used to clean the patient’s blood by removing salt, waste, and extra water from the body. Typically, the kidneys perform this task, but patients without proper functioning kidneys cannot rely on their bodies to do this.
A dialysis nurse has many duties as part of their dialysis technician job, such as:
- Preparing dialysis equipment for each patient and overseeing patient care from start to finish
- Priming the hemodialyzer and bloodlines for proper use
- Cannulating needle access to allow blood to circulate between the dialysis machine and the patient
- Monitoring and recording patient vital signs
- Administrating medications
- Cleaning and dressing temporary and permanent catheters
Beyond these duties, dialysis nurses must also educate each patient on managing their condition so they can maintain a higher quality of living. Dialysis nurses may encourage patients to pay more attention to their diet, exercise, nutrition, and self-medication.
Since a rapidly growing population in the U.S. needs dialysis due to a kidney disease diagnosis, there’s a growing demand for widespread access to this treatment. Some patients rely on dialysis to maintain their quality of life, so having the flexibility to administer the procedure anywhere is a huge benefit. This creates a higher need for traveling or home care dialysis nurses to fill these roles when needed, allowing these nurses to work in many different settings.
Nowadays, dialysis treatment can be administered in many different places, including transplant centers, hospitals, specialized dialysis units, outpatient clinics, rehabilitation centers, and even in patients’ homes. Dialysis is also a very time-consuming treatment since patients who need it must have this procedure completed at least three times a week for four hours per treatment. Because patients spend so much time with their nurses, dialysis nurses need to be personable and highly experienced.
What Are the Requirements of a Dialysis Nurse?
Like other branches of nursing, a dialysis travel nurse must hold certain qualifications and certifications to work in their role. First and foremost, they must possess a full and unrestricted RN license by obtaining one of the following degrees:
- Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN)
- Master of Science in Nursing (MSN)
- Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)
Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRNs) can also pursue dialysis nursing if they’ve earned one of these degrees and have special dialysis certifications. All nurses who wish to pursue dialysis nursing must complete a minimum of 2,000 hours in dialysis nursing care and possess an in-depth understanding of the kidneys, their diseases, and the machinery used to treat these diseases.
Along with technical certifications, dialysis nurses must have a personality that allows them to interact well with their patients. Patients on dialysis have regularly scheduled treatments, giving nurses a large exposure to any fears, anxiety, or stress these patients may feel. Dialysis nurses must offer both mental and emotional support while also providing specialized care.
Why Should Dialysis Nurses Travel?
There are many reasons why dialysis nurses may choose to travel. Travel nursing is a career that offers a range of benefits and challenges, allowing for nurses to take advantage of seeing new places while also gaining more experience. Between competitive pay and the flexibility of choosing job assignments that work the best for you, dialysis travel nursing can be a very fulfilling career.
1. Flexibility
Travel dialysis nursing is incredibly flexible because you can choose your schedule and what assignments you wish to take on. Your travel nursing agency will work with you to find a job assignment that fits your needs and is the ideal location for you. Travel nursing also allows you to take time off between assignments, and you can relocate when needed for personal reasons such as a sick family member.
2. Learning Opportunities
There are many learning opportunities for dialysis nurses who wish to travel. With shorter assignments, dialysis nurses can gain exposure to a variety of patients, medical situations, and healthcare settings that they can take with them in their job moving forward.
They also have the opportunity to learn about different places, cultures, and people. Short job assignments allow traveling dialysis nurses to constantly meet different communities and establish new relationships over a short amount of time. While some may see this as a disadvantage, it’s actually very advantageous for travel nurses to learn to adapt to new situations very quickly, especially with the people they work with during their various assignments.
3. Gaining More Experience
Traveling dialysis nurses have the opportunity to work in a variety of places, giving them a higher level of experience they can use to boost their resumes. Dialysis traveling nurses may work in remote or rural areas, large-scale teaching facilities, research centers, or even exotic locations like cruise ships.
Wherever a patient requires dialysis, a traveling dialysis nurse can go, giving them experience in many different healthcare settings and situations.
4. Traveling the Country to Help Patients
Currently, patients all across the country are struggling with kidney problems and need nurses to administer dialysis for them. Traveling the country to help many different patients allows dialysis nurses to make a large impact on many lives and establish real connections with all their patients.
Some patients who need dialysis may also live in rural areas where they don’t have access to larger healthcare facilities. Without traveling nurses, these patients would have to travel long distances three days a week to make their appointment or completely move to get the care they need. Traveling dialysis nurses can provide dialysis in more remote areas, giving more patients access to this treatment.
Knowing that you’re making a significant difference in other people’s lives is one of the attributes of nursing that makes it so fulfilling. Traveling dialysis nurses have the opportunity to help patients all across the country live a higher-quality life.
5. Competitive Pay and Benefits
As of January 2022, the average salary of a dialysis nurse is $70,669. Travel nurses tend to make more money than regular staff nursing positions, with a yearly average salary of $99,202. Traveling dialysis nurses may make even more than this depending on the agency they are working with, the location of the job assignment, and how high the demand is for dialysis nurses.
Traveling dialysis nurses can also take advantage of a range of benefits such as non-taxable weekly stipends for housing and meals, travel reimbursement, medical benefits, and life insurance. The best benefits will come from finding the right travel nursing agency for you. Many agencies offer competitive pay and benefits, along with resources to help you earn certain nursing certifications.
How to Become a Dialysis Travel Nurse
There is an increasing need for dialysis nurses, especially as a shortage of all nursing specialties continues to grow across the U.S. Hospitals and other healthcare facilities increasingly rely on traveling nurses to cover emergency staffing needs.
With higher demand, dialysis RNs looking to travel can expect more options for job assignments, with opportunities and benefits that are endless. Their location and working environment are new at the start of every assignment, allowing travel dialysis nurses to gain exposure and experience.
Whether you’re looking to pursue an exciting opportunity, wanting to move across the country, or looking to change the type of healthcare setting you work in, dialysis travel nursing is a great career choice.
If you want to explore the country, increase your yearly salary, and advance your nursing career, reach out to OneStaff Medical today. Our expert staff can help you find the perfect travel nursing assignment for your lifestyle. Browse our current job postings or contact us today at 877-783-1483.
We hope you found this article from OneStaff Medical helpful and informative if you have made the transition from dialysis nurse to travel nurse and would like to share your experience comment below.
Are you considering travel nursing or looking for your next travel nurse assignment? Click here to view our job board. Do you need housing for an upcoming travel nurse assignment? Click here to search our housing page.
