Registered Nurse - RN - Dialysis

Fresenius Medical Care•El Paso, TX

About The Position

The professional registered nurse Home Therapies RN CAP 2 provides and coordinates clinically competent care for an assigned group of patients, including assessment, planning, intervention, and evaluation. The nurse may delegate appropriate tasks to direct patient care staff and participates as a member of the End Stage Kidney Disease health care team in decision-making, patient teaching, leadership, and quality improvement activities that support patient outcomes and facility operations. Duties are performed in accordance with Fresenius Kidney Care policies, procedures, standards of nursing practice, and applicable state and federal regulations. The nurse works under the direction of a Supervisor, with guidance from an Educator or Preceptor or in collaboration with another Registered Nurse. The role includes providing safe and effective home dialysis care, educating and training patients and home partners, and contributing to staff development and quality improvement. After meeting specified training and experience requirements, the nurse may have oversight responsibilities for other care team members as a Team Leader or designated Nurse in Charge. The role involves direct patient care and may include heavy lifting, moving and assisting patients, prolonged standing, bending, and handling equipment and supplies. The work environment is a health care facility and may also include patient homes and other facilities. Exposure to infectious or contagious diseases or materials is possible. The position may require travel, coverage rotation, and participation in on-call, night, weekend, or holiday coverage as program needs dictate.

Requirements

Graduate of an accredited School of Nursing.
Current appropriate state licensure.
Current CPR BLS certification or successful completion of CPR BLS certification.
Must meet practice requirements in the state of employment.
At least 2 years of Nephrology Nursing experience as an RN within the last 2 years.
To perform assigned oversight as a Team Leader or designated Nurse in Charge, must complete all FKC education and training requirements for new employees and have at least 3 months of experience in home dialysis therapies as an RN.
Must be able to perform direct patient care involving regular heavy lifting, moving patients, and assisting with ambulation; frequent, prolonged standing; and bending.
May need to move, with assistance, machines and equipment weighing up to 200 lbs., and lift chemical and water solutions weighing up to 30 lbs. as high as 5 feet.
Must participate in on-call rotation and may be required to work nights, weekends, or holidays according to program needs.
May be required to travel to training sites, other facilities, and patient homes.
May need to work at other locations, including patients’ homes, under the same physical demands and working conditions.

Responsibilities

Collects and analyzes dialysis data for assigned patients, documents findings in the medical record, adjusts treatment plans as indicated, and notifies a Supervisor or physician when needed.
Assesses, collaborates on, and documents patients’ and families’ learning needs and provides initial and ongoing education.
Coordinates and provides safe, effective dialysis therapies in collaboration with patients, home care partners, and direct and ancillary care staff.
Administers prescribed medications or medications under approved algorithms and documents medical justification and effectiveness.
Initiates or assists with emergency response measures.
Serves as a resource, leader, coach, mentor, and role model for new and incumbent employees.
Ensures laboratory specimens are collected, processed, and shipped correctly and reschedules missed or insufficient collections.
Identifies expected outcomes and documents and updates nursing assessments and plans of care in collaboration with the Interdisciplinary Team.
Ensures patients are aware of transplant and treatment modality options.
Assists in identifying, evaluating, selecting, and educating home dialysis candidates and home partners.
Assesses home environments and identifies barriers to home dialysis, including partner or family readiness and ability to perform treatments.
Trains home dialysis patients and home partners to safely and effectively operate and maintain home dialysis equipment and supplies through a standardized training program.
Participates in facility- and area-level education and quality improvement projects as directed by the Supervisor.
May serve as a Preceptor to new employees.
Completes CAP requirements to maintain or advance in the program.
May oversee RNs, LPNs/LVNs, Patient Care Technicians, and Home Therapies Care Team Assistants as a Team Leader or designated Nurse in Charge after meeting training and experience requirements.
Performs other duties assigned by the Supervisor.