Registered Nurse - RN - Dialysis

Fresenius Medical Care•Lihue, HI

About The Position

The Registered Nurse works as part of the hemodialysis health care team to provide quality daily care to patients with end-stage renal disease, following company policies, procedures, training, and applicable state and federal regulations. The role supports the company’s quality, compliance, and customer-service programs and participates in continuous quality improvement activities. The nurse coordinates and oversees patient care during hemodialysis, assesses patient needs and responses to treatment, implements prescribed treatment plans, provides vascular-access care, and communicates patient concerns to physicians and team leaders. The nurse also educates patients and families about renal disease, dialysis, medications, diet, fluid management, laboratory results, treatment adherence, transplantation, and care options. Additional responsibilities include delegating and monitoring staff work, supporting staff training, maintaining complete clinical documentation and medical records, coordinating laboratory orders and specimens, administering prescribed medications and transfusions, maintaining emergency readiness, and ensuring a clean, safe treatment environment. The position requires direct patient care and may involve coverage at area facilities as directed by management.

Requirements

Graduate of an accredited School of Nursing.
Current appropriate state nursing licensure and compliance with practice requirements in the state of employment.
Successfully complete a training course in the theory and practice of hemodialysis.
Successfully complete CPR certification.
Meet applicable state requirements.
Meet the requirements of the Ishihara Color Blindness test as a condition of employment; failure does not automatically preclude employment, and reasonable accommodation may be considered.
Ability to meet the physical demands of direct patient care, including frequent prolonged standing, bending, assisting with patient ambulation, and heavy lifting or moving of patients; assistance may be available.
Ability to occasionally move, with assistance, machines and equipment weighing up to 200 pounds and lift chemical and water solutions weighing up to 30 pounds as high as 5 feet.

Nice To Haves

At least one year of medical-surgical nursing experience.
Hemodialysis experience.
ICU experience.
ICD-9 coding training.
Nurses Technical Training.

Responsibilities

Direct and monitor patient care staff, delegate tasks, assess daily care needs, and develop patient care assignments.
Provide safe and effective chronic hemodialysis care in accordance with prescriptions, facility procedures, and applicable regulations.
Assess patients’ response to treatment and adjust or modify the treatment plan as indicated by the prescribing physician; communicate concerns to the physician or Team Leader.
Conduct initial, annual, and ongoing nursing assessments and document patient care needs and progress.
Participate in preparation, initiation, monitoring, termination, access homeostasis, and post-treatment evaluation of hemodialysis patients.
Provide and monitor dialysis access care; intervene for changes in adequacy status and troubleshoot access-flow issues.
Educate patients and families about ESRD, renal disease, vascular access, dialysis, diet and fluid management, medications, laboratory values, treatment adherence, transplantation, and treatment modalities.
Administer prescribed medications, PRN medications, and transfusions; document patient responses and report adverse reactions as appropriate.
Review, transcribe, and enter physician orders, laboratory orders, and patient treatment information into the Medical Information System.
Coordinate laboratory requisitions, specimen collection and processing, shipment, follow-up on missed or insufficient specimens, and reporting of abnormal or critical results.
Ensure accurate and complete patient-care documentation, including Hemodialysis Treatment Sheets and medical records.
Maintain safe and effective shift operations, serve as a resource to staff, and meet with the Clinical Manager about personnel and patient-care matters.
Collaborate with physicians and other healthcare team members to coordinate and interpret patient care.
Maintain competency with emergency procedures and dialysis equipment; initiate CPR and emergency measures when needed and verify emergency equipment availability.
Ensure appropriate vaccinations, immunizations, and annual tuberculosis testing are completed.
Maintain the facility drug list and controlled-substance records as required.
Assist with patient transportation coordination when necessary.
Maintain a clean, safe, and sanitary treatment environment, including stations, machines, and chairs; address blood spills according to policy.
Implement patient admission, transfer, and discharge procedures and ensure opening and closing procedures are followed safely.
Initiate, document, and complete continuous quality improvement activities, including monthly reports.
Complete monthly nurses’ progress notes, patient care plans, nursing histories and assessments, long-term programs, and annual standing-order reviews as required.
Provide coverage at area facilities as required by management.
Perform additional duties as assigned.