Since the kidneys have an important role in maintaining health patients with renal failure need the support of a dialysis machine.
The different types of machines are the hemodialysis, peritoneal and hemofiltration which remove wastes and excess water from the blood.
It can be done either by circulating blood outside the body with a dialyzer or by removing wastes from the blood inside the body using the peritoneal membrane.
Patients who suffer from acute kidney failure have the opportunity to live longer with the help of diffusion solutes.
The goal is for the dialysis machine to replicate the filtering process found in the kidneys.
This is done when the blood enters the kidneys the larger substances are separated from the smaller ones in the glomerulus.
Medical practitioners make the decision to put a person on kidney dialysis if they have issues such as a need for correction of sodium bicarbonate, severe hyperkalemia, fluid overload, uremia complications or a low glomerular filtration rate.
The number of patients who require kidney assistance in the U.S.
A recent report stated that 370,000 people have end-stage renal disease.
Knowing these statistics there is no wonder that dialysis centers and hospitals need to hire dialysis machine technicians.
Dialysis treatment costs continue to rise as the aging population demand more quality healthcare that is provided by their medicare coverage.
Many will get three treatments a week for four hours but doctors and analyst say it is not efficient enough for patients faced with diabetes, digestive and kidney diseases.
According to nephrologist who are educated and trained in kidney diseases, kidney transplantation, and dialysis therapy the more frequent patients receive the procedure it can improve their life and survival.
These findings has lead to more patients choosing to receive dialysis treatments at home.
Some have found that nocturnal dialysis works better without the disruption that home dialysis may cause, because the patient can stay overnight in a treatment facility three times a week.
Technician Training Requirements
Career specialties for students are in the following areas: acute, renal and hemo dialysis where your job will be to setup and monitor systems, prepare patients for treatments, review lab results while performing procedures to assist the registered nurse of the healthcare facility.
Educational requirements consists of obtaining certification or an associates degree from an accredited college.
Students can also apply for internships to get on the job training. Courses include learning abut the anatomy of the kidneys, blood chemistry, infectious diseases, and physiology.
Understanding end stage renal disease treatment along with the principles of hemodialysis and procedures, ethical issues and documentation record keeping will qualify you for job openings across the country.
Employment Opportunities
Some areas hiring are located in San Francisco, Utah, Texas, California, New Jersey, Connecticut and Oregon where you need a patient care technician certification.
Annual Income Projections
Salary ranges between $20,000 and $40,000 annually. The shortage of nurses is causing a demand for trained technologists and clinical technicians.
Those looking for a career change or the opportunity to work in the medical profession can take advantage of working in acute care hospitals.
