What a Dialysis Patient Care Technician Does
What is a Dialysis Patient Care Technician?
A Dialysis Patient Care Technician is a healthcare professional that works closely with and cares for patients currently undergoing hemodialysis treatment. A Dialysis Patient Care Technician may work under various other job titles including (but not limited to) Dialysis Technician, Dialysis Tech, Hemodialysis Technician, and Hemodialysis Tech.
What are the Duties of a Dialysis Patient Care Technician?
Duties of a Dialysis Patient Care Technician often include taking the vital signs of patients, inspecting and maintaining hemodialysis machines before, during, and after the procedures, ensuring patient care and comfort during dialysis treatment, and reporting back to the Registered Nurse or Physician regarding the patient’s condition and/or any concerns, among other tasks.
What type of work does a Dialysis Patient Care Technician do?
A Dialysis Patient Care Technician is responsible for the direct patient care for those undergoing dialysis treatment. This involves preparing the patient and the equipment prior to treatment, monitoring the patient throughout treatment, and performing post-treatment duties such as cleaning and sterilizing dialysis equipment.
Where does a Dialysis Patient Care Technician work?
Dialysis Patient Care Technicians can be found working in a variety of environments. These may include hospitals, dialysis centers, health care clinics, medical offices, rehab facilities, and other health care facilities.
Will I be able to find a job?
It’s important to note that no school can guarantee employment. Here at Dorsey College, we offer career services assistance to all completers of the Dialysis Patient Care Technician program, however, job placement is not guaranteed by Dorsey College. You can learn more about the assistance our Career Services team offers by visiting our Career Services for Students and Graduates page.
How to Become a Dialysis Patient Care Technician
How might I determine if this is a good career choice for me?
In choosing any career, it’s important that someone look at a variety of factors, some of which include:
- Can I see myself doing the work that this position/occupation performs and am I going to be happy performing those tasks in that type of work setting?
- Do I have the skills/traits/characteristics that one may need to be successful in a position like this?
- How is the employment outlook/trends for this position?
What type of training is needed?
Dialysis Patient Care Technicians typically attend a post-secondary school or institution to obtain training. Many of these programs lead to a certificate or a diploma and training typically takes one year or more to complete. Some employers may prefer their Dialysis Patient Care Technicians to obtain certification, but that will vary based upon the employer and the type of position a candidate may be seeking. It’s also important to note that since Dialysis Patient Care Technicians work very closely with patients and other healthcare professionals in the actual occupational setting, it can be advantageous to a student to choose a program that has a strong hands-on component so they can “learn by doing.”
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid require dialysis patient care technicians to become certified within 18 months of employment in the field of dialysis. Therefore, Dorsey College graduates are encouraged to sit for applicable certification examinations.
How long do I have to go to school?
Many Dialysis Patient Care Technician programs can be completed in a year or more. In choosing a program, it’s important for someone to evaluate the training that is included so they can ensure they are receiving the training they need (and want) prior to entering the healthcare field as a Dialysis Patient Care Technician.
Is Certification/Licensure required to obtain employment as a Dialysis Patient Care Technician?
It’s always important to check if the position in which you are applying for has specific requirements for Dialysis Patient Care Technicians. While requirements may vary from employer to employer, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid require dialysis patient care technicians to become certified within 18 months of employment in the field of dialysis. Therefore, Dorsey College graduates are encouraged to sit for applicable certification examinations.
Furthermore, there are benefits to becoming certified, and certification may strengthen a candidate’s prospects during their search for employment. In order to assist our graduates, Dorsey College will pay the cost one time for graduates of this program to challenge a certification exam as selected by Dorsey College, contingent upon the graduate meeting Dorsey College’s exam preparation requirements.
The Dorsey College Dialysis Patient Care Technician program
What will be covered in the program?
The Dorsey College Dialysis Patient Care Technician program offers instruction and training for students to pursue a career in healthcare. Instruction takes place in both a classroom setting as well as a hands-on environment by way of an externship that will take place during the final module of training. Students enrolled in the Dialysis Patient Care Technician program will be exposed to a variety of topics including (but not limited to):
- Computer Applications for Allied Health Professionals
- Medical Terminology
- Anatomy, Physiology, and Mechanisms of Disease
- Effectively and Accurately Taking Health History and Physical Measurements
- Surgical Asepsis and Pharmacology
- Phlebotomy
- EKGs
- First Aid and CPR
- Assisting with the Physical Needs of Patients
- The pathophysiology of renal disease and an in-depth review of the structures and functions of the normal renal system
- The care of the patient with acute or chronic renal failure
- A focus on the devices, machines, and procedures utilized during dialysis
- …and more!
Is your program hands on?
Yes! Students in the Dialysis Patient Care Technician program will have opportunities to practice the skills they are learning in both the labs on campus at Dorsey College as well as during their externship.
What’s the externship and why is that important?
The Dialysis Patient Care Technician program includes an elective externship course option. Elective course options include the Medical Assistant Externship, the Patient Care Technician Externship, or the Dialysis Patient Care Technician Externship. Externship course and site selection are dependent on externship site availability and therefore will be determined by Dorsey College. Students participate in an externship during the last module of training, providing professional exposure and unpaid work-related experience.
How long is the program?
The Dorsey College Dialysis Patient Care Technician program is designed to be completed in just 14-months.
Who are the instructors?
Our instructors are caring individuals that possess experience and expertise in their respective field. Our instructors meet or exceed State of Michigan and accreditation criteria, guidelines, and qualifications. It’s not uncommon for students at Dorsey College to see their instructors as their coach and mentor throughout their studies.
Why should I choose Dorsey College over another school?
Students choose Dorsey College over other Career Training Schools for a variety of reasons. You can learn more by visiting The Dorsey Difference page.
Which Dorsey College campuses offer the Dialysis Patient Care Technician program?
The Dialysis Patient Care Technician program is offered at the following Dorsey College campus locations:
- Madison Heights, MI (Main Campus)
- Wayne, MI (A branch campus of Madison Heights)
How do I enroll?
If you’re interested in enrolling in the Dialysis Patient Care Technician program at Dorsey College, the first step you should take is meeting with one of our Admissions Representatives. Request information online and a member of our team will be back in touch with you shortly. You can read more about our Admissions process on our Admissions information page.
Does your program include a certification?
While actual certification is not included in the curriculum of the Dorsey College Dialysis Patient Care Technician program, graduates may go on to challenge a certification exam. For those who wish to challenge a certification exam, Dorsey College will pay the cost one time for graduates of this program to challenge a certification exam as selected by Dorsey College, contingent upon the graduate meeting Dorsey College’s exam preparation requirements.
Will your program prepare me for certification?
The Dorsey College Dialysis Patient Care Technician program is designed to prepare students to go on to challenge a certification exam.
Is your school accredited?
Yes, you can read more by visiting our Accreditation page.
What is the tuition and fees for the program?
The current tuition and fees for the Dorsey College Dialysis Patient Care Technician program can be accessed by clicking here.
What is included in my tuition and fees?
In addition to program instruction, tuition includes books, an electronic device, a stethoscope, a blood pressure cuff, one medical scrub uniform, externship drug testing and background check.
Is financial aid available?
Financial Aid is available to those who qualify. For additional information on Financial Aid and Tuition Assistance, we would encourage you to visit our Financial Aid Information page.
Can you help me find a job after graduation?
Dorsey College offers Career Services assistance to all program completers, however, job placement is not guaranteed by Dorsey College. You can learn more about the assistance our Career Services team offers by visiting our Career Services for Students and Graduates page.
