Why Become A Dialysis Technician

Becoming a Dialysis Technician has quickly become one of the more popular career choices as far as health care careers go. There are many reasons for this, we briefly highlighted a few of them in our previous article on “How to become a Dialysis Technician“. In this article we will take a more detailed look at why the profession is so popular and all the reasons why you should consider this career path for yourself. For those that are still not very clear about the Dialysis Technician job profile, start off by reading our introductory article “What is a Dialysis Technician“, followed by the requirements for a Dialysis Technician that you will need to satisfy before you can start your career.

Lets now take a look at the reasons why a huge number of people are making a beeline to become Dialysis Technicians. The health care industry is booming and with it are many medical technician and nursing jobs. The demand for health care and medical professionals have far outstripped supply for a number of years with no sign of letting up.

High Demand

The demand for dialysis treatment rising each day and coupled with the fact that a number of specialized dialysis clinics that have sprung up all over the country to cater to the demand, the shortfall of good dialysis technicians are being felt across the U.D. With specialized clinics and kidney centers no longer part of hospitals and specialized care facilities for the elderly increasing each day, you have a situation where a decent dialysis technician with the right education, hands-on training and experience being snapped up quickly.

Shorter Educational Courses

Unlike many other health care careers, the education required to become a Dialysis Technician is far shorter. There are courses that are 6 months in duration which immediately looks attractive to a prospective student. Ofcourse, there are also courses that take 2 years to complete and is more thorough in the breadth of education that they cover. Also there are many online colleges that have started offering training which is another reason for the burgeoning interest in the profession.

Most of the courses for dialysis technicians require minimal qualifications. With the minimum qualification of a high school diploma or its equivalent like the GED, you have a great career option for many students looking to enter into the health care industry.

Hands-On Training

Live experience and hands-on training is crucial for any health care career and it’s no different with Dialysis Technicians. Compromising on your college and more of education might work to a certain degree but without good live training you will find it difficult to find takers. Luckily there are quite a few colleges that partner with hospitals and offer live experience to students. Also many health care institutions and hospitals are more than willing to intern students for little or no pay which works out great for the hospitals in reducing their expenses and for the student who gains valuable field experience.

Work Environment

This is one of the perks of being a dialysis technician. Unlike other health care workers, dialysis technicians usually have their own work setting and quite separate offices. This is primarily due to the fact that the job is equipment intensive. You need to have dedicated premises and offices to house the equipment. Also the job has a much lower stress levels when compared to other medical technician jobs. This is simply because the job of a Dialysis Technician follows a strict routine and is based on defined protocols. An emergency situation rarely occurs if ever.

Another characteristic of the job is that dialysis technicians rarely have patients to attend to apart from dialysis work. This means more free time and a generally more relaxed environment something other health care workers can only dream of. Less stress, a great work environment and working hours all make the job very appealing.

Good Salary and Benefits

According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, dialysis technicians receive salaries that range between $25,000 and $40,000 per year. They are also eligible for benefits, adequate amount of leave credits and insurance policies depending on the hospital or medical institution that they work for. Keep in mind that the salary mentioned is an average and varies from city to city.

Career Advancement

Another appealing fact about becoming a Dialysis technician is that you can continue to further your education and open up more advanced medical careers for yourself. Many dialysis technicians continue down this path and become registered nurses, some even go on to study and become doctors as well. It is always nice to know that the time spent studying can come in handy if you would like to go on to a more intensive and advanced nursing or medical career.

Employment Requirements

Before you can finally start working, you are required to pass your certification exam and then appear for your state licensing exam conducted by the Nephrology Nursing Certification Commission. These are the two main requirements that you need to satisfy. Finding yourself that all important first job is relatively easier provided you make the right choices of school, training and get as much live experience as possible.

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