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A dialysis patient care technician is a very important member of the dialysis clinic staff whose primary job role is to help registered nurses and physicians meet the growing demand for renal therapy. Recent increases in the prevalence of diabetes and high blood pressure in the United States have resulted in a large number of end stage renal disease cases. Dialysis demand has been outpacing the healthcare system’s ability to provide services. This has led to an increase in the number of technicians that are being hired.

Unlike most allied health careers, the dialysis technician training environment does not have a formal degree requirement that must be completed in order to enter the occupation. In fact, most technicians receive the necessary training directly from the dialysis clinic or healthcare facility that has hired them. These facilities develop their own approach to training technicians that is meant to give individuals the knowledge and skills they need to carry out their specific responsibilities within a particular facility. While many of these clinics will train technicians to perform a set of core tasks, there are slight differences that distinguish facilities from each other.

Some states have established specific dialysis technician training standards that facilities must comply with in order to meet quality standards, but there is no detailed set of national standards that all facilities in the United States must follow. Until recently, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) did not even have established standards for how technicians should be trained. The CMS is the government organization that is responsible for reimbursing dialysis facilities for approximately 80% of the costs associated with dialysis. Anytime that a government organization is responsible for an expense of this size, they will typically establish detailed guidelines that institutions must follow in order to receive reimbursement.

In 2008, the CMS added language to federal dialysis legislation that established a few dialysis technician training requirements that facilities must follow in order to continue to receive reimbursement. According to federal regulations, a technician must meet all federal and state requirements for education, training, and competency to provide patient care in dialysis facilities. A technician must have a high school diploma or equivalency and complete a job-specific training program which addresses the curricula prescribed by the ESRD Conditions for Coverage (CfCs) at §494.140(e)(3) before independently providing care to patients. In addition, dialysis technician training must be followed by certification by an approved program within 18 months of hire. At the time that these regulations were passed, the CMS had approved 3 national and 10 state certification programs.

National certification programs that meet dialysis technician training standards:

1. Board of Nephrology Examiners for Nursing and Technology (BONENT)
   • Certification Offered: Certified Hemodialysis Technologist / Technician (CHT)
   • Certification Period: 4 Years
   • Re-certification Requirements: 40 continuing education hours
   • Experience Required: 12 months
   • Testing Sites: Independent facilities
2. Nephrology Nursing Certifying Commission (NNCC)
   • Certification Offered: Certified Clinical Hemodialysis Technician (CCHT)
   • Certification Period: 3 Years
   • Re-certification Requirements: 10 education hours + 1,000 annual work hours
   • Experience Required: 6 months
   • Testing Sites: ANNA and CBT Centers
3. National Nephrology Certification Organization (NNCO)
   • Certification Offered: Certified Clinical Nephrology Technology (CCNT)
   • Certification Period: 4 Years
   • Re-certification Requirements: 30 continuing education hours
   • Experience Required: 12 months
   • Testing Sites: PSI / LaserGrade

Dialysis technician training requirements vary in different states. Most states defer the certification to the three organizations listed above, but there are a few that offer a state certification examination as well. It is always a good idea to research the requirements in your state so that you are aware of what to expect. Fortunately, we have consolidated most of the information regarding state specific requirements on this site. You can find the information that is relevant to you by visiting your state specific page.

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