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Dialysis Technician Training in Georgia

There are no state agencies that have been tasked with implementing and enforcing dialysis technician training and certification requirements in Georgia. The fact that technicians perform basic tasks that require little formal education means that the state is not concerned with how dialysis clinic administrators conduct their training. Most clinics have their own protocol for training and may determine whether or not they will require applicants to have a college degree or experience in the healthcare industry.

While many states have chosen to remain silent on the issue of official dialysis technician training and certification requirements, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has added language to its official reimbursement policy which requires dialysis clinics to provide proof that technicians have successfully completed a state or national certification exam if they wish to continue to receive federal funds for the services they provide. Nearly all clinics will make an effort to comply with this requirement because the CMS covers approximately 80% of the costs associated with dialysis treatment in the United States.

Dialysis clinics that operate in states that have passed formal dialysis technician training and certification legislation will likely not have to make changes to their operational policies; whereas, clinics in unregulated states may need to develop a plan for how they will create and retain evidence that their technicians are qualified to care for patients. This usually means that clinic administrators will need to take steps to ensure that technicians are prepared to pass a certification exam.

CMS regulations 494.140 (e)(1-4) require that the patient care technician training and certification requirements include the following standards:

1. Meet all applicable state requirements for:
   • Education
   • Training
   • Credentialing
   • Competency
   • Standards of practice
   • Certification
   • Licensure
2. Have a High School Diploma or equivalency
3. Complete an approved training program that includes the following subjects:
   • Principles of dialysis
   • Care of patients with kidney failure
   • Possible complications of dialysis
   • Water treatment and dialysate preparation
   • Infection control
   • Safety
   • Dialyzer reprocessing
4. Certification by a State or National Program within 18 months of employment

There are a number of different options available to technicians when it comes to certification exams. A few states have their own exams, but most have chosen to allow national organizations to set the standard for certification. The federal government is not overly concerned about which exam is completed as long as it demonstrates that an individual is competent to provide care. Clinical directors may select a particular exam or allow technicians to choose.

Nationally recognized technician certification exams include:

1. The Nephrology Nursing Certification Commission (NNCC)
   • Certified Clinical Hemodialysis Technician (CCHT) Exam
2. The Board of Nephrology Examiners Nursing and Technology (BONENT)
   • Certified Hemodialysis Technician (CHT) Exam
3. The National Nephrology Certification Organization, Inc. (NNCO)
   • Certified in Clinical Nephrology Technology (CCNT) Exam
   • Certified in Biomedical Nephrology Technology (CBNT) Exam

In an effort to promote the highest standard of dialysis treatment throughout the United States, Congress enacted legislation in 1978 that created 18 non-profit networks across the United States that were tasked with the responsibility of tracking dialysis clinic performance, promoting rehabilitation, and acting as an informational resource. These networks have jurisdiction over 1 to 6 states. Georgia is included in Network 6 along with North Carolina and South Carolina.

Georgia Dialysis Technician Training and Career Links

1. American Renal Associates
2. Athens Kidney Center
3. Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta
4. Colquitt Regional Medical Center
5. Crisp Regional Hospital
6. Davita
7. Dialysis Clinic, Inc.
8. Diversified Specialties Institutes
9. Fresenius Medical Care
10. Hapeville Dialysis Center
11. Harbin Clinic
12. Home Dialysis of North Atlanta
13. Kidney Care Group
14. Kidney Center of North Georgia
15. Mableton Dialysis
16. Reliant Renal Care
17. Southwest Georgia Dialysis
18. Tift Regional Medical Center
19. Trinity Dialysis Clinic
20. US Renal Care

State Contact Information

Phone:          (478) 207-2440
Fax:               (877) 371-5712
Email:           Contact Form

214 State Capitol     Atlanta, GA 30334

Web Site:     Georgia Board of Nursing

National Network:   Network 6