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Dialysis Nurse Salary

By Steve October 18, 2013 Dialysis Nurse Salary

Nurses represent one of the most important components of patient care delivery in the US. Nurses have the basic knowledge they need to work in most medical specialties. Although many nurses choose not to acquire specialized training, those that do can expect more job opportunities and a higher earning potential. Individuals who decide that they would like to work as a registered nurse in a specialty field will need to first complete the basic education, training, and certification that is required of all nurses.


Most nursing programs in the United States are designed to teach individuals how to provide patient care. Common responsibilities included in the nurse’s job description include collaborating with medical personnel, providing patient care, ensuring optimal health outcomes, performing clinical procedures, discharging patients, developing treatment plans, enforcing policies, reviewing standards of practice, analyzing patient records, and much more. These general job responsibilities are shared among all medical specialties and are tailored to meet the specific needs that different types of patients encounter. Some of the practical skills that all registered nurses must possess include recording medical histories, collecting vitals, administering medications, documenting in charts, operating medical equipment, performing diagnostic tests, and educating patients. …Click Here to Continue Reading

Peritoneal Dialysis vs Hemodialysis

By Steve October 17, 2013 Peritoneal Dialysis vs Hemodialysis

End stage kidney disease often requires that individuals undergo a transplant or dialysis in order to prolong life. Dialysis is a medical procedure that removes water and waste from the body so that it is not allowed to accumulate to toxic levels. Patients who are faced with the prospect of long-term dialysis treatment may qualify for a few different types of therapy depending on their status. When evaluating the benefits and risks of peritoneal dialysis vs hemodialysis, there are many important factors to consider.


Hemodialysis is the procedure that most people think about when they picture dialysis. This is the approach that is taken in most treatment facilities where machines are used to filter the blood. In order to transfer blood from the body to the dialyzer, a vascular access point must be established. This access point is commonly referred to as an anastomosis and it is created when a surgeon connects an artery to a vein just under the skin. When a patient goes to a clinic for treatment, large needles are used to access the anastomosis so that blood can flow from the body to the machine and then back. While this procedure is often performed in clinics, it can also be administered at a patient’s home. In either case, the process requires at least three to five treatments per week for a period of four to six hours for each treatment. …Click Here to Continue Reading

Dialysis Disequilibrium Syndrome

By Steve October 16, 2013 Dialysis Disequilibrium Syndrome

Individuals who suffer from kidney disease often require treatment many times each week to maintain a healthy level of water and nutrients in the body. Although dialysis does an effective job of replacing some of the kidney function that is lost, it can also lead to neurologic signs and symptoms that can be very uncomfortable and even life-threatening. A condition known as dialysis disequilibrium syndrome is a very serious medical condition that is believed to occur as a result of swelling in the brain.


While dialysis has been around for nearly 50 years, the cause of this severe medical condition is not fully understood. Some healthcare professionals believe that the symptoms patients sometimes experience including restlessness, headache, coma, confusion, or even death are the result of a slowing of the transport of urea out of cells in the brain. As the amount of urea in the brain increases, it creates a concentration gradient that causes fluid to move out of the blood vessels and into the extravascular compartment. This accumulation of fluid creates elevated pressures within the brain and leads to the neurologic deterioration that is often characteristic of dialysis disequilibrium syndrome. …Click Here to Continue Reading