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Average
Salary & Job Outlook
Dialysis technician median wages (2005)
$34,300 annually
U.S. Minimum Wage
$10,712 Annually
In 2005 dialysis technicians made an average salary of $26,050. Those with more training and experience in their specialized industry can expect to earn an average of salary of $34,300 a year.
The healthcare industry is booming, and this career is no
different. Jobs for dialysis technicians are expected to grow
faster than average over the next decade. This job growth stems
from advancements in dialysis technology and the increase in
the number of dialysis patients.
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What
is a dialysis technician?
Dialysis technicians work in a specialized part
of the healthcare industry. They are vital to the
field as they are the only people trained specifically
for kidney dialysis care.
What do dialysis technicians do?
Dialysis technician’s main job is to operate
hemodialysis machines to perform dialysis treatment
for patients that have kidney failure. Hemodialysis
machines carry patients blood through tubes containing
a water, sugar solution that sterilizes the blood
and brings it back to the patients body.
Dialysis technicians are responsible for:
- Mix sterilization solution
- Set up dialysis machine
- Take patient history
- Record blood pressure
- Determine pulse rate
- Monitor patient’s reaction
- Inspects dialysis
machine
Other important tasks of dialysis technicians include
cleaning the area where the blood will be extracted,
explaining the procedure and calculating blood flow
and fluid removal. They also record the patient’s
condition before and after the procedure by noting
temperature, blood pressure, weight and respiratory
rate.
Dialysis technicians must be patient and pay attention
to detail because they have to look after patients
before, during and after the dialysis procedure.
These technicians must make sure that the patient’s
vital signs continue to be normal and that they remain
in stable condition. |
