Job Description

Patient handling and treatment:

Assesses patient status prior to, during and after dialysis treatment and informs the physician of significant changes in: general health status, weight, heart rate and blood pressure, body temperature, vascular access, etc.

• Complies with local and corporate safety and hygiene and infection control regulations – especially NC Standard Good Dialysis Care and NC Standard Hygiene and Infection Control
• Performs patient connection and disconnection
• Performs correct anticoagulation of extracorporeal circuit and administers medication during treatment, in line with patient prescription
• Monitors patients during treatment and informs physician of changes which need medical attention
• Properly handle tunnel and non-tunnel central venous catheters
• Performs patient education with regards to managing their health conditions, e.g. nutrition, hygiene, fistula care, etc
• Assists patients in haemostasis after dialysis treatment whenever needed
• Performs blood sampling for lab tests
• Performs emergency interventions and resuscitation procedures
• Handle (prepare and distribute) meals to patients, if applicable
• Assists patients on arrival to and departure from dialysis unit, if applicable
• Prepared bed/chairs for patient treatment, if applicable
• Performs other examinations with proper medical equipment, e.g. BCM, ECG, etc.
• Prepares and administers medication and anticoagulation Dialysis supplies and disposables:
• Checks availability integrity and validity of dialysis disposables, disinfectants and other necessary materials and medication for each of allocated dialysis stations, before the treatment
• Brings dialysis supplies from storage to dialysis treatment room, in line with hygiene and infection control procedures
• Supervises and/or performs collection of nonmedical and medical waste, in line with hygiene and infection control standards and procedures Dialysis machine manipulation:
• Performs machine start, internal & external disinfection, adds bicarbonate supply and other disposables and performs all other necessary tests and procedures before, during and after the treatment TASKS AND QUALIFICATIONS: DIALYSIS UNIT NURSE Page 2 of 3
• Announces Head Nurse or technician of any irregularities in machine functioning
• Primes circuits, connects bloodlines and needles in line with existing procedures
• Sets treatment parameters in line with the medical prescription
• If applicable, performs systems start and shut-down procedures, i.e water system, CDS, etc
• Checks service label, potential equilibration cables and status of latest hydraulic disinfection
• May perform dialysis machine replacement Documentation:
• Performs documentation of treatment, as required by procedures Cooperation with others:
• Support, help, teach other nurses as necessary, mentoring less experienced personnel if required by Head Nurse
• Gives all necessary information to nurses in next shift or to physicians, psychologists, and other clinical functions Peritoneal Dialysis tasks (if applicable):
• Performs patient education on: hygiene, nutrition and basic PD knowledge for CAPD and APD, complications and emergency situation
• Participates to and supports the PD treatment initiation
• Periodically assess and document patient status: blood pressure, heart rate, presence of oedema, body temperature, diuresis, body weight and ultrafiltration
• Verifies that patients are correctly performing PD treatment
• Supervises and is responsible for the hygiene status of PD treatment room, including the correct disposal of contaminated waste
• Strictly follows the physician requirements in regards to patient assessment: o Lab test sampling, storage and sending o Gathering test results and recording them in patient files o Follows patients to different tests recommended by the physician o Performs peritoneal QA tests