Description
Provide guidance and a caring attitude. Bring a smile and your vital knowledge to everyone every day. Illuminate the perspectives of your patients and your career.
Commit to your goals and change lives
with Fresenius Medical Care North America.
Here's your chance to make the deep connections that make the difference. As the world's leading provider of dialysis care, we know what it takes to build strong bonds between patients, their families and our team members – and why it's important. In this positive environment, the people we serve can achieve better results – and professionals can achieve their most important goals.
Why join the Fresenius team?
Dedication. Mission. Knowledge. Motivation. Experience. These are the impressive qualities you will find in the Fresenius management team. Our strength in the North American market and extensive global network offer our employees the best of both worlds - the friendliness of a local organization and the stability of a global organization - for diverse experiences and challenging career opportunities. When you join the Fresenius Medical Care team, you will be welcomed into a company built on the philosophy that our people are our most important asset. Our career benefits include:
- Fresenius Medical Care is the country's largest provider of kidney care, serving the needs of more than 135,000 patients in 1,800 clinics across the country.
- Our well-established, trusted organization fosters a spirit of camaraderie and values friendly collaboration, professional support and career development.
- Excellent training UltraCare® quality control and certification processes ensure your potential for success and professional growth.
- Competitive salary and exceptional benefits.
- Excellent tuition reimbursement program.
- Named one of the world's most admired companies by Fortune in 2011.
- National Safety Award from CNA insurance companies for 11 consecutive years.
Opportunities to give back by participating in philanthropy and community outreach programs.
Registered nurse
This is a unique opportunity to succeed with a leading healthcare organization. As a key member of our hemodialysis team, this professional will guide our patient care technicians in the safe and effective delivery of chronic hemodialysis therapy. This individual delegates duties, trains and supervises all personnel who have direct patient contact, including LVNs/LPNs and dialysis assistants, and assesses care needs and develops assignments.
PURPOSE AND SCOPE:
Serves as a registered nurse as part of the hemodialysis healthcare team ensuring quality patient care on a daily basis in accordance with FMS policies, procedures and training. Supports FMCNA's mission vision values and customer service philosophy. Supports FMCNA's commitment to Quality Enhancement Program (QEP) and CQI activities, including those related to patient satisfaction, and actively participates in process improvement activities that increase the likelihood of patients achieving FMCNA Quality Enhancement Goals (QEP). Adheres to all requirements of the FMCNA Compliance Program and FMS Patient Care and Administration Policies.
COVENANTS / ACTIVITIES:
CUSTOMER SERVICE:
- Responsible for promoting FMS culture through values and customer service standards.
- Responsible for excellent customer service to all external and internal customers.
- Develops and maintains effective relationships through effective and timely communication.
- Takes initiative and actions to respond, resolve and follow up on customer service issues in a timely manner with all customers.
PRINCIPAL RESPONSIBILITIES AND OBLIGATIONS
EMPLOYEE RELATED:
- Leads the patient care technician in providing safe and effective delivery of chronic hemodialysis therapy to patients in accordance with the standards set forth in facility policy manuals as well as regulations set forth by state and federal agencies.
- Delegate tasks to all direct patient care staff, including but not limited to LVN/LPN patient care technicians and dialysis assistants.
- Assesses daily patient care needs and develops appropriate patient care tasks.
- Routinely supervises patient caregivers for appropriate techniques and adherence to facility policies and procedures.
- Participates in staff training and introduction of new employees according to assigned tasks
- Attends all necessary staff meetings as scheduled.
PATIENT RELATED:
Education:
- Ensures that the educational needs of patients and family members regarding End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) are met.
- Provides ongoing education to patients about vascular access and dialysis therapy for their kidney disease and other related health conditions.
- Discusses with patient and records education on diet/hydration and medication adherence.
- Provides patient specific detailed education on adequacy measures where applicable – Online Clearance Monitoring (OLC), Adequacy Monitoring Program (AMP) Urea Kinetic Modeling (UKM).
- Ensures awareness of transplant modalities and promotes catheter reduction.
- Informs patients of laboratory values and the relationship to appropriate adherence to dialysis treatment, medications, and fluids in the treatment plan.
Dialysis treatment:
- Provides safe and effective care for patients with end-stage renal disease.
- Accurately implements treatment protocols, including sodium (Na) modeling and ultrafiltration modeling (where applicable), to ensure stable treatment therapy as indicated.
- Assesses the patient's response to hemodialysis treatment and makes appropriate adjustments and modifications to the treatment plan as directed by the prescribing physician. Communicates problems or concerns to team leader or physician.
- Identifies and communicates patient-related issues to team leader or physician.
- Initiates the initial and annual care assessment and ongoing assessment and documentation of patient care needs in accordance with FMC policies and procedures.
- Actively participates in pre-evaluation, initiation, completion monitoring, access to homeostasis and post-evaluation of patients receiving hemodialysis treatment according to established FMC procedures.
- Takes appropriate action in response to changes in patient adequacy status and in resolving access flow issues identified by amber OLC/AMP lights.
- Provides supervision (if applicable) and monitors hemodialysis access treatment according to established procedures.
- Implements, administers, monitors, and documents patient response to prescribed interdialytic transfusions, including appropriate notification of adverse events to physician and appropriate blood supplier.
- Ensures accurate and complete documentation by the patient care technician on the hemodialysis treatment sheet.
Laboratory related:
- Reviews accurately transcribe and enter medical laboratory orders into the medical information system.
- Ensures adequate preparation of laboratory requirements for Spectra or an alternate laboratory.
- Ensures that the correct laboratory tubes are used for the prescribed laboratory specimens and that laboratory collection and processing procedures are performed correctly for all laboratory specimens.
- Identifies missed laboratory tests and samples reported as inadequate in accordance with company policies and procedures and ensures appropriate follow-up.
- Ensures all specimens are properly packaged in accordance with Department of Transportation (DOT) policies and procedures for shipping blood or body fluid specimens and potentially hazardous materials.
- Ensures that all labs are routed and delivered to the appropriate labs.
- Reports alarm/panic conditions and abnormal laboratory results to the appropriate physician.
- Ensures laboratory results are communicated to physicians upon request.
General tasks:
- Enforces all company approved policies and procedures and regulations established by state and federal agencies and departments.
- Maintains all shift operations in a safe, efficient and effective manner.
- Act as a resource for other employees.
- Meet regularly with the clinical manager to discuss questions and information regarding staff and patient care status.
- Work with and communicate with physicians and other healthcare team members to interpret, adjust and coordinate patient care.
- Provides patients with prescription refill assistance as needed, in accordance with FMCNA guidelines.
- Ensures that all medical orders are transcribed and entered into the medical information system in a timely manner.
- Oversees all patient information documentation.
- Maintains the facility's medication list for all necessary stock medications.
- Maintains competency in all emergency procedures and initiates CPR and emergency response in the event of cardiac and/or respiratory arrest.
- Ensures review and availability of appropriate emergency equipment.
- Ensures provision of appropriate vaccinations and annual tuberculosis (TB) testing.
- Administers medications as prescribed or in accordance with approved algorithms and documents appropriate medical justification when necessary.
- Administers PRN medications as prescribed and produces appropriate documentation to assess effectiveness.
- Maintains proper records of controlled substances as required by law.
- Assists in coordinating patient transport as needed.
MAINTENANCE/TECHNOLOGY:
- Ensures a clean, safe and hygienic environment in the treatment area of the dialysis facility.
- Ensures competence in safe and efficient operation of all dialysis machines.
- Ensures all patient stations, including machines and chairs, are clean, free of blood and properly positioned.
- Ensures that all blood spills are promptly cleaned up in accordance with FMCNA guidelines for the control of bloodborne pathogens.
DRUGS AND DOCUMENTATION:
In general
- Ensures that all pertinent data, including physician orders, laboratory results, vital signs and treatment parameters, and patient status, are properly documented and entered into the medical information system.
- Ensures that all relevant patient-related treatment data is entered into the medical information system.
- Ensures all FMCNA policies regarding patient admission, transfer and discharge are properly implemented.
- Ensures and verifies accuracy of patient care technician documentation.
Daily
- Verifies and ensures correct daily completion of hemodialysis treatment forms by all patient care staff.
- Ensures that all appropriate opening and closing procedures are followed, including monitoring that all staff and patients have safely exited the premises.
Monthly
- Initiates documents and completes ongoing continuous quality improvement (CQI) activities, including monthly reports.
- Complete the nurses' monthly status note.
- Ensures patient medical records are complete with appropriate information documentation and identification on each page (address graph label is on all chart forms).
- Review transplant status and follow established procedure for appropriate actions to be taken.
- Completes patient care plans for new patients within the first 30 days or for patients deemed unstable requiring monthly patient care plans.
- Complete all appropriate long-term programs.
Yearly
- Conducts the initial and annual medical history and assessment examination.
- Ensures the annual review of the rules of procedure is completed with each physician as needed.
ANDRE:
- Performs additional duties as assigned.
PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS AND WORKING CONDITIONS:
The physical demands and characteristics of the work environment described herein are representative of those to which an employee will be exposed in the performance of the essential functions of the job in question. Reasonable accommodations can be made to enable people with disabilities to perform essential functions.
As an employment requirement, employees must pass Ishihara's color blindness test. Note the following: Failed the Ishihara test. Blindness does not preclude employment. The company will consider whether a reasonable adjustment can be made.
The position provides direct patient care requiring regular lifting and moving of heavy patients and assistance with walking. Equipment assistants and/or colleagues can provide assistance. This position often requires prolonged standing and the employee must be able to bend down. Occasionally, the employee may be required to transport utility machinery and equipment weighing up to 200 pounds. and can lift chemical and water solutions up to 30 pounds. to a height of 5 feet.
The working environment is typical of a healthcare center with controlled air temperature and moderate noise levels. May be exposed to infectious and contagious diseases/materials.
EDUCATION:
- Graduated from an accredited nursing school.
- Current appropriate state license.
- Must meet the practice requirements of the state in which he or she is employed.
EXPERIENCE AND REQUIREMENTS:
- At least one year of experience in medical and surgical treatment is desirable.
- Experience with hemodialysis preferred.
- Experience with an intensive care unit is desired.
- Complete a training course in the theory and practice of hemodialysis.
- Complete the CPR certification.
- Provide coverage at any or all facilities in the region as required by management.
- Icd-9 coding training.
- Technical training for nurses.
- Must meet relevant government requirements (if any).
EO/AA Employers: Minority/Women/Veterans/Disability/Sexual Orientation/Gender Identity
Fresenius Medical Care North America maintains a drug-free workplace in accordance with applicable federal and state laws.
FAQs
What is the hardest thing about being a RN? ›
Long shifts
Nurses often work 10- or 12-hour shifts. After all the necessary administrative tasks and shift change procedures, these shifts frequently end up being even longer. Working such long hours can be physically and mentally taxing, which can lead to burnout.
Nurses are the ones who care for patients directly, often giving them more attention and treatment than doctors. If you want to make a difference in your community, and you have the patience required to work with people, then this might be the tell-tale sign that you are meant to become a nurse.
Why are you passionate about nursing? ›As nurses, we have the opportunity to empower our patients and their families with knowledge. When I see that a patient understands their disease process and the plan of care, it is an awesome feeling. Nurses have the ability to bring understanding and peace during what can be a confusing or challenging time.
How to prepare for Fresenius interview? ›Prepare in advance – Know the company and what we do, practice answers to common interview questions, review the job description, prepare any questions you know you have in advance, be prepared to provide specific examples when asked questions.
What is the most stressful RN job? ›The most stressful nursing jobs include ICU nurse, ER nurse, and NICU nurse. In these roles, nurses work in an intense environment with high stakes. They manage emergency situations and care for critically ill patients. Other stressful nursing jobs include OR nursing, oncology nursing, and psychiatric nursing.
What is the hardest class in RN school? ›Pharmacology. Pharmacology, or the study of medication, can seem scary because of the sheer scope of the course. "It becomes one of the hardest classes for nursing students due to the depth and amount of knowledge needed," says Megan Lynch, RN and instructor at Pima Community College.
Are nursing degrees hard? ›Nursing requires more dedication than many other careers. However, it's one of the most rewarding jobs you can have. Nursing school is notoriously difficult—and it's not for everyone. Graduate school is challenging as well.
Is it worth it to be a nurse? ›Many senior-level nurses make an average salary of well over $100,000 and have the sought-after luxury of terrific job security, which can't be undervalued in this day and age. Depending on which nursing field you pursue, you can make even more, according to a recent article featured on nurse.org.
How hard is it to be a nurse? ›Nursing is hard work and it requires a high level of dedication to helping people, excellent communication skills, and the right emotional temperament. On top of this, nursing requires extensive education and there is a steep learning curve for the clinical knowledge and skills needed to help patients.
What are 6 C's of nursing? ›The 6 Cs – care, compassion, courage, communication, commitment, competence - are a central part of 'Compassion in Practice', which was first established by NHS England Chief Nursing Officer, Jane Cummings, in December 2017.
How do I answer why do I want to be a nurse? ›
- It is both practical and academic.
- Helping Others.
- Range of career choices.
- Work with people.
- Interest in a certain specialty.
- A personal experience.
- It fits your personality.
- Your work experience confirmed your interest.
Many nurses are drawn to the profession because of a sincere desire to help others. These professionals can get a renewed sense of job satisfaction very day as they continue to provide caring and compassionate service to the patients to whom they are assigned.
How do you ace a healthcare interview? ›- Research the company and interviewer. ...
- Tweak your resume. ...
- Anticipate resume questions. ...
- Rehearse some answers. ...
- Prepare some questions of your own. ...
- Plan your outfit. ...
- Pack your bag. ...
- Catch some zzz's.
- Be enthusiastic. ...
- Be respectful and courteous to everyone you meet. ...
- Don't be arrogant. ...
- Prepare answers to common questions ahead of time. ...
- Watch your body language. ...
- Stand out, but not with your clothes. ...
- Ask questions. ...
- Talk to current medical students.
In general, your strengths should be skills that can be supported through experience. For example, if you list communication as a strength, you may want to recall a situation in which you used communication to reach a goal or resolve a problem.
What is the easiest nurse to be? ›Occupational Health
One of the easiest nursing jobs to get into is in the field of occupational health. Occupational health nurses work in large industries, HMOs, and factories to treat work-related injuries and onsite illnesses. This type of nurse is employed to keep the workers on the job.
Many nursing schools require a minimum grade of roughly 80% to actually pass, as well. By the time you realize you aren't doing well enough to be successful in the course, the choices can be pretty limited. Failure happens all the time. It happens every day...
What is the hardest nursing unit? ›Intensive Care Unit (ICU) nurses
ICU is an extremely high-pressure environment and these nurses work with patients who have significant injuries and disease with added morbidity risks. Unstable patients require lifesaving interventions and once stabilized, are transferred to a different unit.
Nursing school is difficult and will be hard to pass. Most students pass their nursing program, so you can too. How many nursing students fail? According to the National League of Nursing, the dropout rate for nursing programs in the United States is around 20%.
What is a good GPA for nursing school? ›GPA requirements depend on the type of nursing program you want to apply for, but most programs require at least a 3.0 GPA or higher. However, due to the competitive nature of nursing programs, most schools prefer a 3.7 to 4.0 GPA.
Why is nursing school so hard? ›
The main reason why nursing school is challenging is because it involves learning about complicated nursing concepts and practical skills, then applying that information into diverse patient care scenarios — going well beyond memorizing facts. While it is challenging, nursing school is not impossible.
Is nursing school harder than college? ›While it is difficult to compare nursing school to other degrees, it can certainly be considered one of the harder programs. However, in the end, nursing school is definitely worth the time and effort you put into it.
Will I make enough money as a nurse? ›Registered nurses make $35.24 an hour or $73,300 each year, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Actual earnings will depend on a nurse's education and experience as well as the location and facility. Travel nurses, for example, earn more per hour than nurses working a full time position.
Is 30 too late to become a nurse? ›And while some people might feel that becoming a nurse later in life isn't possible, that's simply not true. Thanks to a variety of diverse nursing programs, it's 100% possible to follow your heart and become a nurse at any age. In fact, it's even easier if you already have a bachelor's degree.
What type of nursing gets paid the most? ›What is the highest-paid nurse? Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists! Earning $195,610 annually, CRNAs earn significantly more than any other type of nurse or nursing specialty.
Is being an RN stressful? ›Nursing is an incredibly stressful career. From the moment nursing students start their education program when they retire, they face difficult situations and stressors on a daily basis. In fact, stress and burnout affect 10-70% of nurses.
Is a nurse job harder than a doctor? ›Instead most are more focused on doing their jobs to the best of their abilities. Is being a nurse harder than being a doctor? No, being a nurse and being a doctor are both equally hard. While they both face different challenges it's hard to look at either profession and say that one is “easier” than the other.
Is nursing school the hardest degree? ›There's a rumor circulating on the internet that The Guinness Book of Work Records has declared a Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing to be the toughest of all bachelor's degrees to obtain. There's no truth to this claim.
What are the 4 P's of nursing? ›It's structured around four themes – prioritise people, practise effectively, preserve safety and promote professionalism and trust.
How do you rock a nursing interview? ›- Know where you're going. Healthcare facilities are often big and confusing. ...
- Dress professionally. Professional attire tells interviewers you take them and the job seriously.
- Rehearse your nursing interview questions. Don't just prep answers. ...
- Pamper yourself. ...
- Listen and take notes.
How do you pass a nursing school interview? ›
- Do Your Research. ...
- Demonstrate Confidence. ...
- Practice Your Elevator Pitch. ...
- Practice Answering Questions. ...
- Create a List of Questions to Ask. ...
- Come Prepared with Your Transcript. ...
- Dress Professionally. ...
- Take Time When Answering Hard Questions.
Spending too much time on paperwork. Paying too much attention to detail. Attempting to complete too many tasks at once. A lack of clinical experience, which may apply to recent graduates or new nurses.
Why should we hire you? ›Show that you have skills and experience to do the job and deliver great results. You never know what other candidates offer to the company. But you know you: emphasize your key skills, strengths, talents, work experience, and professional achievements that are fundamental to getting great things done on this position.
What is the most important quality of a nurse? ›Compassionate
One of the most important qualities of a good nurse is compassion. In their career, nurses will see patients suffer. Beyond simply offering a solution, they must be able to express compassion for patients and their families. This allows them to form meaningful relationships with their patients.
For nursing applicants, specifically, our experts said they're typically looking for strengths like flexibility, a team player, extremely organized, multitasking, leadership abilities, creative problem-solving, an excellent communicator, or curiosity about learning new things.
What are 5 things nurses do? ›Nurses have many duties, including caring for patients, communicating with doctors, administering medicine and checking vital signs. Making up for the biggest healthcare job in the U.S., nurses play a vital role in medical facilities and enjoy a large number of job opportunities.
What are 3 things nurses do? ›Preparing patients for exams and treatment. Administering medications and treatments, then monitoring patients for side effects and reactions. Creating, implementing, and evaluating patient care plans with the medical team. Performing wound care, such as cleaning and bandaging them.
What is your career goal? ›Career goals are targets. Things, positions, situations related to your professional life that you have set your mind on achieving. They can be short-term, like getting a promotion or certification, or they can be long-term, like running your own successful business or being an executive at your dream company.
How do you handle stress and pressure? ›- Track your stressors. Keep a journal for a week or two to identify which situations create the most stress and how you respond to them. ...
- Develop healthy responses. ...
- Establish boundaries. ...
- Take time to recharge. ...
- Learn how to relax. ...
- Talk to your supervisor. ...
- Get some support.
- “I'm not sure why I want to be a doctor”
- “I don't mind which medical school I get into”
- “I wouldn't apply again if I didn't get in”
- “I don't have any questions for you”
- I'm not really sure what a junior doctor does”
How do you get well liked in an interview? ›
- Consider what you want to convey. You shouldn't have to fake being likable. ...
- Stay in character during your mock interview. ...
- Bust nerves, and boost excitement. ...
- Be kind from the get-go. ...
- Embrace the small talk. ...
- Match the interviewer's pace. ...
- Lean in. ...
- Don't sweat mistakes.
Good time-management skills. Strong work ethic and determination to succeed. Creativity and innovative thinking. Good communication skills and ability to work in teams.
What can you bring to the company? ›Think about: your enthusiasm for the profession and the employer and your desire to make your mark. your personal qualities, such as your drive and willingness to learn. the skills the employer seeks and how you have demonstrated them in the past – your answer should show why you would be competent in the job.
What are your 5 weaknesses? ›- Self-critical.
- Insecure.
- Disorganized.
- Prone to procrastination.
- Uncomfortable with public speaking.
- Uncomfortable with delegating tasks.
- Risk-averse.
- Competitive.
According to one study, job-related stress related to nurses because they had to perform non-nursing activities consistently. These nurses deal with various patients, and they also struggle to feel in control of the patient outcomes. They don't get to see patients heal, so it can seem a bit deflating at times.
What are the best and worst things about being a nurse? ›- Pro: You get to help people. Many go into nursing because they feel called to help people. ...
- Con: You will see a LOT of things. ...
- Pro: There are always job openings. ...
- Con: You may feel overworked and underappreciated. ...
- Pro/Con: Life-long Learning. ...
- Nursing Has Many Sides.
Nursing is known as a stressful job since it is associated with complex job demands and needs, and high expectations, excessive responsibility, and minimal authority have been identified as the main stressors [6].
Why is nursing a difficult job? ›Nurses often care for a high number of patients each day, trying their best to make them comfortable and use the best treatment plans. Due to the demands of the work, many nurses frequently feel burnt out or exhausted. RNs may be asked to move or transport patients to and from rooms or beds in the hospital or facility.
Which type of nurse is most prone to burnout? ›Critical care nurses tend to suffer the highest rates of burnout. Critical care specialties include the emergency department (ED) and intensive care unit (ICU). Emergency department nurses tend to experience the highest rates of burnout.
Which nurses have the highest burnout? ›Critical care nurses suffer the highest rates of burnout.
This is mainly due to the nature of the job, as critical care nurses work specialize in the emergency department (ED) and intensive care unit (ICU). As such, their work environment is constantly fast-paced, meticulous, and demanding.
What mistakes should a nurse never make? ›
- Forgetting to turn on the bed alarm for a patient at high risk for falls.
- Incorrectly programming an IV pump resulting in underdosing or overdosing.
- Failing to report a change in a patient's condition.
- Medication errors.
- Inaccurate documentation.
Examples of common nursing weaknesses our experts say they hear include: Paying too much attention to detail. Wanting to do everything at once. Spending too long on paperwork.
What nurses should avoid? ›- Medication Errors. Medication errors are among the most common clinical mistakes that nurses — and their patients — face. ...
- Most Common Causes of Medication Errors in the Nursing Profession. ...
- Infections. ...
- Improper Documentation. ...
- Falling Accidents.
Institutional Nurses
These nurses administer more basic care and typically don't have to work long hours and overnight shifts, so this field of nursing tends to be low-stress. Even with less excitement, these nurses find fulfillment in providing basic and family care to those in need.
- Making the Decision. ...
- Consider alternatives to your career. ...
- Do not tell coworkers you are planning to leave before talking to your supervisor/employer. ...
- Prepare a letter of resignation. ...
- Schedule a time to visit with your employer and discuss your decision.
The Magic Number? In about six months to a year, you'll get comfortable with the skills such as starting IVs, drawing blood, accessing central lines, doing your head-to-toe assessments, charting, giving medications, and talking with doctors. You'll be doing those things so often that it will become second nature.
Does it get easier being a nurse? ›It's important to remember that your first day as a nurse and the first months will be chaotic and scary as a new nurse. Over time, and with experience, it gets easier. You build skills that can develop when working as a nurse.