Dialysis Nurse (RN)

Short Description

Dialysis nurses are registered nurses who oversee your care during treatments. They coordinate with the nephrologist, supervise technicians, and handle any medical issues that arise in the clinic.

Main Priorities

• Review your health status before treatment and adjust care as needed.
• Give IV medications such as iron, antibiotics, or anticoagulants.
• Monitor your response to treatment and address urgent health changes.
• Educate patients on dialysis care, diet, and medications.
• Supervise and support the work of dialysis technicians.

Issues They Work With

• Blood pressure drops, cramping, chest pain, or shortness of breath during treatment.
• Concerns about your vascular access, such as swelling, redness, or signs of infection.
• Questions about lab results or changes in your health between nephrologist visits.
• Clarifying the dialysis prescription and explaining any adjustments.

When to Go to Them

• If you have sudden symptoms during dialysis.
• For clarification about treatment orders or recent lab results.
• If you notice changes to your access site between sessions.
• When your technician refers an issue to the nurse for medical review.

What They Don’t Handle (Boundaries)

• Changing your long-term dialysis plan without nephrologist approval.
• Authorizing non-dialysis prescriptions or treatments outside their scope.
• Handling insurance or billing questions — those go to the financial coordinator.