National kidney foundation free ceus for dialysis technicians

When someone's kidneys stop working, they either receive dialysis or die. The National Kidney Foundation explains that hemodialysis extracts your blood and runs it through a dialysis machine, cleaning impurities from your blood the way healthy kidneys do. Even after dialysis technicians are certified, they need continuing education to keep them in the game.

Tip

Certified dialysis technicians need continuing education to keep their certification. Multiple organizations offer classes. Pick one that's acceptable to the organization or government body you're recertifying with.

Dialysis Technician Certification

According to Health Occupations and Professions Exploration, dialysis technicians operate the machines that keep their patients alive. While the patient is hooked up to the machine, the technician monitors progress to make sure everything's going smoothly. They do their job in hospitals, dialysis clinics, and by taking the machine to the patient's home in some cases.

You can qualify for a dialysis technician job with a high school diploma or a GED. You can make yourself more marketable by completing a two-year associate degree in medical technology or nephrology – kidney science and medicine – but it's not a legal requirement. However, certification is.

The Board of Nephrology Examiners Nursing and Technology (BONENT) says federal regulations require you to be certified as a dialysis technician within 18 months of starting work. If your state has its own certification requirements, you have to meet those as well. Ohio, for example, requires you to complete six months of patient care before you take the test. Currently, the federal government has suspended the 18-month requirement due to testing sites shutting down during the COVID pandemic.

There are multiple reputable organizations with recognized certifications. BONENT is one. The Nephrology Nursing Certification Commission (NNCC) also provides certification. Certification requires meeting initial requirements and passing a test. The BONENT test, for example, tests you on the technology, infection control and water treatment. Your patient care skills count for 45 percent of the score because dialysis is often stressful for patients.

CEUs for Dialysis Technicians

As with many professions, becoming certified for dialysis isn't a one-and-done. To keep your certification, you need to stay current by taking continuing education units or CEUs for dialysis technicians. For example, the Ohio Board of Nursing requires at least 15 hours of CEUs, of which one must relate to state nursing laws and 10 to dialysis. You can't get credit for taking a course that covers the same ground as past classes, and you must finish your CEUs for dialysis technicians within three years.

You can also take CEUs for dialysis technicians to upgrade your certification. The NNCC advanced certification for technicians requires 30 hours of continuing education over three years. You also need at least five years of experience in dialysis and 5,000 hours of clinical work before you can take the advanced certification test.

Before you sign up for any class, check that it's acceptable by the credentialing authority. Look for courses approved by certification organizations, nursing associations or state boards of nursing. Not every group has the same standards. The American Kidney Fund reports that the CEUs count for different amounts of credits depending on which group you want recertification from.