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Last Updated 5/12/13
   

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Dialysis technicians and technologists spend more time with dialysis patients than any other health care professionals.  There are more dialysis technicians/technologists than nephrology nurses and nephrologists combined.

In most dialysis facilities, dialysis technicians perform dialysis treatments under the supervision of a registered nurse. Duties include pretreatment assessment, cannulation, initiation of treatment, treatment monitoring, discontinuation of treatment, and post-treatment assessment.

Dialysis technologists specialize in the technical operations of a dialysis facility. Duties include dialysis equipment maintenance and repair, water treatment monitoring, dialyzer reprocessing, and facility safety issues. See the Renal Career Fact Sheet for Dialysis Technologists from the National Kidney Foundation.

This list of educational and informational resources will be continually expanded. Please notify RenalWEB of your suggestions and ideas for this page.

Warning:  Changes should never be made in a patient's treatment or care based solely on the information found here.  Every patient has unique healthcare concerns and considerations and all these factors must all be taken into account before any changes can be safely made.  All medical and therapeutic decisions must come from a qualified health care provider.  Read RenalWEB's Legal Disclaimer before proceeding.

  NEWS

FDA Product Class II Recall Notices in May 8th Enforcement Report - May 8, 2013
• Diacap(R) Ultra Dialysis Fluid Filter (9 lot numbers) - B Braun
• NxStage PureFlow-B Solution, Model/Catalog Number: RFP-401 (1480 cases) - NxStage

Aethlon Medical (AEMD) Note: An Update on the Clinical Status of the Aethlon Hemopurifier® in Hepatitis-C Care - May 7, 2013

Medical Devices Fall Short for Children - Article from The New York Times. - May 6, 2013

Water for Dialysis Webinar Series - May 2013

NxStage Announces FDA Clearance for New High Flow Capabilities with NxStage System One - Press release. - April 30, 2013

The Impact of Membrane Permeability and Dialysate Purity on Cardiovascular Outcomes - JASN Express Abstract - April 25, 2013

The Bioartificial Kidney: Current Status and Future Promise - Online First abstract from Pediatric Nephrology. - April 2013

Interventional Nephrology: Novel Devices that Will One Day Change Our Practice - CJASN Express abstract. - April 25, 2013

Water Quality Testing Chart - 1-page PDF from ESRD Network 5. - April 2013

Randomized Controlled Open-Label Trial of Vitamin E-Bonded Polysulfone Dialyzer and Erythropoiesis-Stimulating Agent Response - CJASN Express Abstract - April 18, 2013

A Glimpse into The Smartphone Physical - Article and video from MedGadget. - April 15, 2013
Dialysis news stories from Yahoo!  Continually Updated!
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  WEB RESOURCES
Latest Scientific Journal Articles on Dialysis Technology
Latest Issue of Biomedical Instrumentation & Technology (BI&T) Journal - The Official Journal of the Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation (AAMI)
Future Horizons - special publication from the Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation (AAMI) dedicated to examining the future of medical technology and the healthcare profession
Dictionary of over 70,000 medical, pharmaceutical, biomedical & healthcare acronyms and abbreviations from the MediLexicon web site
National Surveillance System for Health Care Workers (NaSH) from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC)
Chemical Reactivity Hazards from the Occupational Safety & Health Administration web site
Chlorine - from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) - September 2006
Designing Devices that Delight+ from the European Medical Device Technology web site+ - June 2002
Eleven Keys to Designing Error-Resistant Medical Devices+ from the Medical Device and Diagnostic Industry web site+ - May 2002
European Medical Device Technology web site+
Exposure to Stress: Occupational Hazards in Hospitals - (pdf) release from the NIOSH/Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) - July 2008

FDA and Industry Actions on Premarket Notification (510(k)) Submissions: Effect on FDA Review Clock and Performance Assessment - from the FDA Center for Medical Devices
The Fundamental Collection from the Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation (AAMI) web site
Healthcare Technology Horizons from the Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation (AAMI) web site
Inspection of Medical Device Manufacturers - from the U. S. Food and Drug Administration web site - June 2006
Job Safety and Health: It's the Law and Seguridad y Salud en el Trabajo ¡Es la Ley! from the Occupational Safety & Health Administration web site
Medical Equipment Symbols & Safety Signs Clip Art Collection from the Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation (AAMI) web site
NANT Annual Training 2009 - 15 presentations from the National Association of Nephrology Technicians/Technologists 2009 Annual Symposium.
NANT Annual Training 2010 - 13 presentations from the National Association of Nephrology Technicians/Technologists 2010 Annual Symposium.
NIOSH Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) web site
OSHA Unveils New Webpage for Spanish-Speaking Employers and Workers
Promoting Healthcare Workplace Excellence (pdf format requires Adobe Acrobat Reader) from the Health Care Workforce Policy Advisory Committee Georgia Department of Community Health - spring 2002
Renal Data Extraction and Referencing (RenDER) System - new online data querying application accessible through the United States Renal Data System (USRDS) -USRDS Presentations & Posters, 2012 Researcher's Guide and the 2012 USRDS annual report - from the United States Renal Data System (USRDS) web site
Sterilants and High Level Disinfectants Cleared by FDA in a 510(k) with General Claims for Processing Reusable Medical Devices from the FDA's Medical Devices - March 2009
TOXMAP - Environmental Health e-Maps from the U.S. National Library of Medicine web site
Uniform Terminology and Taxonomy Initiative (UT&TI) from the Association for Advancement of Medical Instrumentation (AAMI) web site
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  ORGANIZATIONS
American Society for Artificial Internal Organs (ASAIO) web site
Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation (AAMI) web site
Canadian Association of Nephrology Nurses and Technologists web site
ECRI web site for healthcare technology assessment
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) web site

Food and Drug Administration (FDA) web site,  Medical Devices ,  Medical Device Reporting (MDR)

Center for Devices and Radiological Health (CDRH) Transparency web site
HIT Implementation Testing & Support web site
International Health Care Worker Safety Center (also EPINet™) web site
International Society for Nephrology Technicians and Technologists (ISNTT) web sites
International Society for Performance Improvement web site
The National Academies web site (National Academy of Sciences, National Academy of Engineering, Institute of Medicine, National Research Council)
National Association for Nephrology Technicians/Technologists (NANT) web site
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) web site
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) web site
National Kidney Foundation (NKF) web site - NKF Council of Nephrology Nurses and Technicians

National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse web site
Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) web site - Topics: Bloodborne Pathogens,  Needlestick Injuries
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  ESSENTIALS AND CLASSICS
A Study Guide for Dialysis Technologists 5th ed. - Book from the National Association for Nephrology Technicians/Technologists (NANT) web site - 2010
AAMI Standards and Recommended Practices: Dialysis 2012 edition- This comprehensive dialysis collection includes EVERY CURRENT AAMI HEMODIALYSIS standard and guidance document; including Updated to include the 2012 edition of 60601-2-16, the 2013 collection includes all 10 AAMI dialysis standards. Other recently updates have included TIR43 (revises RD52) and five other standards were published in 2011, including 11663 and 23500 (revise RD52), 13958 (revises RD61), 26722 (revises RD62) and 13959 (Price Mbr/List $260/$430)
Sterilization in Health Care Facilities, 2013 edition from the Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation

Medical Equipment Management Manual, 2009 - How to be in Complete and Continuous Compliance with the JCAHO Standards

Clinical Engineering Collection CD - 2011 edition - resources, standards, guidance documents, and publications in a convenient, searchable, and easy-to-use CD - (Price Mbr/List $475/$675)
Additions to the CD include:

  • All Horizons magazines through 2010
  • TIR62354: 2009, General testing procedures for medical electrical equipment
  • TIR9: 1992, Evaluation of clinical systems for invasive blood pressure monitoring
  • TIR21: 1998, Systems to be used to forecast remaining pacemaker battery service life
  • TIR11: 2005, Selection and use of protective apparel and surgical drapes in health care facilities
AAMI TIR32:2004, Medical device software risk management - provides information for performing effective software risk management in the context of ISO 14971 and AAMI SW68. TIR32 should be regarded as a reference for developing safe software systems to be used in medical devices. - from the Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation (AAMI)
Guidelines for Environmental Infection Control in Health-Care Facilities from the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report web site
Handbook of Dialysis Fourth Edition by John T Daugirdas MD, Peter G Blake MB, FRCPC, FRCPI, Todd S Ing MD
Book: Review of Hemodialysis for Nurses and Dialysis Personnel by Gutch, Corea, and Stoner from amazon.com
ANNA Publications from the American Nephrology Nurses Association web site
NANT Publications from the National Association of Nephrology Technicians/ Technologists web site
Hemodialysis Dose and Adequacy from the National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse (NKUDIC) web site
NLM MEDLINE plus Health Information for Kidneys and Urinary System
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  HEMODIALYSIS MACHINES
AAMI Standards on CD--Sterilization 2013 Edition - every AAMI document covering sterilization in health care facilities, sterilization equipment, and industrial sterilization process control is included - from the Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation (AAMI)
Medical Equipment Management Manual, 2009 - guidance to clinical engineers, technicians, and other hospital staff to comply with the new 2004 requirements of JCAHO - from the Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation (AAMI)
For Manufacturers and CDRH Reviewers - Guidance for the Content of Premarket Notifications for Hemodialysis Delivery Systems from the FDA's Medical Devices - August 1998/ July 2000
Concentrates for hemodialysis, 2006 - from the Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation (AAMI)
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  WATER TREATMENT
Preview Copy of AAMI Guidance Document on Purchasing Water Treatment Equipment for Dialysis - 11-page pdf (pdf format requires Adobe Acrobat reader) from the Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation (AAMI)
AAMI Standards and Recommended Practices: Dialysis 2012 edition- This comprehensive dialysis collection includes EVERY CURRENT AAMI HEMODIALYSIS standard and guidance document; including Updated to include the 2012 edition of 60601-2-16, the 2013 collection includes all 10 AAMI dialysis standards. Other recently updates have included TIR43 (revises RD52) and five other standards were published in 2011, including 11663 and 23500 (revise RD52), 13958 (revises RD61), 26722 (revises RD62) and 13959 (Price Mbr/List $260/$430)
A Surveyor’s Perspective: Water Quality for Hemodialysis (3-page pdf) from Hemodialysis Horizons
Dialysate for hemodialysis, 2004 from the Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation (AAMI)
Monitoring Your Dialysis Water Treatment System (pdf format requires Adobe Acrobat reader) from the Northwest Renal Network - June 2005
EPA Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water web site

Water Quality Testing Chart - 1-page PDF from ESRD Network 5 - April 2013
Water Treatment Articles from the GE Water Technologies web site+
For manufacturers - Guidance for the Content of Premarket Notifications for Water Purification Components and Systems for Hemodialysis from the FDA's Medical Devices - May 30, 1997
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  REUSE AND REPROCESSING
Sterilants and High Level Disinfectants Cleared by FDA
AAMI Standards and Recommended Practices: Dialysis 2012 edition- This comprehensive dialysis collection includes EVERY CURRENT AAMI HEMODIALYSIS standard and guidance document; including Updated to include the 2012 edition of 60601-2-16, the 2013 collection includes all 10 AAMI dialysis standards. Other recently updates have included TIR43 (revises RD52) and five other standards were published in 2011, including 11663 and 23500 (revise RD52), 13958 (revises RD61), 26722 (revises RD62) and 13959 (Price Mbr/List $260/$430)
Reprocessing of hemodialyzers, 2008 - (consolidated text of 2002 edition and March 2003 amendment) - This book can be ordered from the Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation (AAMI) web site
Glutaraldehyde: CDC Info on Occupational Hazards in Hospitals
Glutaraldehyde - from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) - September 2006
Antimicrobial Chemical/Registration Number Indexes from the EPA web site
ReNews® is a newsletter about dialyzer reprocessing and related topics published twice yearly by Minntech Renal Systems. Copies of recent issues are available for download as Acrobat PDF files. (From the Minntech web site)
K/DOQI™ Clinical Practice Guidelines for Hemodialysis Adequacy: Hemodialyzer Reprocessing and Reuse from the NKF web site - 2000
A publication "What you should know about dialyzer reuse" (pdf format requires Adobe Acrobat reader) available from the NKF
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  ELECTRONICS
ANSI/AAMI/IEC 60601-2-16:2012 -- Medical electrical equipment - Part 2-16: Particular requirements for basic safety and essential performance of hemodialysis, hemodiafiltration and hemofiltration equipment - Association for Advancement of Medical Instrumentation (AAMI) web site.
Draft Guidance for Industry on Electronic Records; Electronic Signatures, Time Stamps - Availability from the U.S. Department Of Health and Human Services Food and Drug Administration (FDA) - March 20, 2002
Electromagnetic Compatibility - EMC from the FDA's Radiation-Emitting Products
FDA/CDRH Recommendations for EMC/EMI in Healthcare Facilities from the FDA's Radiation-Emitting Products
General Principles of Software Validation; Final Guidance for Industry and FDA Staff from the U.S. Department Of Health and Human Services Food and Drug Administration (FDA) - January 11, 2002
Home Use Devices Booklet: How to Prepare for and Handle Power Outages for Medical Devices that Require Electricity - 16-page pdf file from the FDA. - May 2011
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  PUBMED SEARCHES (National Library of Medicine's MEDLINE Database)
PubMed Search Tool of the National Library Of Medicine's MEDLINE Database (allows you to search through over 11 million indexed articles). Due to copyright laws, only the abstracts (summaries) of the articles are usually listed. Some articles appear in full text on the publishers' web sites that are linked to PubMed. This page provides an Overview of PubMed.
dialysis technician articles   Continually Updated!
dialysis equipment articles   Continually Updated!
water treatment and dialysis articles   Continually Updated!
dialyzer reprocessing -  heat reuse  articles   Continually Updated!
MEDLINE / Pubmed Information from the National Library of Medicine
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  SCHOOLS AND ACCREDITATION

Core Curriculum for the Dialysis Technician - A Comprehensive Review of Hemodialysis: Fifth Edition - Developed by the Medical Education Institute, Inc., in cooperation with the National Association of Nephrology Technicians/Technologists (NANT).

Ready-to-use Presentations for Dialysis Technician Training - Products for sale from the National Association of Nephrology Technicians/Technologists. - June 2011
ESRD Conditions for Coverage: Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Patient Care Technicians - April 2010 - 5-page pdf from The Renal Network.
Patient Care Tech Training/Certification Options - 2-page pdf from The Renal Network.
California Dialysis Council Provides Alternative Pathway for Certificiation for California’s Patient Care Technicians - Exam information and FAQs.
Board of Nephrology Examiners, Inc. Nursing and Technology (BONENT) Examinations are given by Applied Measurement Professionals, Inc. (AMP). Fact Sheet on BONENT Examinations.
National Nephrology Certification Organization (NNCO) Certification Examinations in Clinical Nephrology Technology and Biomedical Nephrology Technology are given by the Professional Testing Corporation. Schedule for NNCO Testing.
The Nephrology Nursing Certification Commission (NNCC) offers the Certification for Clinical Hemodialysis Technicians (CCHT).
A Career in Biomedical Equipment Technology Brochure (pdf) from the Association for Advancement of Medical Instrumentation (AAMI) web site
Better Water, Inc. training facility in Smyrna, TN
Biomedical Electronics Technology A.A.S. Degree  from the Milwaukee Area Technical College  web site 
BMET Study Guide CDROM from the Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation
Body Weight - Body Water (pdf) - from Hemodialysis, Inc.
The Water Solution Package: On-line Water Training & Information Support Site - (pdf) Mar Cor Purification’s Training Course for Hemodialysis Water Systems
Hemodialysis Review Course - from Nephrology Clinical Solutions - Content review for the hemodialysis patient care technician (PCT) preparing for certification examination.
Online courses for Medical Equipment Technology: Application, Support and Management - from the University of Vermont
Onsite Training Seminars and Workshops for Dialysis and other Healthcare Professionals and Video Training Programs by Foster Seminars and Communications
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  K/DOQI™ -  Kidney Disease Outcomes Quality Initiative ( pronounced "kay DOE key" )

K/ DOQI Main Page on the National Kidney Foundation web site - Update 2000
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  DISCUSSION FORUMS
Dialysis Technical Forum - Professional Discussion Forum for Technical Issues. Ask questions on water systems, electronics, troubleshooting, reuse, etc.
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  PRODUCTS
Minntech Renal Systems Services & Support - Support products and services for dialyzer reprocessing programs
Mar Cor Purification web site
Reprocessing Products Corporation
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  UPCOMING EVENTS
Listing of National Association of Nephrology Technicians/Technologists (NANT) Meetings
Listing of local ESRD Network Annual Meetings
Listing of Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation (AAMI) Seminars
AAMI 2013 Webinars
Water Treatment Seminars from AmeriWater
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  RELATED TOPICS
Guidelines for Preventing Workplace Violence for Health Care and Social Service Workers (pdf format requires Adobe Acrobat Reader) from OSHA web site
Biomedical Engineering web sites - Yahoo search
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  INPUT / SUGGESTIONS
E-mail to RenalWEB on the Technician Issues
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