State of Maryland

A Dialysis Services Technician Trainee is the entry level of work in the preparation, operation and maintenance of the specialized equipment used in kidney dialysis.  Employees in this classification do not supervise other positions.

Employees in this classification receive close supervision from a Dialysis Services Chief or a health care professional.  Employees are required to observe infection control precautions in order to prevent contamination and the spread of disease.  The work may require the lifting of patients and heavy equipment.

Positions in this classification are evaluated using the classification job evaluation methodology.  The use of this method involves comparing the assigned duties and responsibilities of a position to the job criteria found in the Nature of Work and Examples of Work sections of the class specification.

The Dialysis Services Technician Trainee, Dialysis Services Technician I and Dialysis Services Technician II are differentiated on the basis of degree of supervisory control exercised by the supervisor over these employees.  The Dialysis Services Technician Trainee learns to perform duties under close supervision.  The Dialysis Services Technician I performs duties under close supervision at times and under general supervision at other times depending on the complexity of the specific duty being performed.  The Dialysis Services Technician II performs the full range of duties and responsibilities under general supervision.

Learns to set up, operate and maintain kidney dialysis equipment;

Learns to prepare solutions used during dialysis according to prescribed formulas;

Learns to prime dialysis equipment with heparin or other related solutions;

Learns to connect patients to dialysis equipment by attaching input and output lines to patients’ grafts, fistulas or catheters;

Learns to monitor and record patient vital signs during dialysis in order to detect adverse reactions;

Learns to administer prescribed emergency treatment procedures if needed;

Learns to administer heparin using infusion pump;

Learns to monitor equipment performance and make necessary adjustments during treatment;

Learns to dismantle, clean and maintain dialysis equipment;

Learns to record patient and equipment data;

Learns to install new equipment and modify existing equipment as necessary;

Learns to explain dialysis procedures to patients in order to alleviate fears and promote a positive therapeutic atmosphere;

May learn to perform functions necessary to the preparation and reprocessing of artificial kidneys for patient use;

May learn to transfer a patient onto a stretcher, wheelchair or other apparatus;

May learn to assist supervisory personnel in the ordering and storage of supplies;

Performs other related duties.

Knowledge of the basic principles of chemistry;

Knowledge of the basic principles of excretory and circulatory systems;

Ability to learn the principles and procedures used in kidney dialysis;

Ability to learn to prepare, operate and maintain kidney dialysis equipment;

Ability to learn to monitor patient vital signs and administer prescribed emergency procedures;

Ability to learn to maintain records;

Ability to follow instructions;

Ability to communicate effectively with patients and staff.

Education:   Graduation from an accredited high school or possession of a high school equivalency certificate.

Experience: One year of experience providing direct care to patients in a medical setting.

Notes:

1. Applicants may substitute completion of sixty credit hours including at least nine credit hours in biology, chemistry or physics from an accredited college or university for the required experience.

2. Candidates may substitute U.S. Armed Forces military service experience as a non-commissioned officer in Hospital Corpsman classifications or Health Care Specialist and Medical Services specialty codes in the health related field of work on a year-for-year basis for the required experience.  

1. Candidates for positions in this classification must possess a current certificate as a Certified Nursing Assistant-Dialysis Technician from the Maryland State Board of Nursing, 4140 Patterson Avenue, Baltimore, Maryland 21215 OR within ninety days of hire, successfully complete a Board of Nursing approved nursing assistant-dialysis technician training program and receive certification as a Certified Nursing Assistant-Dialysis Technician from the Board of Nursing.

2. Employees in this classification may be required to successfully complete training in and maintain current cardiopulmonary resuscitation certification.

1. Applicants may be given a medical examination prior to their appointment to determine their ability to perform the work of the position.

2. Employees in this classification without certification as a Certified Nursing Assistant-Dialysis Technician must successfully complete a Board of Nursing approved nursing assistant-dialysis technician training program and receive certification as a Certified Nursing Assistant-Dialysis Technician within ninety days from date of hire prior to performing delegated nursing tasks. Employees who fail to successfully complete this requirement will not be retained in the positions.

Class specifications are broad descriptions covering groups of positions used by various State departments and agencies. Position descriptions maintained by the using department or agency specifically address the essential job functions of each position.

This is a Skilled Service classification in the State Personnel Management System.  All positions in this classification are Skilled Service positions.  Some positions in Skilled Service classifications may be designated Special Appointment in accordance with the State Personnel and Pensions Article, Section 6-405, Annotated Code of Maryland.

This classification is assigned to Bargaining Unit D, Health and Human Service Nonprofessionals classes.  As provided by the State Personnel and Pensions Article, Section 3-102, special appointment, temporary, contractual, supervisory, managerial and confidential employees are excluded from collective bargaining.  Additionally, certain executive branch agencies are exempt from collective bargaining and all positions in those agencies are excluded from collective bargaining.

Employees in this classification are eligible to receive overtime compensation.   An employee who works more than the normal workweek is entitled to be compensated for that overtime, as provided by the State Personnel and Pensions Article, Section 8-305.

This classification is one level in a Non-Competitive Promotion (NCP) series.  NCP promotions are promotions by which employees may advance in grade and class level from trainee to full performance level in a classification series.  In order to be non-competitively promoted to the next level in a NCP series, an employee must: 1) perform the main purpose of the class, as defined by the Nature of Work section of the class specification; 2) receive the type of supervision defined in the class specification and 3) meet the minimum qualifications of the classification.