Hi everybody, I am working in a 32 bed capacity dialysis centre here in the UK. We have 4 bays with 8 machines each bay. Currently, we are 2/3 operational which means we are on 24 patients/shift operation (that's 3 bays full Monday to Saturday). Our ratio is 4:1 (pts/nurse) and is led by a senior dialysis nurse for the whole shift. The set-up is: there is a nurses' station for both bays 1&2 and another station for bays 3&4. At the moment, because there are only 3 bays operating, we are only using the nurses' station on bay 1&2. 1 senior staff and 5 dialysis nurses. The senior staff is included on the ratio.

We are planning to open the remaining bay (4th bay) by Jan 2010. So there will be additional 2 staff added.

Questions:
1. What is the best team plan?
2. Do we need to have an additional senior dialysis nurse?
3. About staffing, should it be a fixed team for bays 1&2 and 3&4? Will it compromise on the continuity of care?
4. Is it better to rotate all nurses to different bays so they will be aquainted with all patients?
5. Hand-overs: by team or whole unit?

i couldnt think of anything else but if you got any suggestions, they are much appreciated. thanks

Do you allow Technicians to initiate ,monitor, and terminate Diaklysis?This would allow for more coverage..

we have 2 full time dialysis support workers who can put on fistula patients.