Dialysis technicians help operate dialysis machinery, help specialists and physicians throughout the process, and keep track of the status of kidney patients during their treatments.
Dialysis technicians are in huge demand in the medical industry.
However, proper education, training, and certification from authentic credentialing institutions are essential to ensure the employability. Different credentials are available, such as CHT, CCHT, or CHBT.
These credentials verify that the candidate exhibits the required technical knowledge in the field.
Thus, candidates can also show their dedication as dialysis technicians. Besides, they can also display their interest and enthusiasm to work with advanced research and methodologies.
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More About Dialysis Technician Certification
After completing an accredited and acknowledged dialysis technician program, you would receive the candidature from pursuing a dialysis technician certification exam to showcase your knowledge.
Do you want to become a national-level certified dialysis technician? Then, it is mandatory to go through BONENT, NNCC, or NNCO. BONENT stands for the Board of Nephrology Examiners Nursing and Technology.
NNCC is the acronym for Nephrology Nursing Certification Commission.
NNCO is the abbreviation for the National Nephrology Certification Organization.
Along with national certifications, different states may have additional certification requirements, as per their standard. It usually calls for professional registration & licensing requisites.
States may check specific individualized elements of the national examinations to cater to some requirements. It is recommended to go through the health authority’s website of the respective state. You can also make a call to the separate office with your queries.
Hence, besides being a certified CHT, CHBT, and CCHT candidate, you may also need to fulfill the additional requirements to start your career.
CHT, CCHT, CHBT (National Certifications)
Do you want to apply for the CHT, CCHT, or CHBT credential? Then, achieving the appropriate certification being a dialysis technician needs to cater to some specific steps.
BONENT, NNCC, or NNCO act as the key authorities in achieving the US’s dialysis technician certification.
Other agencies are also there to provide certifications to dialysis technician professionals. However, BONENT and NNCC are the best organizations to provide all-inclusive education and training to dialysis technicians. Candidates ought to consult NANT (National Association of Nephrology Technicians/Technologists) for industry information, study materials, and practice tests.
Average dialysis technician programs call for only a few requirements. Some dialysis technician programs may also have a high school diploma or GED prerequisite for enrollment.
However, an approved dialysis technician program may need at least the completion of one semester.
BONENT features a record of approved national as well as international training programs for dialysis technicians. Thus, it becomes possible to know about all options of training and skills for dialysis technicians.
BONENT also comes with an online practice CHT test with a fee of $50.
A plethora of study guides is also available to assist candidates with information and practice of dialysis technicians.
Candidates may appear in a dialysis technician certification exam in one of the two or hybrid of the two ways, as per the availability. These modes are paper and pencil exam (PPE) and computer-based testing (CBT).
Dialysis Technician Certification
CHT (Certified Hemodialysis Technician)
BONENT comes with the examination provision to provide the CHT (Certified Hemodialysis Technician) credential. The CHT comes as the most common certification among the three specified certifications for dialysis technicians.
The Certified Hemodialysis Technician calls for at least a high school diploma or GED as educational qualification, just like other dialysis technician certifications.
When it comes to professional skills and experience, the CHT certification has mandated a clinical experience of 12 months. Else, candidates can also complete an approved educational program to ensure their eligibility to register and pursue the examination.
Once the approved training program gets completed, candidates need to submit the BONENT examination application. They must also submit the proof of the completed approved educational program and the high school diploma copies. A qualifying supervisor must sign the BONENT exam application and provide a signed reference letter.
For the paper and pencil exam or PPE mode, you need to submit $220, and for the computer-based testing or CBT exam mode, the fee is $250.
The time limit of the CHT exam is 3 hours. Candidates can take approx. 2 to 3 hours to complete the exam. The exam consists of 150 MCQs (multiple-choice questions). Five knowledge segments are there from which questions would be framed for the CHT exam.
They are Patient Care (45%), Water Treatment (15%), Infection Control (18%), Machine Technology (12%), and Education & Professional Development (10%).
CCHT (Certified Clinical Hemodialysis Technician)
NNCC offers the certification for the CCHT credential. The CCHT certification exam’s candidates need to have a high school diploma or GED.
Applicants should also complete a clinical hemodialysis technician training program. This program must consist of classroom guidance as well as supervised clinical experience.
Different states may have different experience and training requirements for the CCHT certification exam candidates. Applicants need to receive signs from program educators and furnish the same before getting awarded with the CCHT certification.
Other eligibility criteria for the CCHT certification include the proof of the count of hours worked as a hemodialysis technician.
A candidate must have at least 1,000 hours or six months of experience in this regard.
You need to submit a fee of $225 for the CCHT certification exam. The exam features 150 questions. Candidates must complete the exam within 180 minutes or earlier.
Note that a 74% response rate is mandatory to receive the CCHT certification.
CHBT (Certified Hemodialysis Biomedical Technician)
BONENT organizes the CHBT certification exam. The CHBT certification gears up dialysis technicians to perform more specialized works in their careers.
The CHBT exam is designed to monitor and gauge technical expertise in medical as well as dialysis skills. It emphasizes bio-medical environments.
Candidates must appear the CHBT exam in the PPE (paper and pencil) format. The exam fee is $220. 150 MCQs (multiple-choice questions) would be there with 3 hours of the time limit.
The CHBT exam comprises the eight segments of hemodialysis technology.
They include Medical Machine Maintenance (24%), Reprocessing of Dialyzer (4%), Quality Assurance Performance Improvement (7%), Documentation Practices (7%), Professional Responsibilities (8%), Concentrate System Management (11%), Documentation Practices (7%), Life-Safety and Physical Plant Maintenance (9%), and Water Treatment System Management (30%).
More Information
Different states may have varying certification requirements, licensing, and registration for CHT, CCHT, or CHBT candidates. Applicants need to know about the respective state’s detailed information from the dialysis nursing or dialysis technician board.
Renewals Of Dialysis Technician Certifications
When it comes to nationally acknowledged certifications via the NNCC, NNCO, or BONENT, renewal is needed every 2 to 4 years. Nevertheless, it depends on the respective organization.
For instance, a dialysis technician certification via BONENT does not need candidates to reappear in the test. Candidates just need to make sure that they are adhering to the recertification criteria and the payment of a renewal fee.
Candidates must check the details of fees from time to time to get updated information.
What are the eligibility criteria for the certification-holding dialysis technician professionals? They need to get a minimum of 40 contact hours.
Else, they can also reappear in the application examination. The professionals can also make use of a once-in-a-lifetime waiver to get recertified automatically.
The renewal of the CCHT credential of NNCC comes with two options.
Professionals can either reappear for the application test post submitting the standard exam fee of $220 and $250 (PPE or CBT). Dialysis technician professionals can also furnish the proof of current clinic experience.
