Without dialysis technicians, people cannot access a dialysis machine, which is vital to keep them alive.
Dialysis technicians operate machines that are used to filter and clean your blood.
When you no longer have working kidneys, the machine takes over.
People cannot survive without dialysis, so we must have workers for this industry.
If you’re interested in this career path or want to know more about the profession, read on.
We’ve got everything covered in our in-depth guide!
Page Navigation
How to Become a Dialysis Technician In Mississippi: A Step-by-Step Guide
You need to adhere to a few requirements if you want to work as a dialysis technician.
Let’s take a look at the step-by-step process for getting qualified.
There are no fundamental strict requirements for working in Mississippi regarding certification and training.
You should follow the Medicaid Services guidelines, which are as follows:
- GED or high school diploma
- Training experience
- Obtain credentials
- Work to the standard of practice
- Obtain license
- You must obtain your certifications within 18 months of working.
Certifications That Are Nationally Recognized
- Certified Hemodialysis Bio-Medical Technician (CHBT)
- Board of Nephrology examiners nursing and technology (BNENT)
- Certified clinical hemodialysis technician exam (CCHT)
- Certified in clinical nephrology technology exam (CCNT)
If you apply for a certification, you must pass a practical and written exam.
Dialysis Technician Schools in Mississippi
Calhoun Community College
The Calhoun Community College has a dialysis technician course that goes for 50 hours and helps you gain the skills needed to work with dialysis patients.
Studies are both on and offline, so you will do some studies inside the classroom while others can be done at home.
The cost of the course is $1,299, and that includes a copy of the digital ebooks you will need.
You have six months to finish the course.
The course covers basic medical terminology, maintaining dialysis equipment, the role of the kidneys, patient care, and using a dialysis machine.
Alabama State University
The dialysis technician course at Alabama State University offers a comprehensive program with a maximum time frame of 12 months.
You can study at your own pace if you finish within 12 months.
The total cost of the course is $4,190, and you have the option to pay it in one lump sum or installments.
You will also study CPR and gain that certificate during the course separately.
During the course, you will learn how the kidneys function, how to maintain a dialysis machine, patient management, chart recording, and kidney disorders.
Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College
This course lasts for 12 weeks at 130 hours.
It gives you insight and prepares you for the clinical and technical side of being a dialysis technician.
You learn to provide the proper care to dialysis patients, maintain the equipment and machines, dialyze a patient, and read blood work results.
You will do in-class, home, and lab work.
After 12 months of dialysis technician experience, you can officially sit for the clinical hemodialysis technician exam.
The total cost is $2289.00.
In the course, you will learn all the basics about patient management, charting and records, kidney disorders, and much more.
Other dialysis technician certification schools you can consider:
Mississippi State University
http://ce.extension.msstate.edu/node/1572
Mississippi Board of Nursing
https://www.msbn.ms.gov/ccht-application
Top 5 Schools in Mississippi
School Name | Address |
---|---|
Calhoun Community College | 6250 US-31, Tanner, AL 35671, United States |
Alabama State University | 915 S Jackson St, Montgomery, AL 36104, United States |
Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College | 51 Main St, Perkinston, MS 39573, United States |
Mississippi State University | 75 B. S. Hood Rd, Mississippi State, MS 39762, United States |
Mississippi Board of Nursing | 713 S Pear Orchard Rd #300, Ridgeland, MS 39157, United States |
Salary For a Dialysis Technician in Mississippi
When you’re working in the dialysis technician industry in Mississippi, you can expect to take home an average of $37,000.
Still, the overall salary range for this type of work is between $34,204 and $41,865.
The salary range can differ due to your years of experience, skills, education, and years working in the profession.
Job Prospects After Studying the Dialysis Technician Course
You may not want to pursue a career as a dialysis technician after completing the course, but there are other jobs that you can branch off to do.
Let’s discuss those:
Clinical Coordinator
A clinical coordinator must oversee the administration services for clinical and hospital settings.
You act as a liaison for patients, doctors, and families.
Nephrologists
A nephrologist coordinates with a physician to help treat issues such as anemia, diabetes, and high blood pressure that result from kidney failure.
Lecturer
You can choose to be a lecturer and teach at both graduate and undergraduate levels in the field of both a dialysis doctor and technician.
Whether you teach in the school or hospital, both are opportunities to consider.
Annual Salary Range:Average Salary of Dialysis Technicians in Mississippi
City Name | Salary |
---|---|
Jackson | $33,564 |
Gulfport | $32,973 |
Biloxi | $33,236 |
Hattiesburg | $32,767 |
Greenville | $33,337 |
Meridian | $33,240 |
Tupelo | $31,635 |
Southaven | $34,698 |
Columbus | $31,972 |
Pascagoula | $33,082 |
Regional Salary in Mississippi
Region | Employed | Avg. Annual Salary | Avg. Hourly Pay | Top 10% Annual Salary | Bottom 10% Annual Salary |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Gulfport-Biloxi-Pascagoula, MS | 760 | $39,890 | $19.18 | $68,030 | $24,660 |
Hattiesburg, MS | 520 | $37,610 | $18.08 | $61,850 | $30,030 |
Jackson, MS | 1,070 | $52,920 | $25.44 | $78,470 | $30,600 |
* Employment conditions in your area may vary.
Frequently Asked Questions
What License Do I Need For a Dialysis Nurse in the Mississippi Area?
You only need a nationally recognized certificate to work as a dialysis technician in Mississippi.
You can further your skill level and complete other related courses that can help advance your career.
What Skills Are Needed to Work As a Dialysis Technician in Mississippi?
Dialysis techs must have specific skills and abilities to ensure the job is done correctly and safely.
- Patience
- Empathy
- Clear and sympathetic communication
- Be compassionate
- Have the skills and knowledge to use and maintain the dialysis machinery
- Be comfortable around blood and needles
What is a Dialysis Technician Responsible For?
When working as a dialysis technician in the Mississippi area, you will be responsible for operating and maintaining the dialysis machinery, educating patients on their treatment and condition, ensuring patients are safe and comfortable, and monitoring the patients while they are undergoing dialysis treatments.
You will need to take a patient’s blood pressure throughout the session, weigh patients before and after treatment, and ensure they stick to their fluid intake levels.
What Does the Job Prospect Look Like?
Unfortunately, in Mississippi, kidney failure is on the rise, which means more and more people are coming onto dialysis for life-saving treatment, and without the dialysis technician nurses to put patients on the machine and take them off, more people will miss out on the vital treatment.
With the need for more dialysis technicians growing faster than ever, we expect a 12% rise in dialysis technicians through 2031.