Renal/Nephrology Nurse

Role Overview

This role sits at the heart of the hospital's Renal Unit, where the nurse owns the complete dialysis treatment cycle for patients living with acute kidney injury, chronic kidney disease and end-stage renal disease. Day to day, that means preparing and programming the machine, cannulating and protecting vascular access, and staying continuously alert to how each patient responds — blood pressure, fluid balance, comfort and laboratory trends — so that problems are caught early rather than after they escalate. The work matters because dialysis is repetitive, lifelong and clinically unforgiving: consistent technique, sharp judgement and disciplined infection control are what keep every session safe and keep the unit's quality standards intact.

Key Responsibilities

• Deliver the full hemodialysis treatment cycle — setup, initiation, monitoring and discontinuation — for both acute and chronic renal patients, and complete pre-, intra- and post-dialysis assessments covering vital signs, weight, fluid status and laboratory values.
• Cannulate and maintain arteriovenous fistulas, grafts and central venous dialysis catheters, upholding strict aseptic technique at every step.
• Recognise and respond quickly to intradialytic complications such as hypotension, muscle cramps, chest pain and air embolism, and act effectively in unit-wide medical emergencies.
• Operate, program and troubleshoot hemodialysis machines and water treatment systems, and carry out routine disinfection and maintenance checks.
• Administer prescribed renal medications, including erythropoietin, iron infusions, heparin and other anticoagulants, and intravenous therapies.
• Educate patients and their families on renal dietary restrictions covering fluid, potassium, phosphorus and sodium, as well as medication adherence and home-care routines.
• Partner with nephrologists, medical officers and nutritionists during multidisciplinary ward rounds and joint care planning.
• Keep documentation accurate and current — treatment flow sheets, care plans, patient responses and incident reports — while complying with infection prevention and control policies and blood-borne pathogen containment, contributing to clinical audits, quality improvement work and CME, and covering the department's shift roster and on-call commitments.

Requirements & Qualifications

• Diploma in Kenya Registered Community Health Nursing (KRCHN) or a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BScN) from a recognised institution.
• Higher Diploma in Nephrology Nursing or Renal Nursing from an institution recognised in Kenya.
• Active registration and a valid Annual Practising Licence from the Nursing Council of Kenya (NCK).
• Two to three years of clinical experience in a busy, dedicated renal or dialysis unit within a Level 4, Level 5 or Level 6 hospital.
• Valid Basic Life Support (BLS) and Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) certification is highly desirable.
• Demonstrated competence operating modern hemodialysis machinery and interpreting basic renal panel laboratory profiles.
• Strong critical thinking and rapid decision-making under pressure, particularly during intra-dialytic crises.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the empathy required to care for chronically ill patients over the long term.
• High ethical standards, professional integrity and meticulous attention to infection control, supported by solid documentation, computing and organisational skills.

What We Offer / Why Join

• Direct clinical ownership of extracorporeal therapy across acute kidney injury, chronic kidney disease and end-stage renal disease caseloads.
• Regular, hands-on collaboration with nephrologists, medical officers and nutritionists as part of a multidisciplinary care team.
• Structured professional growth through Continuing Medical Education, clinical audits and quality improvement initiatives within the renal department.
• The opportunity to build lasting relationships with patients managing lifelong conditions, guiding them and their families through diet, medication and home-care decisions.