The inner workings of dialysis at ivinson

Dialysis treatment mechanically does the job of the kidneys by removing waste, toxins and extra fluid from the blood. It is needed when the kidneys have a significant drop in functionality and is typically the result of medical conditions such as high blood pressure, cancer, diabetes, or genetic conditions passed down through family. One critical indicator of reliable working treatment is the higher values of a protein called Albumin. Albumin lowers the risks of infection, hospitalization, mortality risk and the inability to heal from wounds, but with each treatment patients receiving dialysis lose this protein. Made by the liver Albumin is the main predictive measure of patient outcomes and most notably in cases such as acute kidney injury an individual may recover over time. 

Sustaining life is the main goal of this medical treatment and it is a highly regulated practice with high reporting standards.

The dialysis department at Ivinson is characterized by its access to as much sunshine and light as possible to bring comfort to patients during thier treatment. With the ability to see 24 patients per day with each patient receiving care 3‑to‑4 hours at a time it is a vital part of Ivinson’s services. This department also works alongside the nephrologist in Casper in a joint effort to research, report vital information and provide accessible education that may improve patient outcomes. With the complex web of information and requirements to maintain the condition one of the most common questions from dialysis patients at Ivinson is if individuals receiving Dialysis have limitations such as travel. As explained by the staff of this department with consistency in meeting their care needs it is highly common that dialysis patients travel. 

Leading this important part of Ivinson is Brittney Garnish who is dedicated to making the lives of her patients easier. Brittney is a registered nurse and gained her associates and licensure through Front Range Community College and bachelor’s degree at CU Boulder. Her role as dialysis manager is important to her in many ways especially since someone close to her went through this treatment. She was very happy to be offered the position at Ivinson so she could learn more. Having previously worked as a CNA at a nursing home in Laramie and at Premier Bone & Joint in the earlier stages of her career this opportunity was one she couldn’t miss. She was initially approached by Ivinson around 2 years ago and has significantly increased the morale of her staff, very quickly becoming vital to the team.

She is extremely proud of her staff, saying, ​“they are extremely hard working and I try my best to meet their needs as much as possible,” Brittney expressed. ​“I put my trust in them completely and that has made them the best crew I could ask for.”

She built her management style to complement and work with her team while also adding flexibility for a work-life balance. As a Leader, being extra supportive is Brittnany’s focus. This was seen by allowing staff to coordinate shifts so they can focus on their personal lives along with work, and this approach set the course for an environment employees looked forward to working in. Long-term she hopes to implement a peritoneal dialysis program within the hospital to make dialysis more accessible. Peritoneal dialysis or home dialysis would include an inpatient program where nurses could do extensive care in the comfort of the patient’s home. 

“The patient would be checked on every couple of weeks similar to the process of dialysis within the hospital,” said Brittney. ​“Though this would be something to implement in the future I have hopes that the dialysis department will have long-term steady growth.”