CLINICAL TECHNOLOGIST GRADE 1 TO 3: NEPHROLOGY

This position invites qualified clinical technologists to join the nephrology unit at Groote Schuur Hospital in Observatory, a major tertiary academic hospital in the Western Cape. The incumbent will be responsible for providing comprehensive renal replacement therapy services to both chronic and acute patients, including those in intensive care. The role is structured on the occupational-specific dispensation (OSD) for clinical technologists, with entry-level, intermediate, and senior grades available depending on the applicant’s years of relevant experience after registration with the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA). South African qualified applicants with no post-registration experience may apply at Grade 1, while foreign-qualified applicants who are exempt from community service need at least one year of experience for this grade. Grade 2 requires a minimum of ten years for locally trained professionals and eleven years for foreign-qualified professionals, while Grade 3 requires twenty and twenty-one years respectively.

Candidates must hold an appropriate qualification that allows registration with the HPCSA as a Clinical Technologist in Nephrology and must already be registered in that specific category. The post also carries an inherent requirement to deliver an after-hours renal replacement therapy service, meaning the successful applicant must be willing to work overtime and participate in on-call duties. Strong verbal and written communication skills, good interpersonal abilities, the capacity to work under pressure, and the physical ability to manoeuvre heavy dialysis equipment are essential. The technologist must be comfortable working both independently and as part of a multidisciplinary team, and must be willing to support the training of clinical technology students.

The core duties include performing haemodialysis in chronic and acute settings, providing continuous renal replacement therapies in intensive care units such as CVVHD, CVVHDF, and SLED, and undertaking non-renal therapies such as plasma exchange. The role also involves body composition monitoring for patients with chronic kidney disease, daily reverse osmosis water checks, monthly water sampling for bacterial counts, and testing for endotoxin levels. Administrative responsibilities are equally important, including maintaining patient records, treatment documentation, laboratory results, and equipment logs. The technologist will assist the supervisor and manager with the practical training of student clinical technologists and support them with their research projects, while also participating in ongoing quality control and infection control activities.

Applicants who do not yet have the required registration may still apply, but they will only be considered for appointment if they provide proof of application for registration with the HPCSA and proof of payment of the prescribed registration fees on or before the day of the interview. This concession applies only to health professionals applying for the first time for registration in a specific category. No payment of any kind is required when applying for this post.