Guides
These guides give renal-care teams practical notes for choosing training, keeping records and planning attendance. Use this section when you need clear steps before booking with an organiser or requesting time away from your unit.
What you will find in this guides section
This section brings together plain-language notes for South African renal-care teams who attend workshops, technician courses, conferences and supplier open days. The aim is simple: help you decide what to attend, what to prepare, and what to keep on file afterwards.
The guides do not replace the organiser’s programme, joining instructions or venue rules. They sit alongside our calendar listings and help you work out which option suits your role, your unit rota and your travel limits. If you are based in Bloemfontein, Durban, Gqeberha, Cape Town, Johannesburg, Polokwane or a smaller town, the same planning basics still apply.
Each event listing on our calendar includes venue details and a booking link to the organiser. We do not run the events ourselves, and bookings are made directly with each organiser.
How to choose the right guide
Start with the question you need answered today. Some guides are about records and admin, while others help with attendance planning and course selection. If your unit is short-staffed or you need approval before travelling, read the planning material first so you can ask for leave with the right information the first time.
- Choose a record-keeping guide if you need to file attendance proof, notes or certificates after an event.
- Choose a study leave guide if you need manager approval, shift cover or travel sign-off before booking.
- Choose a training-choice guide if you are comparing a workshop, technician course, conference or open day.
- Choose a travel guide if the event is outside your town and you need to budget for transport and accommodation.
If you are not sure where to begin, work from your deadline. An approval deadline comes before a booking deadline, and a booking deadline comes before travel planning. That order saves rework later.
A practical comparison before you book
Different event types suit different needs. A short workshop may fit a busy roster better than a multi-day conference, while a technician training day may matter more if the focus is equipment checks, water treatment routines or fault-finding basics. Here is a practical way to compare your options.
- Workshops: usually best for focused learning on one topic, with less time away from the unit.
- Technician courses: useful when the goal is hands-on practice, process checks and technical confidence.
- Conferences: better for broader updates, multiple sessions and meeting peers from other centres.
- Open days: useful for seeing products, consumables or support options in one visit, but they may be less structured than a course.
Also compare travel time, parking, public transport access and whether the venue is close to your unit's referral routes. In larger cities, traffic can turn a short distance into a long day. In coastal areas, humidity can affect what clothing and shoes feel comfortable for a full programme, and winter mornings on the Highveld can mean a much earlier departure than expected.
Keeping your CPD and attendance records tidy
Good record-keeping makes future renewals, internal audits and performance reviews easier. Even when an event seems small, keep the same basic set of documents together. A simple folder on your unit drive or a neat paper file works well if everyone uses the same format.
Our guide on keeping a CPD record helps you build a routine that is easy to maintain. Try to file things within a day or two of attendance, while the details are still fresh. Leaving it for month-end often means missing documents or half-complete notes.
- Save the event title exactly as shown by the organiser.
- Keep proof of attendance, booking confirmation and any receipt if your employer reimburses costs.
- Note the venue, town and the date in your own log.
- File your session notes and any hand-outs in the same place.
- Record what was useful for your role, not just that you attended.
Planning study leave and team cover
For many units, the hardest part is not choosing an event but arranging attendance without straining patient care. Shift patterns, on-call duties, month-end admin and stock checks all affect who can go and when. A well-prepared leave request usually has a better chance of quick approval.
Our study leave guide focuses on what managers typically need to see before they can approve time away. Keep the request practical: state the event type, town, expected time away from the unit and any travel involved. If more than one team member wants to attend, show how you will stagger attendance so service levels stay safe.
It also helps to think about power cuts, traffic and weather delays when planning return travel, especially if you need to report for a shift soon after the event. Build in enough time, otherwise a cheap booking can become a difficult day for the whole team.
Using these guides with the calendar listings
The guides work best when used together with the calendar. Read the guide first if you need help deciding, then go back to the listing to check the venue details and use the booking link to the organiser. That keeps your planning in one place and avoids missing a step.
If you are listing an event or open day, or if you want to ask about how our calendar works, use the enquiry form on our contact page. We can help with listing queries, but bookings and event administration remain with each organiser. That keeps responsibilities clear and reduces confusion for teams trying to confirm attendance.
As more guides are added, this section will remain the place to start when you need a practical answer not a long explanation.
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Questions we get asked
Do these guides replace the organiser’s event information?
No. The guides are general planning notes. Always check the organiser’s booking page and event information for the final details.
Can I book an event through Dialysis SA?
No. Each calendar listing includes a booking link to the organiser, and bookings are made directly with that organiser.
Who are these guides written for?
They are written for South African renal-care teams, including nurses, technicians, unit managers and doctors who attend training or events.
List an event or ask a question
Send a note through our contact form with the event, the organiser and the dates, or your question about the calendar, and our editor will contact you.
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