~ Dr. Suresh Sankar, Nephrologist & Senior VP, Clinical Affairs, NephroPlus ~
Patient safety
events in dialysis can occur in the following aspects of care
1.
Initiation and ending of
dialysis session
2.
Type of dialyzer used and
whether the appropriate labelled dialyzer was used
3.
Amount of blood thinner used
4.
Medications
5.
Fluid removal on dialysis
6.
Infections
What you can do
to make your treatments safer
It starts with
knowing where safety matters and doing the right action
¨
Give time to your technician
and nurse the time for process of care when starting and ending your dialysis
session.
¨
Know about the kind of kidney
filter used and if it is to be reused, the identity has been verified. You
could gently ask your care provider to recheck it especially if there is
another patient with the same or similar name in your centre
¨
Ask your doctor about the
amount of blood thinner you will need and know the same recommendations are
followed
¨
Ensure your prescription is
updated every few months every few weeks and insist on a copy of your
medication prescription is maintained in your dialysis chart
¨
Limit your fluid intake to what
is appropriate for you and do no insist on “maximal fluid removal” during a
dialysis session. Based on each individual’s body weight, duration of the
session, there is a limit to how much fluid can be removed.
¨
Clean your fistula site with
soap and water before every dialysis treatment
¨
Clean your hands with soap and
water or waterless alcohol-based sanitizer before you start your dialysis
session and after you leave
¨
If you have a catheter, wear a
mask and request your care provider to wear a mask when starting and ending dialysis.
Know the signs when a catheter could be infected
¨
If you don’t have a permanent
fistula, but will need dialysis for your lifetime, discuss the early placement
of a fistula with your doctor, before the need for dialysis
¨
Ensure you have taken the
vaccines recommended for you at the right dose and frequency.
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