City Research Online

Abstract

Although haemodialysis (HD) has become a routine treatment, adverse side effects, and occasionally life threatening clinical complications, still happen. Venous needle dislodgment (VND) is one of the most serious accidents that can occur during HD. If the blood pump is not stopped, either by activation of the protective system of the dialysis machine or manually, the patient can bleed to death within minutes.

Fatal and near-fatal blood loss due to VND have been described in the literature (ECRI 1998; Sandroni 2005; Mactier & Worth 2007), but published reports represent only the tip of the ice berg, as such incidents are normally handled at a local or national level.

The European Dialysis and Transplant Nurses Association/European Renal Care Association (EDTNA/ERCA) has produced 12 practice recommendations to help reduce the risk of VND and detect blood leakage as early as possible. A poster summarising these recommendations has been created (Van Waeleghem et al. 2008).

Publication Type:	Article
Additional Information:	This is the accepted version of the following article: Van Waeleghem, J.-P., Chamney, M., Lindley, E. J. and Pancírova, J. (2008), VENOUS NEEDLE DISLODGEMENT: HOW TO MINIMISE THE RISKS. Journal of Renal Care, 34: 163–168. , which has been published in final form at http://dx.doi.org/ 10.1111/j.1755-6686.2008.00047.x
Publisher Keywords:	Adverse Incident; Education; Haemodialysis; Haemorrhage; Vascular Access
Subjects:	R Medicine > RC Internal medicine
Departments:	School of Health & Psychological Sciences > Nursing
SWORD Depositor:	Symplectic Administrator

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