CCHT key terms

A treatment that removes waste products, extra fluid, and electrolytes from the blood by pumping it through an artificial filter outside the body and returning the cleaned blood to the patient.

The removal of excess fluid from the blood, achieved by creating a pressure difference across the dialyzer membrane that pushes plasma water into the dialysate compartment.

The average pressure difference between the blood side and the dialysate side of the dialyzer membrane; it drives fluid removal, so raising TMP increases ultrafiltration.

A cartridge holding thousands of hollow fibers that act as a semipermeable membrane, letting wastes and fluid pass from blood into dialysate while keeping cells and proteins in the blood.

A fluid made from purified water plus electrolyte concentrates that flows past the dialyzer membrane, drawing wastes out of the blood and replacing needed minerals.

A measurement of how well dialysate carries an electrical current, used to confirm that water and concentrate are mixed in the correct proportion before treatment begins.

A water purification step that forces water under pressure through a special membrane, removing dissolved salts, bacteria, and most other contaminants from the water supply.

A check measuring calcium and magnesium levels in treated water; a high result warns that the water softener needs recharging and that the reverse osmosis membrane may be at risk.

A test run before each patient shift to confirm carbon tanks have removed chlorine and chloramine from the water supply, since these chemicals can destroy red blood cells during dialysis.

A laboratory test using horseshoe crab blood extract to detect bacterial endotoxin in water or dialysate, which can cause fever, chills, and shock in dialysis patients.

Widely adopted guidelines from the Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation that set chemical, microbial, and endotoxin limits for dialysis water and dialysate.

A surgically created connection between an artery and a nearby vein, usually in the forearm, that enlarges the vein so it can carry the high blood flow dialysis needs.

A synthetic tube tunneled under the skin to join an artery and a vein when the patient's own vessels cannot support a fistula; it can be used sooner but clots more easily.

A tube placed in a large vein of the neck, chest, or groin to provide dialysis access; it carries the highest risk of bloodstream infection and clot formation.

The whooshing sound heard through a stethoscope placed over a vascular access; its presence and pitch help confirm that blood is flowing through the fistula or graft.

The buzzing or vibrating sensation felt when fingertips rest over a working vascular access, produced by blood moving through the fistula or graft.

The body weight at which a patient is believed to have no excess fluid, used to calculate how much fluid should be removed during each treatment.

A drop in blood pressure during treatment that may cause dizziness, nausea, sweating, cramping, or fainting; care includes slowing or stopping fluid removal and repositioning the patient.

Painful involuntary contractions that often occur during dialysis, commonly triggered by rapid fluid removal or electrolyte shifts and relieved by slowing ultrafiltration or giving saline.

A rare complication of dialysis marked by headache, nausea, confusion, or seizures, caused by urea leaving the blood faster than the brain can adjust.

The breakdown of red blood cells, which during dialysis can result from kinked lines, wrong pump settings, or contaminated dialysate and appears as dark red blood in the lines.

A sensor on the dialysate line that alarms and stops the blood pump if blood crosses a ruptured dialyzer membrane and leaks into the dialysate.

An anticoagulant given during dialysis to keep blood from clotting in the tubing and dialyzer; the dose is adjusted to each patient's bleeding risk.

Returning blood left in the tubing and dialyzer to the patient at the end of treatment using sterile saline, which reduces blood loss and keeps the treatment safe.

A formula describing dialysis adequacy, where K is clearance, t is treatment time, and V is urea distribution volume; higher values mean more urea was removed.

The percentage drop in blood urea nitrogen between the start and end of a treatment, used along with Kt/V to judge how well dialysis is cleaning the blood.

The speed at which blood is pumped through the tubing and dialyzer, typically 200 to 500 mL per minute, which affects clearance and pressure alarms.

Air entering the bloodstream through a loose connection or emptied line, which can block blood flow to the lungs or brain and is a life-threatening emergency.

Infection control practices applied to every patient, including hand hygiene, gloves, gowns, masks, and eye protection whenever contact with blood or body fluids is possible.

Cleaning hands with soap and water or an alcohol-based rub before and after patient contact and after removing gloves; it is the single most effective way to prevent infection.

Gloves, gown, mask, and eye protection worn to create a barrier between the caregiver and blood, body fluids, or splashes during patient care tasks.

A blood marker showing active hepatitis B infection; patients who test positive are dialyzed in a separate area with dedicated machines and supplies to prevent spread.

An accidental needlestick or cut from a contaminated needle or blade, which must be reported immediately and evaluated for post-exposure testing and treatment.

Using chemical agents to destroy most disease-causing organisms on surfaces and equipment; dialysis machines are disinfected between treatments and dialyzers may be reprocessed.

The range of duties a technician is legally and professionally allowed to perform, defined by state law, certification requirements, and employer policy.

The defined order in which a technician reports problems or concerns, typically the charge nurse first, then the facility manager, then the medical director.

A patient's voluntary agreement to treatment after being told the risks, benefits, and alternatives; the technician's role is to confirm that consent is properly documented.

An individualized written plan created by the interdisciplinary team listing the patient's goals, prescribed treatments, and interventions; technicians follow it and report changes.

An ongoing team process of collecting data, identifying problems, and testing changes in order to improve patient outcomes, safety, and facility performance.

A federal law that protects the privacy and security of patient health information, limiting who may access, discuss, or share it.