CCHT-A study plan

Map normal kidney function to the consequences of kidney failure, listing at least six solutes and fluid balance problems that dialysis must correct

Distinguish CKD stages from ESRD and state the commonly taught criteria for initiating chronic dialysis

Compare the three access types (fistula, graft, catheter) on maturation time, infection risk, blood flow, and typical cannulation technique

Practice pre-treatment assessment steps in order: access inspection and palpation, weight, vital signs, and symptom review

Explain the purpose and typical ranges for key treatment parameters: blood flow rate, dialysate flow rate, ultrafiltration goal, and treatment time

Identify signs, causes, and first-line technician actions for hypotension, cramping, and disequilibrium syndrome during a treatment

Describe the recognition and immediate response sequence for air embolism, hemolysis, and a needle dislodgement

Sequence the post-treatment steps including hemostasis, access assessment, and post-weight documentation

Label the major components of a hemodialysis delivery system and state the function of each

Trace the path of blood and the path of dialysate through the circuit, identifying where they meet at the dialyzer

Differentiate the alarm categories (pressure, conductivity, temperature, air) and state the required technician response to each

Explain dialyzer reuse and reprocessing steps only to the extent your setting permits, and state why residual testing matters

Order the water treatment train from city supply to machine: prefilter, carbon, softener, reverse osmosis, deionization, and storage/distribution

State what each water treatment component removes and what failure of each would do to patient safety

Recall the monitoring concepts for chlorine/chloramine breakthrough, hardness, conductivity, and bacterial/endotoxin testing frequency

Describe disinfection and rinsing requirements for water distribution loops and machine surfaces

Apply teach-back technique to explain a fluid restriction and a phosphorus binder schedule to a patient

Adapt the same teaching for low health literacy, hearing loss, and a language barrier

Identify the core dietary teaching points for sodium, potassium, phosphorus, and fluid and state why each matters

Construct a simple adherence conversation that surfaces barriers instead of assigning blame

Describe the technician's role boundaries in patient education, counseling, and psychosocial support, including when to refer

Explain how to support a patient through access fear, needle anxiety, and treatment-related depression without overstepping scope

Outline patient rights, confidentiality, and informed consent as they apply to the dialysis setting

Define a quality indicator and give three examples relevant to dialysis care such as adequacy, anemia management, and infection rates

Apply a Plan-Do-Study-Act cycle to a realistic unit problem such as catheter infection reduction or missed treatments

Interpret a run chart or control chart to distinguish common-cause variation from a real improvement

Recall the key infection control practices: hand hygiene moments, PPE sequence, and surface disinfection principles

Summarize the regulatory and survey framework that governs dialysis units and the technician's role in survey readiness

Complete two timed full-length practice exams under test conditions and score each

Analyze every missed item by domain and by cause (knowledge gap, misread, or guess)

Re-teach the three weakest subareas using your own notes rather than rereading the source

Build a one-page formula and numbers sheet covering treatment parameters and monitoring limits