Nephrologists Transforming Dialysis Safety (NTDS)
This page was last updated on April 14, 2020
NTDS Project Mission Statement
To enhance the quality of life for people with kidney failure by engaging nephrologists as team leaders in transformational change that continuously improves the safety of life sustaining dialysis.
Standardization of Blood Culture Collection for Patients Receiving In-Center Hemodialysis
In collaboration with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Standardization of Blood Culture Collection for Patients Receiving In-Center Hemodialysis was developed by an NTDS workgroup in response to requests from healthcare professionals engaged in outpatient hemodialysis care. The document seeks to provide an accessible summary of information from published guidelines, reports and studies. Sample protocols for obtaining blood cultures and communication tools are provided. Collectively the information is intended to provide a reference for dialysis facilities as they develop facility-specific procedures, policies and protocols.
View the Standardization of Blood Culture Collection for Patients Receiving In-Center Hemodialysis resource here.
Flu season has arrived.
CDC recommends annual influenza vaccination for everyone 6 months and older with any licensed, influenza vaccine that is appropriate for the recipient's age and health status, (IIV, RIV4, or LAIV4) with no preference expressed for any one vaccine over another.
The CDC website offers many influenza-related resources:
- Recommendations: Prevention and Control of Seasonal Influenza with Vaccines: Recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices — United States, 2019–20 Influenza Season
- #Fight Flu: CDC Digital Media Toolkit: 2019-20 Flu Season
- Communication resources: Includes print materials, factsheets, and videos and podcasts
View these and other influenza-related CDC resources here.
Promising Practice: CDC Video- Speak Up: Making Dialysis Safer for Patients
The Coalition and the American Association of Kidney Patients have released a new video for patients on dialysis and dialysis staff about the importance of speaking up to prevent infections and improve patient safety. Infections are serious and sometimes life-threatening, but together we can do something to stop them. The video follows the journey of two patients on dialysis who feel empowered to speak up and share concerns about their treatment, in order to prevent infections. The video also highlights ways dialysis staff can create an environment where patients feel safe speaking up. This video is open access. You are free to use it in any communication channels. Patients are encouraged to post the video on social media and share with family and friends. Clinics are encouraged to show the video during dialysis treatments, play it in waiting rooms, and post links within patient and staff educational materials.
Click here to view Speak Up: Making Dialysis Safer for Patients.
Resource Library: Highlight
Essential Components of an Infection Prevention Program for Outpatient Hemodialysis Centers
Source: Seminars in Dialysis First published: 28 June 2013 https://doi.org/10.1111/sdi.12102 Authors: Sally Hess, Virginia Bren Abstract: Infections are a significant complication for dialysis patients. The CDC estimates that 37,000 central line‐related bloodstream infections occurred in hemodialysis patients in 2008 and dialysis‐associated outbreaks of hepatitis C continue to be reported. While established hospital‐based infection prevention programs have existed since the 1970s, few dialysis facilities have an established in‐center program, unless the dialysis facility is hospital‐associated. This review focuses on essential core components required for an effective infection prevention program, extrapolating from acute‐care programs and building on current dialysis guidelines and recommendations. An effective infection prevention program requires infrastructure, including leaders who place infection prevention as a top priority, active involvement from a multidisciplinary team, surveillance of outcomes and processes with feedback, staff and patient education, and consistent use of evidence‐based practices. The program must be integrated into the existing Quality Assessment and Performance Improvement program. Best practice recommendations for the prevention of infection, specific to dialysis, continue to evolve as the epidemiology of dialysis‐associated infections is further researched and new evidence is gathered. A review of case studies illustrates that with an effective program in place, infection prevention becomes part of the culture, reduces infection risk, and improves patient safety.Posted May 20, 2019
