Visual summary
Recognize the event, activate trained help, and match the response to the patient and circuit findings.
Text version
Call for help early
A sudden collapse, severe dyspnea, chest pain, seizure, major bleeding, or altered consciousness is an emergency. Activate the unit emergency response and assess airway, breathing, circulation, rhythm, and glucose when indicated.
Assess patient and circuit
Note when symptoms began, recent medicines, access findings, alarms, blood appearance, and machine settings. Hemorrhage, arrhythmia, hemolysis, air entry, anaphylaxis, and sepsis require different responses; do not assume routine hypotension.
Control an immediate threat
Follow the trained emergency sequence for pump, clamps, ultrafiltration, oxygen, monitoring, and resuscitation. For external access bleeding, apply direct pressure to the bleeding point and obtain urgent help.
Treat circuit blood carefully
Suspected hemolysis or a severe dialyzer reaction is a situation in which circuit blood must not be routinely returned. Follow the event-specific protocol and clinician direction rather than an automatic rinse-back sequence.
Preserve information and equipment
For suspected equipment or concentrate problems, isolate affected equipment and materials under the unit process. Alert the responsible team and assess whether other patients could be exposed to the same hazard.
Give a structured handoff
Report onset, vital signs, rhythm, symptoms, access and circuit findings, medicines, interventions, response, and dialysis delivered. Arrange the required transfer and document the prevention plan before reuse or the next treatment.
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