title: Managing catheter dysfunction for better patient outcomes: a team approach.
abstract: Vascular access is the leading cause of morbidity in the hemodialysis patient population. Arteriovenous fistulas (AVFs) have the lowest complication rate while catheters have the highest. Though significant effort is being made to increase the number of AVFs and lower the number of catheters, annual data show that the number of catheters is increasing. To improve vascular access-related patient outcomes, catheter dysfunction needs to be managed by a vascular access team using the CQI process that begins with a comprehensive algorithm for treatment.
authors.affiliation: American Nephrology Nurses' Association, USA.
authors.forename: Lesley C
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Dinwiddie
mesh_terms: D002408:Catheters, Indwelling / Q000009:adverse effects*; D003663:Decision Trees; D004868:Equipment Failure; D005343:Fibrinolytic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D010348:Patient Care Team; D006435:Renal Dialysis; D013927:Thrombosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D010959:Tissue Plasminogen Activator / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D005343:Fibrinolytic Agents; D010959:Tissue Plasminogen Activator