HHD CVC survey

[fraser gilmour]

I'd appreciate if members can share their policy on patients dialysing at home on a central line. Our clinicians previously set our policy to not allow it but this is now being questioned.

thanks
Fraser

[Ian Wilde]

Hi Fraser,

We have no such policy.  Everyone goes home regardless.  Is there anything in particular that your clinicians were not comfortable with?  Electrical safety?  Risk of infection?

Ian

[fraser gilmour]

I'm not sure what their thinking was when the policy was created but I doubt it was electrical safety. As it meant not having to consider PE/supplementary earth points at home locations it made my life easier. Our program has grown and as we are now getting more patients with access problems having to come in to dialyse the policy is being reviewed. From the four responses I've had so far all allow patients to treat at home on a line.    

[Simon]

Hi Fraser,
We have a policy that allows HHD patients to dialyse with a CVC, as we have been fitting equipotential sockets at our home installations to connect up the machine, RO and chair (where required).
The earth cable is taken back to the distribution board, wherever possible.
We are using CE sockets (16A) for machine and RO for discrimination.

The electrical installation is tested to BS 6061 as normal, with 30mA RCD feeding the dialysis equipment.

Simon

[Chris Eaton]

Hi Fraser

No limitation put on patients with lines here.
Several patients have changed access types during their time on home therapy.

Is it not denying patient choice if we discriminate against access types?

Peas owt

Chris

[fraser gilmour]

Thanks for the responses. Our policy has been reversed and patients are now permitted to treat at home on a line following completion of training and been signed off as competent in their management.