Techs messing up, looking for new center....please help!

[kit78]

I switched from Fresenius to Davita 5 months ago.  Davita techs are trained on site where as Fresenius techs are trained at a school from what one of the techs had told me, and have to practice on each other. Since leaving Fresenius I have been given 3 infiltrations (hematoma's) in less than 5 months, 2 of which in the last 2-3 weeks!  I do not want them to destroy my fistula, not to mention it has only been in use since May 2013.  Am concerned enough that I am going to my surgeon for a check up on it. Are Fresenius and Davita the only dialysis places around?

I live in upper Illinois and these two are all I can find. I posted this yesterday but it disappeared.  If you are going to remove this entry again, be courteous in doing a PM to me to let me know why you moved it and where you moved it too. I am not PHYSIC although I wished I were. Thank you!

[noahvale]

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[kit78]

Thanks Noah, I appreciate your help!  Have a blessed day!  BTW, I can not do at home, as much as I would like because I live alone and do not have anyone around which I was told is a requirement.

[obsidianom]

YOu may want to consider shorter needles. Most units use long needles and these make it easier to infiltrate. You can try to see if they would consider going with 5/8 inch needles. These are much less likely to infiltrate and that is why we switched to them . We have a joke in our clinic that the short needles allow us to "GO WHERE NO TECH HAS GONE BEFORE".  They do allow us to get into places we wouldnt dare with longer needles. Our Fresenius clinic got them for us . It took awhile to get it to go through but they finally did and I am so much happier and less stressed.

[Simon Dog]

and have to practice on each other.

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How do techs without fistulas practice canulation on each other?

You might ask your doc about getting trained to do self canulation.  Even if you don't do home hemo (a great idea if you can do it), self canulation will avoid the random "tech of the day" syndrome.

[Bungarian]

I didn't think infiltrating was harmful to a fistula?

[Arcticat2000]

If you live anywhere near Round Lake Illinois I have been at my clinic for 8 years. Very good techs and compitent staff. Msg me if interested.


Good luck!

[Dman73]

If you get an infiltration ice it down immediately to reduce swelling. Later you will get the black & blue bruising effect that will take a while to disappear. They will work around it for a while.

I think the idea of a short 16 ga needle (max flow 350) can protect you from the tip poking the back of the vessel wall.

I wish there was some mechanical guide that you load the needle into controlling the needle angle and shift and only needs to be pushed (similar to bolt action) making all needle sticks uniform and easy for the practitioner to work with.