Hemodialysis Central Venous Catheters: Risk Reduction Strategies

Course overview

This instructional course has been designed to educate the licensed nurse regarding the use of a hemodialysis central venous catheter (CVC) in a patient with end-stage kidney disease. Although a central venous catheter is not the preferred venous access for hemodialysis, there are circumstances in which a CVC is appropriate. However, a CVC is more prone to complications than an arteriovenous fistula or arteriovenous graft, including, but not limited to, thrombosis and catheter-related bloodstream infections. The nurse caring for a patient with a hemodialysis central venous catheter must be knowledgeable about these risks and the actions required to minimize the potential for negative outcomes resulting from these risks.