Setting up K/T 2008 dialysis machines

Check out my latest book to gain even more knowledge and insight on set-up and priming.

-->There are many models concerning dialysis machines. However, the most popular one is the K machine, commonly found in Fresenius and Davita units. Honestly, I can set up a machine fully in 2 minutes. Everyone is different and works at a different pace. At the bottom of the videos is my step by step tips on setting up a machine. <---

Veronica sharing how she primes a dialysis machine.

Another woman priming the dialysis machine her way.

Now, these are only my tips, so don't use them as clinical protocol. Things change all the time in dialysis regarding policy and procedure. What I am sharing with you is the basis of setting up a K, K2 machine. Your unit will tell you how much saline to run through the whole system and if re-circulation mode is still acceptable as well as blood pump speed. 

Now I am not good at drawing pictures etc but I had to do this mini preview so that you can have a clue. 

STEP 1

WHEN YOU APPROACH YOUR MACHINE, YOU SHOULD HAVE ON PPE OR GLOVES.

OUR 1ST FOCUS WILL BE ON THE SALINE BAG. YOU SHOULD NOW TAKE THE SALINE BAG OUT OF THE COVER AND HANG IT ON THE ROD ON THE NEAR TOP OF THE MACHINE. 

STEP 2

OPEN YOUR DIALYZER IMMEDIATELY AND SET IT IN THE HOLDING CHAMBER

STEP 3

NOW YOU SHOULD OPEN YOUR LINES WHICH SHOULD LOOK LIKE THIS. 

YOU SHOULD THEN PROCEED TO PUT THE RED ARTERIAL LINES ON ONE ARM AND THE THE BLUE ON THE OTHER. NOW WE WILL BE SETTING UP THE RED ARTERIAL FIRST. 

STEP 4

YOU WILL NOW SET UP THE VENOUS BLUE LINE IN YOUR HAND. YOU WILL JUST FOLLOW THE BLUE IMPRINT ON THE MACHINE AND CONNECT IT TO THE DIALYZER. ONCE YOU DO THAT, THE END OF THE BLUE LINE YOU WILL PUT IN THE BUCKET NEAR THE SALINE POLE. THE REASON IS BECAUSE YOU WILL BE RUNNING SALINE THROUGHOUT THE CIRCUIT AND THE AIR MIXED WITH SALINE NEEDS TO RUN OUT. 

STEP 5

NOW YOU WILL PUT YOUR RED ARTERIAL LINE NEXT TO THE VENOUS LINE IN THE BUCKET. YOU WILL OPEN YOUR SALINE PORT AND START YOUR SALINE TO RUN THROUGH THE RED ARTERIAL LINE FIRST UNTIL THE AIR IS OUT. THEN YOU WILL SNAP SHUT THE ARTERIAL LINE AND PROCEED TO RUN THE SALINE THROUGH THE WHOLE CIRCUIT TO REMOVE THE AIR AND OTHER PARTICLES IN THE DIALYZER. 

STEP 6

NOW THE AIR SHOULD BE FULLY OUT OF THE WHOLE CIRCUIT INCLUDING THE DIALYZER. SOMETIMES YOU CAN FLIP THE DIALYZER OVER TO MAKE SURE NO AIR BUBBLES ARE STILL IN THE BOTTOM OF THE DIALYZER. SOME UNIT POLICIES ARE DIFFERENT AND REQUIRE EXTRA DUMPING OF THE SALINE ETC. 

NOW AFTER THE AIR IS OUT, OUR NEXT STEP IS TO CONNECT BOTH BLUE AND RED END PORTS TO RECIRCULATE THE SALINE THAT IS LEFT. 

STEP 7

YOU WILL PLUG IN THE TRANSDUCERS ONCE IT IS TIME TO PUT ON THE PATIENT AND THE MACHINE HAS RECIRCULATED AND PASSED THE TEST. AFTER THE MACHINE HAS PASSED THE TEST, YOU WILL PUT ON THE HANSENS (1 BICARB/ACID BATH BLUE CONNECTOR AND 1 DRAIN RED CONNECTOR). THE BLUE CONNECTOR BRINGS THE BATH FROM THE WATER ROOM TO THE DIALYZER THROUGH THE MACHINE AND THE RED RECEIVES THE BYPRODUCTS FROM THE DIALYSIS AND IT GOES IN THE DRAIN. 

SIMPLE! HAPPY PRIMING ~

YOUR MACHINE SHOULD LOOK LIKE THIS ONCE YOU PUT ON YOUR PATIENT.

THE BOX HANGING ON THE SALINE POLE IS CALLED THE "CRIT LINE" THAT IS A WHOLE NOTHER EXPLANATION IN ITSELF. MY MAIN CONCERN IS THAT YOU UNDERSTAND THE MACHINE SET UP DYNAMICS. 

INVEST IN YOUR KNOWLEDGE HERE

I HAVE CREATED A TOTAL OF FOUR GROUPS FOR YOU

Periscope ID: @dialysistechs

Twitter : CLICK HERE

YouTube : CLICK HERE

Pintrest : CLICK HERE

I founded a total of 5 dialysis groups on Facebook but I am currently in 3 of those groups. 1. DIALYSIS NURSES ROCK PERIOD https://www.facebook.com/groups/WEDNRP/ 2. POWER DIALYSIS TECH & STAFF GROUP (Now renamed and headed by Dwelyn) https://www.facebook.com/groups/1417405875004281/ 3. CCHT/BONENT GROUP https://www.facebook.com/groups/146721199373914/
FACEBOOK PAGE --- https://www.facebook.com/DTechsUSA/