Table 1 Checklist for handling vascular haemodialysis access

Perform hand hygiene^*

Yes/No

Wear a surgical mask (nurse and patient)

Yes/No

Wear non-sterile disposable gloves

Yes/No

Remove the dressing from the catheter without touching adjacent skin

Yes/No

Remove gloves and perform hand hygiene

Yes/No

Open the dressing change kit

Yes/No

Pour 2% chlorhexidine solution into a bowl

Yes/No

Perform hand hygiene and put on sterile gloves

Yes/No

Place three swabs in the chlorhexidine bowl

Yes/No

Disinfect the exit site thrice, once with each swab; wait for the area to dry

Yes/No

Wrap the catheter hubs with a sterile gauze

Yes/No

Cover the exit site with a sterile dressing

Yes/No

Remove gloves and perform hand hygiene

Yes/No

Open the kit for connecting the patient

Yes/No

Pour 2% chlorhexidine solution into a bowl

Yes/No

Wear sterile gloves

Yes/No

Put gauze pads in the chlorhexidine bowl

Yes/No

Place a sterile towel beneath the catheter

Yes/No

Clean the catheter hubs with the gauzes

Yes/No

Draw dead space from each lumen

Yes/No

Connect the haemodialysis tubing

Yes/No

Remove gloves and perform hand hygiene

Yes/No

Perform hand hygiene and put on non-sterile gloves

Yes/No

Wear a surgical mask (nurse and patient)

Yes/No

Return blood from the machine

Yes/No

Measure blood pressure

Yes/No

Remove gloves and perform hand hygiene

Yes/No

Open the kit for disconnecting the patient

Yes/No

Pour 2% chlorhexidine solution into a bowl

Yes/No

Perform hand hygiene and put on sterile gloves

Yes/No

Put gauze pads in the chlorhexidine bowl

Yes/No

Place a sterile towel beneath the catheter

Yes/No

Clean the catheter hubs with the chlorhexidine gauzes

Yes/No

Inject saline and heparin into the catheter

Yes/No

Put sterile caps on the catheter hubs

Yes/No

Put the designated dressing around the catheter hubs

Yes/No

Remove gloves and perform hand hygiene

Yes/No