Improving patient safety in haemodialysis

Thomas Inman (1820–76) wrote ‘Practice two things in your dealings with disease: either help or do not harm the patient’, echoing writings from the Hippocratic school. The challenge of practicing safely with the avoidance of complications or harm is perhaps only heightened in the context of modern medical settings such as the haemodialysis unit where complex interventions and treatment are routine. The current issue of CKJ reports two studies aimed at improving the care of haemodialysis patients targeting early use of arteriovenous grafts as access for haemodialysis and the implementation of a dialysis checklist to ensure the prescribed dialysis treatment is delivered. The further challenge of ensuring that such evidence-based tools are used appropriately and consistently falls to all members of the clinical team.