Patients

Lifeline for a Lifetime: Planning for Your Vascular Access

Lifeline for a Lifetime: Planning for Your Vascular Access is meant to help you get started in making a vascular access for hemodialysis. You will need an access plan to help guide you through all the steps toward a fistula or graft.

Lifeline for a Lifetime: Planning for Your Vascular Access

For patients on dialysis, your vascular access is your Lifeline for a Lifetime. 

Monitoring Your Vascular Access

Tool to assist dialysis patients better understand how to monitor their vascular access.

Access Monitoring Week by Week

National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive Diseases

The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) conducts, supports, and coordinates research on many of the most serious diseases affecting public health.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

The following resources are designed to help you understand infections that hemodialysis patients can get and ways to prevent these infections.

National Kidney Foundation (NKF)

NKF is the leading organization in the U.S. dedicated to the awareness, prevention and treatment of kidney disease for hundreds of thousands of healthcare professionals, millions of patients and their families, and tens of millions of Americans at risk.

How to Have a Good Future with Kidney Disease

A patient-centered CKD education series in six parts.

Dialysis Patients Speak: A Conversation About the Importance of AV Fistulas

In this 12-minute video, designed for patient audiences old and new, you will see renal professionals and real dialysis patients telling their access stories from the heart. It is humorous, moving and educational. There is major emphasis on placement and use of AVF as a first blood access, and strong cautionary tales about catheters. The conversational style of the video is non-threatening, sincere and candid. Our hope is that your patients see the video and are encouraged to have discussions about vascular access choices.