What can I do while I dialyze at a center?
You are free to read, watch television, work or play on your laptop, talk to other patients and care team members, sleep—whatever activity you can do from the dialysis chair.
Who is taking care of me at the dialysis center?
You spend a lot of time—and place a lot of trust—with the people who care for you. A supportive kidney health care team can help make your experience more pleasant. At DaVita®, you’ll receive personal care and attention from a highly trained team of professionals that wants to help you maximize your quality of life.
How does in-center hemodialysis work?
Once you arrive at the dialysis center, the healthcare team—from the nurse to the facility administrator—will take care of all aspects of treatment.
First, your access area will be washed by a patient care technician (PCT). Once that’s complete, you will be weighed and escorted to your dialysis chair. Your standing and sitting blood pressure will be taken and a dialysis nurse will check your vitals before connecting you to the dialysis machine.
The typical dialysis session is four hours. During that time your care team will monitor your blood pressure and the dialysis machine’s performance. When the dialysis treatment time is up, they will disconnect you from the dialysis machine and record your vital signs again.