Hep. B in the dialysis chronic clinic

[Hairstylingnurse]

chello, I just wawated to ask what the procedures are for patient assignments in chronic dialysis with hep b (HBsAg)? Where is patient treated and how many patients does that nurse care for in that block of her shift??

[Twinmom06, ASN, APN]

with FMC, the pt is either dialyzed in an isolation room with its own machine or if there is no iso room, then there has to be a buffer of one machine one either side if the other patients are susceptible to Hep B. The machine is then bleached after use. I couldn't answer the question as to whether or not it is a one nurse show as I work acutes.

[westieluv]

When I worked in a Fresenius clinic with a patient who was positive for Hep B and C, she dialyzed in an isolation room but I still had ten patients in my section to be responsible for, I just had to follow strict isolation precautions when in the room with her.

[nutella, MSN, RN]

chello, I just wawated to ask what the procedures are for patient assignments in chronic dialysis with hep b (HBsAg)? Where is patient treated and how many patients does that nurse care for in that block of her shift??

Patient needs to be in isolation room and next to the isolation room you seat the patients who are immune to Hep B so that the nurse who cares for HepB pos only takes care of immune patients at the same time. This is preventative to avoid that the nurse or tech by accident drags the Hep B virus around. There are strict policies to follow in terms of PPE. The nurse in chronics does not get less patients because of the isolation room and definitely depends on the coworkers to keep an eye on the other ones while in the room.

If a patient is in the buffer zone and loses immunity they need to be re-seated in the susceptible section.