Dialysis guides
Getting Started
How to Prepare for Dialysis: Night-Before and Morning Checklist
Use a simple night-before and morning-of checklist to organize transportation, clothing, medications, access considerations, questions, and the items you plan to bring.
Does Dialysis Hurt? What Patients May Feel During Hemodialysis
Separate the brief discomfort of access or needle placement from other sensations that can happen during hemodialysis, and learn which pain or changes deserve…
What Happens If You Miss a Dialysis Treatment?
If you miss a hemodialysis treatment, the next step matters. Learn why contacting your dialysis center promptly is important and which symptoms may need…
Questions to Ask Your Dialysis Care Team
Use this guide to organize questions for your nephrologist, nurse, technician, dietitian, social worker, and other members of the dialysis care team before the…
Why Does Dialysis Take So Long? Understanding Treatment Time
Learn what determines hemodialysis treatment time, why several hours are commonly prescribed, and why the machine’s remaining-time display can sometimes change.
Fistula vs. Graft vs. Catheter: Understanding Hemodialysis Access
Compare fistulas, grafts, and catheters by how they provide dialysis access, what treatment may feel like, and the everyday care and risks that differ…
What Happens During Hemodialysis?
Follow the blood path through a hemodialysis treatment and learn what the access, bloodlines, dialyzer, machine, alarms, and end-of-treatment steps are each doing.
Your First Hemodialysis Treatment: What to Expect
Walk through the usual sequence of an in-center hemodialysis treatment—from check-in and pre-treatment checks to treatment, disconnecting, and going home.