Services

Hemodialysis

Acute hemodialysis services are performed by DaVita nurses in hospitals and other health care facilities that contract with DaVita to provide this service. Hemodialysis is performed on current dialysis patients as well as patients who are hospitalized with acute renal failure. Hemodialysis requires that blood leave the patient's body through an access to be filtered and then returned to the body. Some dialysis patients will have a permanent vascular access, while others will have a temporary catheter.

DaVita has hemodialysis machines on site that are brought to either the patient's bedside or the patient is brought to a designated treatment area. An acute registered nurse will set up the dialysis machine and administer dialysis to the patient as well as provide education about dialysis and nutrition to the patient and interested family members. Once the hemodialysis treatment is complete, usually in about four hours, the patient is brought back to their room or the DaVita nurse will remove the dialysis machine from the patient's room.

Peritoneal Dialysis (PD)

Acute peritoneal dialysis is administered by DaVita nurses in hospitals or other health care facilities that contract with DaVita to provide this service. Peritoneal dialysis is performed on current dialysis patients as well as patients who are hospitalized with newly diagnosed kidney failure. Peritoneal dialysis is performed within the body. A catheter is placed in the peritoneal cavity so that dialysate (dialysis solution) can be place in the cavity. The peritoneum is a semi-permeable membrane around the peritoneal cavity that filters fluid and wastes. After a time, the dialysate is removed from the cavity and replaced with fresh dialysate.

DaVita registered nurses assist current dialysis patients who are hospitalized as well as train new patients. There are two types of peritoneal dialysis: continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) is performed by manually filling and draining the peritoneal cavity, while continuous cycler peritoneal dialysis (CCPD) is performed using a dialysis machine called a cycler usually during the night while the patient sleeps. In addition to providing equipment and performing peritoneal dialysis, DaVita registered nurses will also educate patients and their interested family members about dialysis and nutritional changes for those on dialysis.

Continuous Renal Replacement Therapies (CRRT)

Continuous renal replacement therapy is performed by DaVita nurses in hospitals and other health care facilities that contract with DaVita to provide this service. Continuous renal replacement therapy is administered over a 24-hour period. This slower form of dialysis is generally more gentle on the body and works continuously much like the kidney.

DaVita has dialysis machines on site that are brought to the patient's bedside. A DaVita registered nurse will set up the dialysis machine, monitor the treatment and discontinue the therapy, while the ICU nurse monitors the treatment to the patient.

Apheresis

Apheresis services are performed by DaVita nurses in hospitals and other health care facilities that contract with DaVita to provide this service. Apheresis is an extracorporeal therapy which removes the patients’ blood and separates out certain components.

DaVita has machines on site that are brought to the patient's bedside  or designated area. A DaVita registered nurse will set up the machine and administer required treatment to the patient. In addition to providing treatment, the DaVita nurse will educate patients and their interested family members about apheresis.